FHFA annual index 1998–2023Developmental county indexPermits through August 2026
Harlan County (100 = first year)United States, rebased to the same startNBER recession
FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. FHFA describes its county indexes as developmental and subject to revision. The index does not give a dollar value for any home.
Harlan County, Kentucky, has an FHFA house price index from 1998. Through 2023 it has risen +116.7%, from 100 to 217. FHFA's most recent value for this area is for 2023, so every span here ends in 2023.
Over the ten years to 2023 the index rose +29.5% (+2.6% a year), well below Kentucky at +74.8% and well below the national +90.2%. The latest one-year change is —.
The strongest decade was the 2000s (+66.9%); the weakest the 2010s (+10.4%).
Builders were authorised for 0 housing units in the county in the 12 months to August 2026, 0.0 units per 1,000 residents. Since 1995 the county has authorised 11 units, most in 1997.
—1 year, 2022–2023Kentucky +7.9%
+12.1%5 yearsUS +46.2%
+29.5%10 years+2.6% a year annualised
+103.7%since 2000US +139.5%
0units permitted, 12 months0.0 per 1,000 residents
All columns are FHFA annual all-transactions indexes over the same years.
Decade by decade
Decade
Change
United States
2000s (2000–2010)
+66.9%
+29.7%
2010s (2010–2020)
+10.4%
+35.5%
2020s so far (2020–2023)
+10.6%
+36.3%
FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1998 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1998 are not shown.
Peak-to-low declines
Peak
Low
Decline
Peak regained
2012
2013
−13.7%
2020
2010
2011
−5.1%
2012
Building permits
Housing units authorised by building permits in Harlan County, by month over the latest five years and by year since 1995.
Housing units authorised in Harlan County by month, latest 12 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in Harlan County by month, latest 60 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings
Housing units authorised in Harlan County by year, 1995–2025single-family2+ unit buildings
Permits, 12 months to August 2026
Harlan County
Kentucky
United States
Housing units authorised
0
13,410
1,418,086
Units per 1,000 residents
0.0
2.9
4.1
Single-family share
—
64%
63%
Change on previous 12 months
—
−7.1%
−0.1%
Units authorised since 1995
11
459,336
43,082,761
Population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate. Permits authorise construction; they are not completions.
ZIP codes in Harlan County
Ranked by ten-year change in the FHFA ZIP index. Where a ZIP's index ends before 2023, its spans end in that year.
How much have home values in Harlan County risen over 10 years?
The FHFA index for Harlan County rose +29.5% from 2013 to 2023, about +2.6% a year. Over 20 years: +64.7%; since 2000: +103.7%.
How does Harlan County compare with Kentucky and the United States?
Over the ten years to 2023: Harlan County +29.5%, Kentucky +74.8%, United States +90.2%.
What happened to Harlan County prices in 2008?
The county index shows no decline of 5% or more from a 2005–2008 peak. The Kentucky index fell — over —–—.
How many homes are being built in Harlan County?
0 housing units were authorised by building permits in the 12 months to August 2026 (0 single-family, 0 in buildings of five or more units), or 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.9 for Kentucky.
Where does this data come from?
The index is FHFA's annual county house price index (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, with values through 2023. Permits are from the Census Bureau Building Permits Survey through August 2026; population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate.
Provenance
Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for counties (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1998–2023; metro, state and national comparisons from FHFA's annual indexes in the same release. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, county and place files, through August 2026. Population: Census Bureau vintage 2025 estimates. ZIP assignment: 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file. Public domain throughout. Corrections · FHFA HPI datasets · Building Permits Survey.