Carter County, Kentucky
Among the top 6% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
- top 13% for property tax rate
- top 16% for sales tax
- bottom 11% for broadband access
Carter County is a county in Kentucky with about 27,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include property tax rate, sales tax, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on school quality and broadband access.
Official websitekyhometown.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
74%42%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.1 in
muggy 91%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$47k15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 79% of US counties
Home Value$122k27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$708better than 77% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 72% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.50%better than 87% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.77%better than 79% of US counties
Unemployment6.0%better than 28% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.9 in65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall17.8 inbetter than 42% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 30% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 42% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk52.7better than 46% of US counties
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 65% of US counties
School Quality39.0better than 14% of US counties
Violent Crime400/100kbetter than 77% of US counties
Property Crime511/100kbetter than 72% of US counties
Community
Population26,67151st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.955th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.086th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5470th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)95.2%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.0%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 27% of US counties
Walkability5.1/20better than 21% of US counties
Airport Distance100 mibetter than 49% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access73.6%better than 11% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.75better than 33% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 44% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carter County an affordable place to live?
- Carter County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 79% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Carter County?
- The median home value in Carter County is $122k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Carter County?
- Median household income in Carter County is $47k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Carter County?
- Median gross rent in Carter County is $708 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Carter County safe?
- Carter County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 400/100k (better than 77%). Property crime is 511/100k.
- What is the weather like in Carter County?
- Carter County averages 76°F in July and 35°F in January, with 47.9 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Carter County?
- Public-school quality in Carter County is below average, scoring better than 14% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Carter County?
- The average one-way commute in Carter County is 28 min.
Other counties in Kentucky
Explore Kentucky
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)