City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

McDowell, KY

McDowell's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

549
Residents
$35,576
Median income
$73,600
Median home
$984
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for McDowell.

Place dossier plate

Sheet KY-MCDOWELL-KY · McDowell, KY 549 pop · income 5th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-LOW · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-BOTTOM · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 549
  • INC-LOW $35,576
  • COL-BELOW 90.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 5th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Wawaka
  • HOME-LOW $73,600
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Wawaka, IN (+ $1 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around McDowell

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest McDowell on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for McDowell on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 549.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $35,576. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

McDowell - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, McDowell lands in the 5th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

5th
percentile, household income
2nd
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: McDowell, KY

Kentucky's McDowell is a small town, with 549 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in McDowell brings in $35,576 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 26.8%. Typical homes in McDowell are valued around $73,600, and the median resident age is 55.2 years. 26.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 24.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: the state registers 90.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $984 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Kentucky run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 44.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of McDowell's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to work and mobility to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For McDowell, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for annual population history, local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in McDowell?

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 26.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in McDowell?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 71.6%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 3

Which cities make useful reference points for McDowell?

Within Kentucky, the closest population matches are Brownsboro Farm (549 residents, $151,250 income); Kenvir (550 residents); Fleming-Neon (555 residents, $37,969 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Dodge City, AL (549 residents); Empire, CO (549 residents); Bowersville, GA (549 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

549 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$35,576 /yr

Lowest-decile income · poverty 26.8% (Highest-decile poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

City profile score · McDowell, KY

32/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living A
90.2 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Bachelor's+ share C-
26.2%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Poverty rate F
26.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Household income F
$35,576

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

McDowell profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate, Household income. Cost of livingBachelor's+ sharePoverty rateHousehold income 32 F
McDowell profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 85/100 (A) · 90.2 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 51/100 (C-) · 26.2%
  • Poverty rate: 4/100 (F) · 26.8%
  • Household income: 1/100 (F) · $35,576

How does McDowell compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 2% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Kentucky-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places McDowell near the bottom of Kentucky's cities

Among the 520 Kentucky cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, McDowell ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares McDowell only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#412 of 485
15th percentile in Kentucky
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 520
0th percentile in Kentucky
Median Home Value
#446 of 484
8th percentile in Kentucky
Poverty Rate
#81 of 519
84th percentile in Kentucky
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#174 of 520
66th percentile in Kentucky
How in-state ranks are ordered

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.

5thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

5th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How McDowell's home value compares nationally

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

$73,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 98% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $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. McDowell $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

McDowell's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.1×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#1,896 of 15,516
More affordable than 88% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#1,804 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 2.1×, McDowell sits in the affordable band: national rank #1,896 of 15,516 and #1,804 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$35,576 McDowell, KY median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - McDowell, KY McDowell, KY's median household income ($35,576) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not McDowell, KY-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution McDowell, KY median $35,576/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%
McDowell, KY median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for McDowell, KY.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 26.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 24.7%

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

Population
549
Median Income
$35,576
Median Home Value
$73,600
Median Age
55.2
Poverty Rate
26.8%
Labor force participation
24.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.2%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.6%
Carpool
18.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
10.2%
Work from Home
0.0%

Based on 88 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Kentucky statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Kentucky at $225 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $40 ).

These are Kentucky statewide averages, not a meter reading for McDowell. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Kentucky's BEA cost-of-living index is 90.2 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around McDowell is $984/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Kentucky statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 44.2 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Kentucky statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county McDowell sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How McDowell compares to similar-size Kentucky cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
McDowell (this city) 549 $35,576
Brownsboro Farm 549 $151,250
Kenvir 550 N/A
Fleming-Neon 555 $37,969
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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