As of the census of 2000, there were 21,981 people, 9,675 households, and 6,192 families residing in the city. The population density was 766.0/km (1,984.4/mi). There were 10,763 housing units at an average density of 375.1/km (971.7/mi). The racial makeup of the city was 95.84% White, 2.30% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 9,675 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,309, and the median income for a family was $40,131. Males had a median income of $35,362 versus $23,994 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,218. About 14.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
Ashland is governed by a City Commission and Manager form of government and is best described as a devolved government. The City Manager is the chief administrative officer for the city who reports to a Board of Commissioners. Department heads ranging from the police to the sanitation department report to the City Manager. The City Manager is currently Steve Corbitt.
The mayor of Ashland is elected for a four year term and is not term limited. The mayor presides over City Commission meetings, is a voting member of the City Commission and represents the city at major functions. The current mayor is Tom Kelley. Kelley is a former member of the Ashland Police Department, where he retired as Chief of Police.
Ashland's current City Commissioners are Mayor Tom Kelley, Kevin Gunderson, Larry Brown, Marty Gute and Cheryl Spriggs
In the late-1800s, what is now the Ashland Police Department was organized during the town's reign as Poage's Landing. The first executive officer was a town Marshall and was soon eclipsed by a professional police department.
The city of Ashland currently has 49 sworn officers, three civilian employees that function as administrative support and six parapolice that handle tasks that do not require the services of a sworn officer.
Located just north of the city in Worthington is the Ashland Regional Airport. This airport is used for general aviation and charter services. The then-named Ashland-Boyd County Airport opened in 1953 and featured a 5,600 ft (1,700 m). runway with a 3,000 ft (910 m). clearance.
Tri-State Airport, located in nearby Ceredo, West Virginia, provides commercial aviation services for the city.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Ashland. The major and only line that Amtrak offers in Ashland is the Cardinal. Amtrak Service is offered at the Ashland Transportation Center, formerly the Chesapeake and Ohio freight depot located at 15th Street near the Ohio River, but it does not have an Amtrak Ticket Counter or QuikTrak Ticket Machine. The former freight depot, constructed in 1906 on the former Aldine Hotel site, was an abandoned derelict before being renovated in the late 1990s to serve as a unified transportation hub for the city.
The former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway passenger depot at 11th Street and Carter Avenue, was completed in 1925 but abandoned in the 1970s in favor of a downsized depot in Catlettsburg. The rail lines to the building have since been removed and the building itself now serves as the downtown Ashland branch of National City Bank. Passenger rail service was moved from Catlettsburg to the Ashland Transportation Center in the early 2000s.
Greyhound Lines is the sole provider of bus transportation out of Ashland. It operates out of the Ashland Transportation Center.
The Ashland Bus System is serviced at the Ashland Transportation Center. The city bus system offers several lines:
Ashland is served by US 23 and US 60, several state routes, and is in close proximity to US 52 and Interstate 64.