Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety65#323/924
Economy2#908/925
Housing58#393/925
Health1#919/925
Healthcare78#203/923
Environment61#362/917
Education11#825/925
Infrastructure1#915/925
Community3#893/925
Leisure & amenities30#650/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Pikeville, KY micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Pharmacies · high6.6 /10k
100/100Kentucky 2.4 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · high1,642 /100k
100/100Kentucky 329 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Violent crime rate · low30 /100k
100/100Kentucky 212 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Property crime rate · low188 /100k
100/100Kentucky 1,262 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · high3.4 /10k
98/100Kentucky 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low5.6%
89/100Kentucky 8.1%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010

Weaknesses

Preventable hospital stays · high6,942 /100k
0/100Kentucky 3,415 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high24.6%
0/100Kentucky 17.6%United States 16.1%2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Life expectancy · low68.2 yrs
1/100Kentucky 73.6 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · low34.8%
1/100Kentucky 69.8%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Premature death · high18,182 /100k
1/100Kentucky 11,364 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Median household income · low$43,214
2/100Kentucky $64,481United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
94,264 (2020) → 89,122 (2025)
−5.5%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 25% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+25 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New business applicationsImproving
5.1 /1k (2020) → 9.1 /1k (2025)
+79%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Gyms and fitness centersImproving
0.3 /10k (2020) → 0.6 /10k (2025)
+76%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
New homes permittedWorsening
0.2 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−72%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Homicide rateImproving
7.7 /100k (2021) → 3.3 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−57%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Pikeville, KY micropolitan area improved on 15 of 22 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 0 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved15

Restaurants+44%4.7 /10k → 6.7 /10k
High school++5.8 points76.3% → 82.1%
Gyms+76%0.3 /10k → 0.6 /10k
Rent burden−6.5 points52.3% → 45.9%
Pharmacies+13%5.8 /10k → 6.6 /10k

Declined3

Firearm deaths+38%16.9 /100k → 23.3 /100k
Libraries−7.7%1.0 /10k → 0.9 /10k
Traffic deaths+14%26.5 /100k → 30.2 /100k

All 22 measures

Change of every measure of Pikeville, KY micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	1.6 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+34%	Improved	91%
Average commute time	25.0 min2015-2019	26.0 min2020-2024	+1.0 min	Little change	31%
Bachelor's degree or higher	12.4%2015-2019	16.9%2020-2024	+4.5 points	Improved	85%
Broadband subscriptions	72.7%2015-2019	83.8%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	71%
Distance to an airport	119 mi2020	119 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	94%
Drug overdose deaths	44.6 /100k2020	40.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−10%	Improved	36%
Firearm deaths	16.9 /100k2020	23.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+38%	Declined	14%
Grocery stores	3.4 /10k2020	3.4 /10k2025	−0.8%	Little change	47%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.3 /10k2020	0.6 /10k2025	+76%	Improved	93%
High school diploma or higher	76.3%2015-2019	82.1%2020-2024	+5.8 points	Improved	98%
Homicide rate	3.8 /100k2020	3.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−12%	Improved	34%
Income adjusted for local prices	$42,4702019	$58,2272024	+37%	Improved	81%
New business applications	5.1 /1k2020	9.1 /1k2025	+79%	Improved	87%
Pharmacies	5.8 /10k2020	6.6 /10k2025	+13%	Improved	91%
Property crime rate	390 /100k2020	188 /100k2025	−52%	Improved	88%
Public libraries	1.0 /10k2019	0.9 /10k2024	−7.7%	Declined	15%
Rent-burdened households	52.3%2015-2019	45.9%2020-2024	−6.5 points	Improved	93%
Restaurants and bars	4.7 /10k2020	6.7 /10k2025	+44%	Improved	100%
Suicide rate	18.9 /100k2020	18.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−1.5%	Little change	64%
Traffic deaths	26.5 /100k2015-2019	30.2 /100k2020-2024	+14%	Declined	37%
Unemployment rate	8.2%2020	6.2%2025	−2 points	Improved	21%
Violent crime rate	36 /100k2020	30 /100k2025	−17%	Improved	51%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Pikeville, KY micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Pikeville, KY micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Pikeville, KY micropolitan area itself moved +2.1 points in standing on average over the same 22 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

91,951 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

91,951 residents

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

White94%86,862
Black0.6%548
Hispanic or Latino1.1%1,041
Asian0.5%

Education

65,658 residents (±118)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma18%11,740
High school or GED38%24,731
Some college19%12,487
Associate degree

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

38,984 households (±624)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k33%12,851
$25k–50k21%8,263
$50k–75k16%6,267
$75k–100k11%4,379
$100k–150k12%4,610
$150k–200k3.8%1,484
$200k or more2.9%1,130

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

38,984 households (±624)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Own74%28,898
Rent26%10,086

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

7,875 households (±633)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75048%3,757
$750–1,00026%2,036
$1,000–1,50022%1,695
$1,500–2,0003.5%

Home values

28,898 homes (±729)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k64%18,385
$150k–250k23%6,754
$250k–400k8.6%2,478
$400k–750k3.6%1,027

Age of homes

46,549 homes (±65)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later9.1%4,245
2000–200912%5,685
1980–199936%16,691
1960–197927%12,384

Size of homes

46,549 homes (±65)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Studio2.7%1,248
1 bedroom5.1%2,355
2 bedrooms27%12,769
3 bedrooms50%23,290

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

30,007 workers (±884)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone81%24,241
Carpool12%3,455
Public transit0.2%†49
Walk1.6%†484
Bike0.0%†10
Work from home4.8%1,447
Other1.1%†321

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

28,560 workers (±928)

Pikeville, KY micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min32%9,046
15–29 min36%10,203
30–44 min16%4,496
45–59 min8.2%2,348

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Pikeville, KY micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Pikeville, KY has 1,809 employer establishments, 199 for every 10,000 residents (0.80× the US rate of 248), with 24,522 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,402. The Census Bureau also counts 4,851 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,809; 4,851 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 199; US 248
Paid employees: 24,522
Average annual pay: $48,402; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Pikeville, KY by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	206	22.6	1.09×About typical	2,374	$75,879	238
Restaurants and other eating places	130	14.3	0.78×Fewer than typical	2,345	$18,279	19
Limited-service restaurants	76	8.3	1.04×About typical	1,664	$17,733	6
Specialty trade contractors	73	8	0.52×Fewer than typical	552	$45,986	335
Offices of physicians	70	7.7	1.19×About typical	1,065	$103,372	65
Truck transportation	66	7.3	1.43×More than typical	387	$56,938	123
Health and personal care stores	62	6.8	2.57×More than typical	550	$43,435	63
Religious organizations	56	6.2	1.11×About typical	199	$23,332	—
Gasoline stations	55	6	1.86×More than typical	630	$23,211	—
General merchandise stores	54	5.9	3.36×More than typical	1,197	$28,739	34
Legal services	47	5.2	0.96×About typical	210	$75,090	60
Pharmacies and drug stores	47	5.2	4.16×More than typical	468	$45,429	11

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 91,022 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $15M on contracts performed in Pikeville, KY micropolitan area: $168 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $15M; +50% vs FY2025
Per resident: $168; US $1,994
Sole-source: 8.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 1.8%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $740.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Pikeville, KY micropolitan area: $8,309 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $740.5M; −11% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,309; US $12,955
Loan face value: $13.1M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$307.6M42%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$150.5M20%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$75.8M10%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$56.5M7.6%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$38.9M5.3%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$15.4M2.1%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$13.9M1.9%
20.934 · Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects$12.5M1.7%

Top recipients (organizations)

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY$34.1M4.6%
FRANKFORT, KY
UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE, INC.$6.8M0.9%
PIKEVILLE, KY
MOUNTAIN COMPREHENSIVE CARE CENTER, INC.$6.6M0.9%
PRESTONSBURG, KY
COUNTY OF PIKE$5.7M0.8%
PIKEVILLE, KY
BIG SANDY HEALTH CARE

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$590.4M80%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$47.9M6.5%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$34.3M4.6%
Department of Transportation
Railroad Retirement Board$13.9M1.9%
Department of Education$10.8M

Assistance by fiscal year

740.1MFY2021
745.8MFY2022
757.9MFY2023
782.7MFY2024
833.7MFY2025
740.5MFY2026

County aggregates

88%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Pikeville, KY

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

PikevillePrincipal city7,490

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Kentucky

Areas based in Kentucky, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M38210

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved15

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Pikeville, KY micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Pikeville, KY

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Kentucky

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved15

Declined3

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Top buying agencies

By type

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

What was bought

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards