City · Kentucky
Carlisle, Kentucky
Carlisle, city, in Nicholas County, Kentucky. Carlisle had 2,122 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,093 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,214 (±458). GEOID 2112898.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,122
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,093 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,214 ±458
Median household income
$49,201
±$12,311 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$101,500
±$13,157 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$636
±$114 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
Where is Carlisle and what county is it in?
Carlisle is a city in Nicholas County, Kentucky. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 1,571 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carlisle, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,122 people lived in Carlisle on July 1, 2025, up 1.1% since 2020, slower than Kentucky (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 2,093 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,214 (±458).
| Measure | Carlisle | Nicholas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,214 ±458 | 7,708 | no clear change |
| Households | 893 ±173 | 2,776 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.39 ±0.31 | 2.74 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,113 ±175 | 3,333 | no clear change |
Carlisle's population since 2000
From 1,917 in 2000 to 2,122 in 2025: up 10.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carlisle as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Carlisle?
The median resident of Carlisle is 49.0 years old; 15.0% are under 18 and 24.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 4.1%.
| Measure | Carlisle | Nicholas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 ±5.2 | 40.6 | +9.0 |
| Under 18 years | 15.0% ±5.3 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.8% ±5.5 pts | 16.9% | – |
| Male | 46.4% ±4.1 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±2.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.3% ±3.8 pts | 95.5% | −7.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±2.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.4% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.3% ±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±3.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| With a disability | 31.9% ±7.4 pts | 21.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.0% ±4.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.0% ±4.8 pts | 87.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.0% ±3.5 pts | 9.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.9% ±2.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.6% ±6.5 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6% ±3.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Carlisle earn?
Half of Carlisle's 893 households earn less than $49,201 a year (±$12,311), against $59,531 in Nicholas County and $63,726 in Kentucky. In 2015-2019 it was $39,350 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Carlisle | Nicholas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,201 ±$12,311 | $59,531 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $53,850 ±$7,626 | $64,385 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,969 ±$2,825 | $25,299 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.8% ±8.6 pts | 17.6% | −19.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.9% ±21.2 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.0% ±7.3 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.0% ±4.3 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±6.0 pts | 81.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Carlisle?
Owners occupy 56.2% of Carlisle's occupied homes and renters 43.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $101,500 by its owner (±$13,157). The median renter pays $636 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Carlisle | Nicholas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $101,500 ±$13,157 | $123,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $636 ±$114 | $728 | −$190 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.1% ±15.3 pts | 35.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $915 ±$116 | $1,143 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.2% ±10.8 pts | 74.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.8% ±10.8 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,113 ±175 | 3,333 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.7% ±4.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.2% ±8.7 pts | 72.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.7% ±7.5 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 22.8% ±7.5 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.3% ±6.7 pts | 11.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Carlisle building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Carlisle in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 1.4 per 1,000 residents against 3.2 across Kentucky.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Carlisle work and get to work?
78.9% of Carlisle's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 29.8 minutes.
| Measure | Carlisle | Nicholas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.8% ±9.1 pts | 55.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±2.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.9% ±8.1 pts | 84.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.8% ±7.8 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.8% ±4.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±3.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.8 min ±6.4 | 35.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Carlisle?
No census tract lies mostly in Carlisle; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Nicholas County | 5,457 | $57,072 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Carlisle) · Census block assignment files
How does Carlisle compare with other places in Kentucky?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carlisle is the 7,474th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 144th-most populous of 418 in Kentucky.
Carlisle ranks 146th of 230 places in Kentucky with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 144th | 418 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 110th | 204 |
| Residents per square mile | 67th | 232 |
| Median household income | 146th | 230 |
| Per capita income | 194th | 232 |
| Median home value | 199th | 225 |
| Median gross rent | 181st | 217 |
| Poverty rate | 139th | 203 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 215th | 223 |
| Median age | 19th | 232 |
| Owner-occupied share | 143rd | 229 |
| Travel time to work | 19th | 232 |
Carlisle's figures with every place in Kentucky (CSV)
Every place in Kentucky, sortable · Compare Carlisle with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Carlisle?
23 of the 57 figures for Carlisle on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carlisle are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Carlisle.