Ballard County, Kentucky
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
- top 16% for sales tax
- bottom 11% for walkability
Ballard County is a county in Kentucky with about 7,742 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and D for getting around. Standout strengths include sales tax, park & nature access, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on comfortable days and walkability.
Official websiteballardcounty.ky.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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83%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in3.8 in
muggy 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 51% of US counties
Home Value$102k13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$758better than 65% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 68% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.91%better than 45% of US counties
Income Tax4.70%better than 57% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.31%better than 74% of US counties
Unemployment5.2%better than 40% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.5 in77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall8.4 inbetter than 57% of US counties
Sunny Days244 daysbetter than 59% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 25% of US counties
Comfortable Days68 daysbetter than 24% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk39.6better than 59% of US counties
School Quality46.1better than 30% of US counties
Violent Crime647/100kbetter than 59% of US counties
Property Crime491/100kbetter than 73% of US counties
Community
Population7,74217th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.776th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1424th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0263rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6180th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.9%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.6%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.2%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 45% of US counties
Walkability4.6/20better than 11% of US counties
Airport Distance138 mibetter than 29% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.2%better than 62% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.29better than 40% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 78% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ballard County an affordable place to live?
- Ballard County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 51% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Ballard County?
- The median home value in Ballard County is $102k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Ballard County?
- Median household income in Ballard County is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Ballard County?
- Median gross rent in Ballard County is $758 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Ballard County safe?
- Ballard County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 647/100k (better than 59%). Property crime is 491/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ballard County?
- Ballard County averages 79°F in July and 35°F in January, with 51.5 in of annual precipitation and about 244 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ballard County?
- Public-school quality in Ballard County is below average, scoring better than 30% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ballard County?
- The average one-way commute in Ballard County is 25 min.
Other counties in Kentucky
Explore Kentucky
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)