I am somewhat a cliche'. I grew up running around barefoot on a farm in Kentucky.
I love writing, art, sunshine, all animals and my incredibly patient husband, who tolerates my "crazy animal lady" side.
Kentucky is rich when it comes to beautiful land, water ways, and friendly people. However, some of our most beautiful counties are also our most poor. This is a collection of counties with the highest poverty levels in the Bluegrass State. The information was comprised from a list of the poorest counties in the entire United States.
A lack of money doesn’t mean these people do without their needs though. They are rich when it comes to being surrounded by family, beauty, and friends.
This county was named after Kentucky Governor John Breathitt in 1839. The community hasn’t done to bad for itself with almost 14,000 residents, and most having an average income of $11,044. The largest city here is Jackson.
In 1843, this county was organized and then named for Judge and Governor, William Owsley. The average income is about $10,742 and the current residents only register as 4,755 in number. The largest city here is Boonesville.
Formed in 1860 and named after Governor Beriah Magoffin, this community now has a population of around 13,333 with an average income of $10,685. We also found Waldo, an unincorporated city in Magoffin.
This county was formed in 1799, and named for General Henry Knox. The current population is close to 32,000 with an average income of $10,660. The largest city is Barbourville.
This community was named for former President Andrew Jackson and became a county in 1858. The county of around 13,494 people boasts an average salary of $10,711. The county seat is McKee.
This dry county was established in 1878. There are currently around 11,310 residents who make an average of $10,421. During the year 1970, there was a HUGE coal explosion that killed 38 community members. The largest town is Hyden.
This beautiful little county is named for Nathanial Wolfe, and was formed by taking parts of several counties back in 1860. Currently, the population is less than 8000 with an average income of around $10,321. The largest town is Campton.
This unusual county in the Bluegrass doesn't have one incorporated city. Its population is around 18,306 people and the average income is only $9,896. The majority of the county is owned by the Federal Government with 43% owned by the Daniel Boone National Forest and 18% owned by the National Parks Association. Pine Knot is the largest community in the county.
This beautiful part of our state was formed in 1807, has less than 22,000 residents and an average income of $9,716. Manchester is the largest town in the county.
Happiness is not about being rich or having fancy things. In Kentucky, many of us appreciate the simple things in life, sometimes because that’s what we’ve experienced. There are those who prefer looking out a backdoor at some beautiful, scenic land, or walking down the street to see acres or trees, pastures, or water, instead of concrete. Believe it or not, there are still folks out there who sit down to dinner and don’t bring their mobile device to the table…
Living at or near the poverty level can help us appreciate simplicity, and survival. Please feel free to share your opinions on some of our poorer counties.
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