Barren County, Kentucky
Among the top 18% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
- top 10% for cost of living
- top 16% for sales tax
- bottom 15% for sunny days
Barren County is a county in Kentucky with about 45,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and D for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, sales tax, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on income tax and sunny days.
Official websitebarrencounty.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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64%37%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in3.8 in
muggy 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$48k18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 90% of US counties
Home Value$157k48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$745better than 69% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 69% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.74%better than 60% of US counties
Income Tax5.92%better than 23% of US counties
State 4.50% + Local 1.42%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.32%better than 35% of US counties
Unemployment4.9%better than 46% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation54.8 in85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall5.6 inbetter than 62% of US counties
Sunny Days199 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 35% of US counties
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 49% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.9better than 31% of US counties
School Quality53.3better than 48% of US counties
Violent Crime876/100kbetter than 44% of US counties
Property Crime946/100kbetter than 48% of US counties
Community
Population44,51166th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.238th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1937th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9515th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4862nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.3%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.4%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.6%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 60% of US counties
Walkability5.3/20better than 26% of US counties
Airport Distance70 mibetter than 68% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.2%better than 56% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.52better than 75% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 25% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Barren County an affordable place to live?
- Barren County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 90% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Barren County?
- The median home value in Barren County is $157k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Barren County?
- Median household income in Barren County is $48k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Barren County?
- Median gross rent in Barren County is $745 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Barren County safe?
- Barren County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 876/100k (better than 44%). Property crime is 946/100k.
- What is the weather like in Barren County?
- Barren County averages 78°F in July and 37°F in January, with 54.8 in of annual precipitation and about 199 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Barren County?
- Public-school quality in Barren County is about average, scoring better than 48% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Barren County?
- The average one-way commute in Barren County is 23 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)