Population

Is population growing or shrinking?

Updated annually
It shrank by 157 between 2023 and 2024. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Carter County, KY’s 0.6% annual decrease was primarily driven by deaths outpacing births.
In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Carter County, KY’s population shrank by 5.2%.

-157

population change (2023 to 2024)

-0.6%

percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Carter County, KY's population increased 7 out of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2009 and 2010, when Carter County gained 724 residents. Its largest decline occurred between 2007 and 2008 when there were 292 fewer residents.

Carter County, KY lost 157 residents between 2023 and 2024.

Annual population change

A county’s population is influenced by three factors:
  • Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 and 2024 natural population change was negative in Carter County, KY, with deaths exceeding births by 211.
  • Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a county: If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Between 2023 to 2024, Carter County, KY’s population change from immigration was negative with about one more person leaving for another country directly from Carter County, KY than coming.
  • Domestic migration, moving between counties: Between 2023 to 2024, Carter County, KY’s population change from domestic migration was positive with about 55 more people coming from any other county in the US.

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Between 2023 and 2024, natural change was the primary driver of population decline in Carter County, KY.

Components of population change

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.