Nelson County, Kentucky
Among the top 13% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
- top 10% for airport distance
- top 16% for sales tax
- bottom 14% for sunny days
Nelson County is a county in Kentucky with about 47,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and F for weather. Standout strengths include airport distance, sales tax, and unemployment. It rates lower on income tax and sunny days.
Official websitenelsoncountyky.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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68%39%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.8 in
muggy 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 73% of US counties
Home Value$204k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$913better than 33% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 53% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.83%better than 51% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 23% of US counties
State 4.50% + Local 1.50%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.54%better than 31% of US counties
Unemployment2.9%better than 83% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation52.2 in79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.3 inbetter than 52% of US counties
Sunny Days196 daysbetter than 14% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 37% of US counties
Comfortable Days73 daysbetter than 33% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk55.2better than 44% of US counties
School Quality51.3better than 43% of US counties
Violent Crime361/100kbetter than 79% of US counties
Property Crime766/100kbetter than 57% of US counties
Community
Population46,77967th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.935th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1731st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0048th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3748th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)90.0%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.8%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.4%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.3%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 42% of US counties
Walkability5.3/20better than 27% of US counties
Airport Distance32 mibetter than 90% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.8%better than 82% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.77better than 71% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 61% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nelson County an affordable place to live?
- Nelson County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 73% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Nelson County?
- The median home value in Nelson County is $204k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Nelson County?
- Median household income in Nelson County is $66k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Nelson County?
- Median gross rent in Nelson County is $913 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Nelson County safe?
- Nelson County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 361/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 766/100k.
- What is the weather like in Nelson County?
- Nelson County averages 79°F in July and 35°F in January, with 52.2 in of annual precipitation and about 196 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Nelson County?
- Public-school quality in Nelson County is about average, scoring better than 43% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Nelson County?
- The average one-way commute in Nelson 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)