Community Profile

Paducah, Kentucky is strategically situated at the convergence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. Paducah has access to multiple markets, such as St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Nashville. The Paducah-McCracken Riverport is located on the Tennessee River with barge access to the Gulf of Mexico via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway as well as by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Barkley Regional Airport, located in our community, serves our region with two flights daily to Chicago by United Airlines. Paducah is also served by a variety of regional and national railroads.

Downtown Paducah offers an eclectic mix of business, cultural and entertainment opportunities. The Carson Center, located on the Ohio River in downtown Paducah, is a state-of-the art performing arts center which hosts a wide variety of cultural performances for all ages. Lowertown Arts Community is also a major cultural attraction. The downtown resonates with a combination of Paducah’s river heritage and artistic sensibilities.

More than 420,000 persons live within 50 miles of Paducah, Kentucky. More than 240,000 persons are of working age, 20-64, and 171,000 are in the region’s labor force. The average personal income for the labor market region ranges from $19,994-$32,217. West Kentucky Community & Technical College can provide area companies with a trained workforce and ongoing training to meet the challenges of today’s technological needs.

Local industries thrive in Paducah’s business friendly climate. Paducah is a public power community and has a diverse economy with medical service providers, manufacturers, distributors, marine companies, retailers and finance and service companies. The Greater Paducah Economic Development Council assists manufacturers, distributors and service companies with relocations and expansions in Paducah and McCracken County.