City · Kentucky
Powderly, Kentucky
Powderly, city, in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Powderly had 787 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 788 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 931 (±334). GEOID 2162652.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
787
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 788 · ACS 2020-2024: 931 ±334
Median household income
$50,662
±$7,945 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$99,300
±$8,531 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$754
±$202 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
Where is Powderly and what county is it in?
Powderly is a city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 504 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 Powderly, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 787 people lived in Powderly on July 1, 2025, up 1.5% since 2020, slower than Kentucky (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 788 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 931 (±334).
| Measure | Powderly | Muhlenberg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 931 ±334 | 30,591 | no clear change |
| Households | 345 ±100 | 12,123 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.70 ±0.57 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 487 ±136 | 13,557 | no clear change |
Powderly's population since 2000
From 846 in 2000 to 787 in 2025: down 7.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Powderly 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 Powderly?
The median resident of Powderly is 38.4 years old; 30.9% are under 18 and 21.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 5.3%.
| Measure | Powderly | Muhlenberg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 ±6.6 | 43.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.9% ±9.1 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.6% ±10.2 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±6.6 pts | 51.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1% ±5.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.2% ±8.8 pts | 91.9% | −9.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±8.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.5% ±4.5 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±1.2 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.1% ±5.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8% ±3.7 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 32.2% ±10.7 pts | 22.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.9% ±5.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.4% ±8.7 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.8% ±10.3 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.5% ±12.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.8% ±5.8 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±2.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
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 Powderly earn?
Half of Powderly's 345 households earn less than $50,662 a year (±$7,945), against $51,927 in Muhlenberg County and $63,726 in Kentucky. In 2015-2019 it was $47,203 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Powderly | Muhlenberg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,662 ±$7,945 | $51,927 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $57,906 ±$12,344 | $75,120 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,164 ±$4,113 | $30,585 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.4% ±8.9 pts | 18.4% | +11.1 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.6% ±9.6 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.9% ±10.5 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.4% ±2.4 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.7% ±8.9 pts | 84.2% | – |
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 Powderly?
Owners occupy 82.0% of Powderly's occupied homes and renters 18.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $99,300 by its owner (±$8,531). The median renter pays $754 a month including utilities, and 40.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Powderly | Muhlenberg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $99,300 ±$8,531 | $127,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $754 ±$202 | $718 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.7% ±22.6 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,000 ±$79 | $1,167 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.0% ±8.5 pts | 78.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.0% ±8.5 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Housing units | 487 ±136 | 13,557 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.0% ±12.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.2% ±12.5 pts | 74.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 28.7% ±11.9 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.9% ±2.5 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.5% ±3.5 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.1% ±5.7 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 Powderly building?
Powderly 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 Powderly work and get to work?
77.0% of Powderly's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.4 minutes.
| Measure | Powderly | Muhlenberg County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 41.2% ±12.3 pts | 51.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±3.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.0% ±15.1 pts | 86.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.3% ±9.1 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±13.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±13.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.2% ±1.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.4 min ±5.1 | 27.0 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 Powderly?
No census tract lies mostly in Powderly; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9604Muhlenberg County | 4,616 | $48,977 |
| Tract 9605Muhlenberg County | 3,291 | $52,457 |
| Tract 9601Muhlenberg County | 1,074 | $34,000 |
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 Powderly) · Census block assignment files
How does Powderly compare with other places in Kentucky?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Powderly is the 11,305th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 241st-most populous of 418 in Kentucky.
Powderly is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 241st | 418 |
Powderly's figures with every place in Kentucky (CSV)
Every place in Kentucky, sortable · Compare Powderly 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 Powderly?
24 of the 57 figures for Powderly 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 Powderly 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 Powderly.