Whitley County, Kentucky
Among the top 10% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 11% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 47% of US counties
- top 10% for cost of living
- top 14% for monthly owner costs
Whitley County is a county in Kentucky with about 37,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, monthly owner costs, and sales tax. It rates lower on unemployment and walkability.
Official websitewhitleycountyfiscalcourt.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Wet · Light snow
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71%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.4 in
muggy 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$44k11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 90% of US counties
Home Value$114k21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$692better than 81% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 86% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.72%better than 61% of US counties
Income Tax5.36%better than 40% of US counties
State 4.50% + Local 0.86%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.20%better than 56% of US counties
Unemployment6.4%better than 22% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.6 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.2 inbetter than 52% of US counties
Sunny Days211 daysbetter than 23% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 34% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.2better than 37% of US counties
School Quality47.5better than 33% of US counties
Violent Crime365/100kbetter than 79% of US counties
Property Crime701/100kbetter than 61% of US counties
Community
Population36,64860th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.112th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.084th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6688th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)95.3%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.5%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.0%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 70% of US counties
Walkability5.1/20better than 20% of US counties
Airport Distance132 mibetter than 32% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.5%better than 26% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.00better than 55% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 70% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Whitley County an affordable place to live?
- Whitley County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 90% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Whitley County?
- The median home value in Whitley County is $114k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Whitley County?
- Median household income in Whitley County is $44k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Whitley County?
- Median gross rent in Whitley County is $692 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Whitley County safe?
- Whitley County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 365/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 701/100k.
- What is the weather like in Whitley County?
- Whitley County averages 77°F in July and 37°F in January, with 51.6 in of annual precipitation and about 211 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Whitley County?
- Public-school quality in Whitley County is below average, scoring better than 33% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Whitley County?
- The average one-way commute in Whitley County is 22 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)