City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Carrollton, KY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Carrollton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,894
Residents
$58,788
Median income
$122,400
Median home
$974
Median rent (state)

Carrollton - the verdict

Carrollton ranks in the 33rd percentile for household income and the 84th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

33rd
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
17th
percentile, median rent
84th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Carrollton, KY

3,894 people live in Carrollton, Kentucky - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $58,788 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.8%. Typical homes in Carrollton are valued around $122,400, and the median resident age is 34.0 years. About 2.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 51.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier. Carrollton reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 535.4 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Kentucky scores 90.2 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $974 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Kentucky, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 23.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

3,894 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$58,788 /yr

Poverty 11.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Carrollton compare to other US cities?

Carrollton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 33% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 17% pricier than other cities
Safety 84% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kentucky alone, Carrollton ranks #64 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Carrollton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kentucky only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kentucky-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Carrollton near the bottom of Kentucky's cities

Among the 520 Kentucky cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Carrollton ranks #492 - the 5th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Carrollton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#215 of 485
56th percentile in Kentucky
Median Gross Rent
#271 of 520
47th percentile in Kentucky
Median Home Value
#299 of 484
38th percentile in Kentucky
Poverty Rate
#246 of 519
52nd percentile in Kentucky
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#492 of 520
5th percentile in Kentucky

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kentucky only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

33rdIncome percentile
84thSafety percentile

33rd percentile nationally for median household income · 84th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Carrollton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Carrollton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Carrollton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Carrollton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$122,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Carrollton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Carrollton, KY Carrollton, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Carrollton, KY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Carrollton, KY median $58,788/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Carrollton, KY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Carrollton, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 2.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,894
Median Income
$58,788
Median Home Value
$122,400
Median Age
34.0
Poverty Rate
11.8%
Labor force participation
51.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
2.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
535.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
51.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
484.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,850 residents3,900 residents3,950 residents4,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,892 residents 3,964 residents ▲ +1.8%
Carrollton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 9
2021 6
2022 4
2023 4
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.2%
Carpool
10.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
3.8%

Based on 1,453 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kentucky - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Carrollton sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$974/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
23.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Williamstown
3,929 people
Lancaster
3,960 people
Prestonsburg
3,823 people
Grayson
3,820 people
Buckner
3,786 people
Crittenden
4,058 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Carrollton's 3,894 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Parkesburg, PA
3,894 people
Pinch, WV
3,893 people
Pulaski, WI
3,892 people
Great Notch, NJ
3,898 people
Hidden Meadows, CA
3,899 people
Clyde, TX
3,899 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Carrollton's $58,788 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

St. Albans, WV
$58,788 median income
Hull, IL
$58,791 median income
Waveland, MS
$58,795 median income
Conway, NH
$58,796 median income
Hutchinson, KS
$58,801 median income
Hondo, TX
$58,773 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Carrollton, KY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Carrollton, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.1% 11.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.8% White 82.1% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.7% Two or more races 11.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Carrollton compares to nearby Kentucky cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Carrollton (this city) 3,894 $58,788
Williamstown 3,929 $71,761
Lancaster 3,960 $45,795
Prestonsburg 3,823 $27,265
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Carrollton, KY?

What is the population of Carrollton, KY? +

Carrollton, KY counts 3,894 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Carrollton, KY? +

Median annual household income in Carrollton runs $58,788, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Carrollton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Carrollton; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

Is Carrollton, KY safe? +

Carrollton has a total crime rate of 535.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Carrollton, KY? +

Carrollton's median home value sits at $122,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.