City · Kentucky
Paintsville, Kentucky
Paintsville, city, in Johnson County, Kentucky. Paintsville had 4,111 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,312 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,203 (±21). GEOID 2158962.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,111
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,312 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,203 ±21
Median household income
$28,257
±$9,232 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$116,100
±$33,812 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$637
±$80 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
Where is Paintsville and what county is it in?
Paintsville is a city in Johnson County, Kentucky. It covers 6.6 square miles of land, 651 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 Paintsville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,111 people lived in Paintsville on July 1, 2025, down 4.8% since 2020, while Kentucky grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 4,312 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,203 (±21).
| Measure | Paintsville | Johnson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,203 ±21 | 22,334 | +113 |
| Households | 1,779 ±176 | 9,040 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.22 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,300 ±226 | 10,583 | +342 |
Paintsville's population since 2000
From 4,132 in 2000 to 4,111 in 2025: down 0.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Paintsville 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 Paintsville?
The median resident of Paintsville is 44.8 years old; 21.1% are under 18 and 15.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.4%.
| Measure | Paintsville | Johnson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 ±4.3 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.1% ±5.1 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.0% ±3.6 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Male | 44.1% ±5.8 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.3% ±3.9 pts | 93.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.4% ±1.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.5% ±3.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±2.8 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 24.6% ±6.8 pts | 26.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.5% ±3.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.5% ±5.9 pts | 82.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.6% ±7.3 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.9% ±4.7 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.9% ±6.3 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Paintsville earn?
Half of Paintsville's 1,779 households earn less than $28,257 a year (±$9,232), against $44,904 in Johnson County and $63,726 in Kentucky. 32.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Paintsville | Johnson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $28,257 ±$9,232 | $44,904 | – |
| Mean household income | $54,298 ±$13,037 | $61,524 | – |
| Per capita income | $23,333 ±$5,077 | $25,175 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 32.9% ±11.1 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.4% ±20.3 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.7% ±9.3 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.1% ±5.0 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.7% ±6.6 pts | 89.1% | – |
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 Paintsville?
Owners occupy 42.9% of Paintsville's occupied homes and renters 57.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $116,100 by its owner (±$33,812). The median renter pays $637 a month including utilities, and 41.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Paintsville | Johnson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $116,100 ±$33,812 | $120,200 | −$82,288 |
| Median gross rent | $637 ±$80 | $708 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.0% ±13.7 pts | 37.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,315 ±$363 | $1,151 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 42.9% ±9.5 pts | 68.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 57.1% ±9.5 pts | 31.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,300 ±226 | 10,583 | +342 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.4% ±7.3 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 51.3% ±8.6 pts | 58.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% ±4.3 pts | 27.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9% ±4.9 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.7% ±6.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.2% ±6.0 pts | 5.2% | – |
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 Paintsville building?
Paintsville last reported building permits to the Census Bureau for 2022.
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 Paintsville work and get to work?
81.5% of Paintsville's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 15.5 minutes.
| Measure | Paintsville | Johnson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.5% ±6.1 pts | 47.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±3.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.5% ±9.1 pts | 83.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.5% ±6.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±2.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.8% ±8.6 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.5 min ±4.2 | 23.5 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 Paintsville?
1 census tract lies mostly in Paintsville, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9604.01Johnson County | 3,509 | $24,529 |
| Tract 9604.02Johnson County | 2,978 | $58,102 |
| Tract 9606Johnson County | 3,936 | $60,969 |
| Tract 9603Johnson County | 2,811 | $32,450 |
| Tract 9605Johnson County | 3,188 | $63,247 |
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 Paintsville) · Census block assignment files
How does Paintsville compare with other places in Kentucky?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Paintsville is the 5,437th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 90th-most populous of 418 in Kentucky.
Paintsville ranks 219th 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 | 90th | 418 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 185th | 204 |
| Residents per square mile | 186th | 232 |
| Median household income | 219th | 230 |
| Per capita income | 188th | 232 |
| Median home value | 183rd | 225 |
| Median gross rent | 180th | 217 |
| Poverty rate | 25th | 203 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 145th | 223 |
| Median age | 41st | 232 |
| Owner-occupied share | 206th | 229 |
| Travel time to work | 221st | 232 |
Paintsville's figures with every place in Kentucky (CSV)
Every place in Kentucky, sortable · Compare Paintsville 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 Paintsville?
20 of the 57 figures for Paintsville 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 Paintsville 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 Paintsville.