City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Bardstown, KY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bardstown - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

13,673
Residents
$49,781
Median income
$190,800
Median home
$1,016
Median rent (state)

Bardstown - the verdict

Bardstown ranks in the 19th percentile for household income and the 44th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
21st
percentile, median rent
44th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bardstown, KY

Kentucky's Bardstown is a small town, with 13,673 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $49,781 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.6%. Bardstown's housing stock carries a median value of $190,800, and the median resident age is 39.2 years. Educational attainment runs 24.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Bardstown reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1559.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 56.8°F with 51.6 inches of precipitation per year and 11.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Kentucky scores 90.2 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,016 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kentucky's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Bardstown report an average commute of 19.5 minutes, with 81.8% driving alone and 3.3% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 55.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

13,673 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$49,781 /yr

Poverty 8.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Bardstown compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bardstown stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% pricier than other cities
Safety 44% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kentucky alone, Bardstown ranks #143 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bardstown's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kentucky, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile
44thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 44th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bardstown's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bardstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Bardstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bardstown's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$190,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bardstown $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bardstown, KY Bardstown, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bardstown, KY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bardstown, KY median $49,781/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bardstown, KY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bardstown, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
13,673
Median Income
$49,781
Median Home Value
$190,800
Median Age
39.2
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Labor force participation
59.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1559.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
165.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1394.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
56.8°F
Annual Precipitation
51.6"
Annual Snowfall
11.9"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,400 residents13,600 residents13,800 residents14,000 residents14,200 residents14,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,575 residents 14,161 residents ▲ +4.3%
Bardstown's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.5 minutes
Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
3.3%
Other
5.0%

Based on 6,327 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kentucky - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bardstown sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,016/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
55.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Newport
14,039 people
Shepherdsville
14,351 people
Glasgow
15,141 people
Somerset
12,108 people
Lawrenceburg
11,838 people
Shively
15,556 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bardstown's 13,673 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. James, NY
13,680 people
East Cleveland, OH
13,666 people
Shorewood, WI
13,682 people
Beaufort, SC
13,660 people
Royal Kunia, HI
13,687 people
East Islip, NY
13,687 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bardstown's $49,781 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Gila Bend, AZ
$49,786 median income
Fifth Ward, LA
$49,788 median income
Banks, AL
$49,773 median income
Poteau, OK
$49,789 median income
West Terre Haute, IN
$49,770 median income
Hitterdal, MN
$49,792 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bardstown, KY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bardstown, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.4% 13.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.6% White 81.4% Black or African American 13.3% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 3.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bardstown compares to nearby Kentucky cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bardstown (this city) 13,673 $49,781
Newport 14,039 $58,422
Shepherdsville 14,351 $71,250
Glasgow 15,141 $42,417
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bardstown, KY?

What is the population of Bardstown, KY? +

Bardstown, KY counts 13,673 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bardstown, KY? +

Median annual household income in Bardstown runs $49,781, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bardstown? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bardstown; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

Is Bardstown, KY safe? +

Bardstown has a total crime rate of 1559.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bardstown, KY? +

Homes in Bardstown carry a median value of $190,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bardstown? +

The average annual temperature in Bardstown runs 56.8°F, 51.6 inches of precipitation, and 11.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.