Jobs, pay and daily life in Morehead, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Morehead is a city in Kentucky with 6,870 residents. The median household earns $36,741 a year and the median rent is $800 a month, which is 26.1% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Lexington-Fayette, KY (286,910 jobs), about 42 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Morehead compares. Among the 80 largest places in Kentucky, Morehead is #67 by population, #78 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #78 for household income (#1 = highest), #17 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Rowan County, is #56 of 120 counties for average pay ($48,895).
Morehead has 6,870 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Kentucky. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 710 people per square mile. The median age is 22.0, 44% younger than the state median (22.0 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $800 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($800 against $967). Over a year that is 26.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $184,900, which is 5.0 times the median household income ($36,741); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 33.0% of households own their home, 52% below the state average (33.0% against 68.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Lexington-Fayette, KY, metropolitan area has 286,910 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,620 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,620 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (36,510 jobs, median $44,980); food preparation and serving related (26,620 jobs, median $29,290); healthcare practitioners and technical (24,710 jobs, median $79,040). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.4 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($101,540) and architecture and engineering ($91,710). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Rowan County was 5.2%. 53.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Rowan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 59.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 25.4% walk, 11.6% work from home. 10.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 15% below the state average (10.7% against 12.5%).
29.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 9% above the state share (29.9% against 27.6%). 2.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 42% below the state share (2.7% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 38.0%, 137% above the state rate (38.0% against 16.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 32°F (-0.1°C). About 1,214 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (130 mm) and Jan the driest (82 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Mount Sterling (28 miles, rent 13% lower); Maysville (37 miles, rent 13% lower); Winchester (42 miles, rent 15% higher); Paris (45 miles, rent 4% higher). Rent differences are against Morehead; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kentucky (288) →State guide: KentuckyCountry guideRowan CountyKentucky rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 288 federal postings open in Kentucky (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Kentucky →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 8,650 | 3.34 | $59,730 | $37,320 | $78,330 | +34% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,100 | 1.25 | $80,440 | $38,900 | $188,210 | -24% |
| Registered Nurses | 8,070 | 1.29 | $79,040 | $66,270 | $107,880 | -19% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,810 | 1.09 | $30,100 | $22,880 | $44,500 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,500 | 0.77 | $27,990 | $22,170 | $34,370 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 5,500 | 1.01 | $41,910 | $31,330 | $49,120 | +4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,430 | 1.04 | $37,080 | $30,920 | $48,260 | -1% |
| Cashiers | 5,250 | 0.92 | $29,590 | $23,040 | $35,900 | -10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,200 | 1.09 | $39,160 | $30,370 | $60,000 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 5,020 | 1.20 | $34,910 | $16,940 | $63,020 | -1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 5,000 | 1.10 | $40,250 | $20,750 | $57,350 | -11% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 4,600 | 2.59 | $44,450 | $35,310 | $54,450 | -3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 4,460 | 1.17 | $56,950 | $43,780 | $94,090 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,410 | 0.84 | $35,460 | $27,880 | $49,640 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 3,250 | 1.22 | $39,380 | $33,090 | $46,930 | -7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 3,220 | 1.14 | $44,910 | $33,760 | $71,230 | -9% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 3,120 | 1.23 | $48,000 | $30,700 | $68,770 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3,090 | 1.16 | $59,300 | $40,230 | $98,790 | -15% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 3,040 | 2.57 | $26,840 | $21,920 | $30,510 | -13% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,990 | 0.38 | $35,190 | $29,590 | $43,780 | -2% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 820 | 1.29 | $283,730 | $74,500 | $452,650 | +7% |
| Pharmacists | 1,060 | 1.78 | $136,530 | $100,260 | $161,260 | -3% |
| Financial Managers | 940 | 0.60 | $135,760 | $89,400 | $231,260 | -18% |
| Sales Managers | 950 | 0.81 | $124,860 | $63,340 | $248,590 | -16% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 830 | 1.83 | $124,230 | $78,630 | $180,370 | -1% |
| Software Developers | 1,430 | 0.46 | $123,510 | $79,770 | $167,270 | -9% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 540 | 0.90 | $123,070 | $102,040 | $175,600 | -7% |
| Lawyers | 1,040 | 0.75 | $111,040 | $64,130 | $213,600 | -30% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 620 | 1.02 | $110,210 | $75,270 | $136,690 | +4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,260 | 1.14 | $109,890 | $64,960 | $202,250 | -11% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 900 | 1.65 | $103,820 | $68,490 | $139,810 | -0% |
| Civil Engineers | 600 | 0.88 | $103,090 | $67,340 | $138,270 | +2% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,160 | 1.72 | $101,000 | $71,750 | $134,790 | -1% |
| Construction Managers | 590 | 0.84 | $100,810 | $54,310 | $213,230 | -12% |
| Management Analysts | 560 | 0.34 | $99,190 | $57,720 | $141,010 | -3% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 780 | 0.82 | $95,500 | $60,210 | $135,510 | -10% |
| Physical Therapists | 590 | 1.19 | $94,710 | $65,700 | $123,220 | -8% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 680 | 1.30 | $91,800 | $45,890 | $172,360 | -13% |
| Project Management Specialists | 2,020 | 1.03 | $84,520 | $55,640 | $134,240 | -17% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 720 | 1.75 | $83,680 | $64,610 | $313,530 | -22% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Lexington-Fayette, KY, about 42 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 40.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 23.7% |
| Retail trade | 12.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.9% |
| Manufacturing | 3.5% |
| Other services | 2.9% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Construction | 1.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.5% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 0.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Morehead lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan County | 24,578 | $1,068 million | $43,457 | 10,490 | 808 | $48,895 | -3.6% | 5.2% | 11,026 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,389 | 35.5% | $55,958 | 1.61 |
| Retail trade | 1,347 | 34.4% | $32,045 | 1.29 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 480 | 12.3% | $45,784 | 1.08 |
| Finance and insurance | 243 | 6.2% | $58,225 | 0.57 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 152 | 3.9% | $24,224 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 144 | 3.7% | $40,416 | 0.23 |
| Real estate and rental | 94 | 2.4% | $37,000 | 0.58 |
| Information | 68 | 1.7% | $71,631 | 0.35 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 59.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 25.4% |
| Work from home | 11.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,741 |
| Income per person | $23,475 |
| Median gross rent per month | $800 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.1% |
| Median home value | $184,900 |
| Homeowners | 33.0% |
| Poverty rate | 38.0% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 92.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $48,620 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 22.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.9% |
| Born abroad | 2.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.1 | 32 | 82 |
| Feb | 1.4 | 35 | 91 |
| Mar | 6.7 | 44 | 99 |
| Apr | 12.8 | 55 | 116 |
| May | 18.1 | 65 | 126 |
| Jun | 22.4 | 72 | 110 |
| Jul | 24.4 | 76 | 130 |
| Aug | 24.2 | 76 | 89 |
| Sep | 20.8 | 69 | 90 |
| Oct | 13.8 | 57 | 94 |
| Nov | 7.0 | 45 | 83 |
| Dec | 2.1 | 36 | 104 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Sterling | KY | 28 mi | 7,551 | $55,827 | $699 |
| Maysville | KY | 37 mi | 8,737 | $39,013 | $699 |
| Winchester | KY | 42 mi | 19,213 | $54,378 | $916 |
| Paris | KY | 45 mi | 10,160 | $55,839 | $832 |
| Flatwoods | KY | 46 mi | 7,269 | $59,972 | $940 |
| Ashland | KY | 47 mi | 21,295 | $52,715 | $872 |
| Cynthiana | KY | 48 mi | 6,458 | $54,647 | $770 |
| Lexington | KY | 56 mi | 323,725 | $69,479 | $1,164 |
| Richmond | KY | 56 mi | 37,111 | $50,870 | $917 |
| Huntington | WV | 57 mi | 45,787 | $45,100 | $912 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,870 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$800 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.1% of the median household income.
$36,741 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.2% (BLS county, Rowan County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kentucky. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.