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Breathitt County, KY: population growth, jobs and income

Breathitt County lost 193 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.5%).

Breathitt County had an estimated 12,558 residents in 2025, down 8.3% (1,143 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Kentucky as a whole (+2.2%), and the 120th fastest growth of 120 counties in Kentucky.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Breathitt County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Breathitt County, ranked against Kentucky and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$548/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes16.9%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months12025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 94 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 1,945 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −37.4% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.5% in 2025, 0.5 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1 new homes in 2025, or 0.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $34,808 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +17.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 3,057th.

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Breathitt County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202512,558−193
202412,751−180
202312,931−407
202213,338−217
202113,555−146
202013,701–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Breathitt County

Breathitt County lost 1,143 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−657).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−108−521
International migrationfrom and to other countries+7+25
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−94−657
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+2+10
Total change−193−1,143

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn KentuckyAmong U.S. counties
Population growth120th of 1203,057th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents116th of 1202,746th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth120th of 1203,085th of 3,092
Median household income114th of 1203,083rd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate110th of 1202,969th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents77th of 972,733rd of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Breathitt County, KY as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Breathitt County lost population faster than all 6 of its neighbouring counties (−8.3%, 2020–25).

3 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Breathitt County's $34,808 (2020–24).

Breathitt County, KY and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Breathitt County, KY This county12,558−8.3%−7.50.1$34,808
Wolfe County, KY6,298−4.0%9.1–$30,417
Magoffin County, KY11,110−4.3%−1.3–$33,080
Perry County, KY26,555−6.4%−4.80.0$42,181
Owsley County, KY3,932−2.5%11.4–$22,188
Lee County, KY7,297−0.9%8.9–$37,568
Knott County, KY13,321−5.9%−2.0–$41,761

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 120 Kentucky counties · Every state

Questions

Is Breathitt County growing?

No. Its population fell 8.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,143 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Kentucky as a whole changed +2.2% over the same years. That ranks 120th of 120 counties in Kentucky for population growth.

How many people moved to Breathitt County?

On net, none in 2025: about 94 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Breathitt County?

It averaged 6.5% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Breathitt County?

About 12,558 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Breathitt County?

Private employers there had 1,945 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −37.4% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Kentucky

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Kentucky county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

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Breathitt County data alerts

Email me when Breathitt County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Breathitt County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.