The 10 Best Small Towns In Kentucky For 2024


The best small towns in Kentucky are Northfield and Indian Hills for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Kentucky. Best sururbs in Kentucky. Best counties in Kentucky.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Bluegrass State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Kentucky based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Kentucky ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Kentucky For 2024

  1. Northfield
  2. Indian Hills
  3. Windy Hills
  4. Audubon Park
  5. Beechwood Village
  6. St. Regis Park
  7. Crestview Hills
  8. Hurstbourne Acres
  9. Barbourmeade
  10. Prospect
  11. Coldstream
  12. Hurstbourne
  13. Worthington Hills
  14. Lakeside Park
  15. Buckner

Best Small Towns To Live In Kentucky Map

What’s the best small town in Kentucky? Northfield is the best small town in Kentucky based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Northfield, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Bluegrass State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Kentucky For 2024

1. Northfield

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,106
Median Income: $121,429 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $523,430 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%

2. Indian Hills

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,891
Median Income: $178,250 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $712,632 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

3. Windy Hills

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,193
Median Income: $106,875 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $396,142 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

4. Audubon Park

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 1,412
Median Income: $104,107 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $367,918 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.1%

5. Beechwood Village

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 1,302
Median Income: $114,375 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $362,117 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%

6. St. Regis Park

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,671
Median Income: $94,803 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $332,777 (17th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

7. Crestview Hills

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 3,212
Median Income: $107,857 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $320,510 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%

8. Hurstbourne Acres

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 1,999
Median Income: $67,645 (39th Best)
Median Home Value: $290,274 (26th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%

9. Barbourmeade

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,213
Median Income: $105,074 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $380,970 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%

10. Prospect

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 4,624
Median Income: $173,528 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $572,605 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

11. Coldstream

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 1,374
Median Income: $95,750 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $257,587 (31st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

12. Hurstbourne

Hurstbourne, KY

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,654
Median Income: $117,031 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $607,879 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%

13. Worthington Hills

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,042
Median Income: $77,917 (32nd Best)
Median Home Value: $225,347 (39th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

14. Lakeside Park

Lakeside Park, KY

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,830
Median Income: $104,523 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $322,770 (18th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

15. Buckner

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,658
Median Income: $141,538 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $413,283 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Kentucky

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Kentucky possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 156 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 156, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Kentucky. Top of that list — Northfield.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Kentucky.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Kentucky are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Kentucky are Northfield, Indian Hills, Windy Hills, Audubon Park, Beechwood Village, St. Regis Park, Crestview Hills, Hurstbourne Acres, Barbourmeade, and Prospect.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Kentucky:

  1. Clay City
  2. Cloverport
  3. Clinton

For more Kentucky reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Kentucky

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Northfield, KY 1,106 $121,429 0.8%
2 Indian Hills, KY 2,891 $178,250 2.1%
3 Windy Hills, KY 2,193 $106,875 1.4%
4 Audubon Park, KY 1,412 $104,107 1.1%
5 Beechwood Village, KY 1,302 $114,375 2.7%
6 St. Regis Park, KY 1,671 $94,803 2.1%
7 Crestview Hills, KY 3,212 $107,857 5.4%
8 Hurstbourne Acres, KY 1,999 $67,645 1.5%
9 Barbourmeade, KY 1,213 $105,074 6.5%
10 Prospect, KY 4,624 $173,528 4.7%
11 Coldstream, KY 1,374 $95,750 3.1%
12 Hurstbourne, KY 4,654 $117,031 3.2%
13 Worthington Hills, KY 2,042 $77,917 3.1%
14 Lakeside Park, KY 2,830 $104,523 0.0%
15 Buckner, KY 3,658 $141,538 0.9%
16 Goshen, KY 1,037 $94,926 2.4%
17 Graymoor-Devondale, KY 2,845 $82,833 2.1%
18 Pewee Valley, KY 1,514 $132,614 2.3%
19 Pioneer Village, KY 2,687 $76,996 1.9%
20 Reidland, KY 4,647 $73,750 5.1%
21 Park Hills, KY 3,159 $89,167 4.5%
22 Massac, KY 4,722 $65,966 0.0%
23 Bellefonte, KY 1,216 $109,750 2.7%
24 Orchard Grass Hills, KY 1,937 $97,969 2.7%
25 Simpsonville, KY 2,976 $89,813 0.8%
26 Heritage Creek, KY 1,109 $85,469 2.4%
27 Anchorage, KY 2,419 $202,917 6.1%
28 Plano, KY 1,314 $120,536 5.0%
29 Midway, KY 1,748 $63,938 5.0%
30 Doe Valley, KY 1,871 $102,143 0.0%
31 Hartford, KY 2,672 $62,366 2.6%
32 Rolling Hills, KY 1,001 $99,792 3.4%
33 Springfield, KY 2,846 $48,333 0.5%
34 Wilder, KY 3,152 $66,250 5.5%
35 Crescent Springs, KY 4,350 $75,565 6.2%
36 Hanson, KY 1,015 $84,063 4.0%
37 Russell, KY 3,704 $80,750 6.2%
38 Ludlow, KY 4,384 $59,089 7.0%
39 Cannonsburg, KY 1,032 $80,271 6.2%
40 Masonville, KY 2,175 $85,194 3.6%
41 Claryville, KY 3,364 $95,127 2.9%
42 Olive Hill, KY 1,545 $55,000 0.9%
43 Morganfield, KY 3,242 $57,619 2.2%
44 Southgate, KY 3,677 $54,107 4.6%
45 Taylorsville, KY 1,718 $45,060 2.2%
46 Elk Creek, KY 2,295 $131,172 4.9%
47 Williamstown, KY 3,909 $60,726 1.2%
48 Greenville, KY 4,463 $68,984 4.6%
49 Benton, KY 4,753 $61,443 1.8%
50 Brooks, KY 2,069 $54,000 2.0%
51 Bloomfield, KY 1,013 $44,922 3.5%
52 Hawesville, KY 1,043 $54,423 7.0%
53 West Buechel, KY 1,936 $48,750 4.8%
54 North Corbin, KY 1,955 $59,306 9.9%
55 Stanford, KY 3,654 $57,618 3.3%
56 Brandenburg, KY 2,896 $51,964 3.0%
57 West Liberty, KY 3,247 $47,083 3.1%
58 Warsaw, KY 2,180 $52,240 4.4%
59 Verona, KY 1,146 $68,398 3.4%
60 Columbia, KY 4,811 $45,163 5.8%
61 Burgin, KY 1,044 $71,806 2.5%
62 Hodgenville, KY 3,243 $37,022 0.0%
63 Calvert City, KY 2,524 $39,974 3.8%
64 Westwood, KY 4,581 $66,125 3.1%
65 Sturgis, KY 1,693 $39,148 3.7%
66 Lewisport, KY 2,180 $49,545 4.7%
67 Louisa, KY 2,652 $49,583 7.9%
68 Hebron Estates, KY 1,308 $53,929 13.1%
69 Raceland, KY 2,015 $60,398 7.2%
70 Worthington, KY 1,722 $60,972 2.8%
71 Silver Grove, KY 1,335 $43,975 5.4%
72 Crittenden, KY 4,033 $52,217 5.7%
73 Albany, KY 2,264 $39,167 5.6%
74 Augusta, KY 1,599 $50,135 12.0%
75 Carlisle, KY 2,627 $53,661 3.8%
76 Coal Run Village, KY 1,519 $43,315 3.0%
77 Elkton, KY 1,953 $39,922 6.1%
78 Jackson, KY 2,286 $33,333 9.6%
79 Campbellsburg, KY 1,045 $53,512 9.1%
80 Ledbetter, KY 1,815 $60,667 9.6%
81 Burnside, KY 1,081 $52,847 2.6%
82 Eddyville, KY 2,783 $37,475 2.5%
83 Sebree, KY 1,798 $60,000 0.2%
84 Owingsville, KY 1,960 $38,255 5.2%
85 Eminence, KY 2,705 $48,793 6.6%
86 Hardinsburg, KY 2,476 $52,684 6.9%
87 Pleasureville, KY 1,223 $47,436 2.5%
88 Cadiz, KY 2,618 $39,439 2.2%
89 West Point, KY 1,073 $34,769 3.5%
90 Mount Vernon, KY 2,342 $34,550 3.7%
91 Fulton, KY 2,693 $33,090 2.8%
92 Farley, KY 4,559 $45,257 3.9%
93 Lancaster, KY 3,943 $45,610 10.9%
94 South Shore, KY 1,375 $27,199 27.4%
95 Catlettsburg, KY 1,782 $33,047 10.7%
96 Carrollton, KY 3,889 $48,333 8.0%
97 Owenton, KY 1,640 $45,766 8.9%
98 Horse Cave, KY 2,353 $46,971 7.8%
99 Manchester, KY 2,195 $30,474 3.6%
100 Paintsville, KY 4,277 $27,601 7.6%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings