City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Glasgow, KY

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

15,141
Residents
$42,417
Median income
$147,700
Median home
$868
Median rent (state)

Glasgow - the verdict

Glasgow ranks in the 10th percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
2nd
percentile, median rent
26th
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: Glasgow, KY

Kentucky's Glasgow is a small town, with 15,141 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Glasgow brings in $42,417 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.5%. Typical homes in Glasgow are valued around $147,700, and the median resident age is 40.0 years. Educational attainment runs 23.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 47.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 54 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 116% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2277.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Glasgow's yearly average temperature at 59.5°F with 54.9 inches of precipitation per year and 5.7 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $868 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kentucky's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Glasgow report an average commute of 18.8 minutes, with 75.5% driving alone and 4.7% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 67.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

15,141 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$42,417 /yr

Poverty 19.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Glasgow compare to other US cities?

Where Glasgow sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 2% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Kentucky and the picture shifts: Glasgow ranks #162 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Glasgow'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.

10thIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Glasgow's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Glasgow'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Glasgow'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 Glasgow's home value compares nationally

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

$147,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Glasgow $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 - Glasgow, KY Glasgow, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Glasgow, 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 Glasgow, KY median $42,417/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%
Glasgow, 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 Glasgow, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.5%

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

Population
15,141
Median Income
$42,417
Median Home Value
$147,700
Median Age
40.0
Poverty Rate
19.5%
Labor force participation
47.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2277.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
168.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2108.6
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
59.5°F
Annual Precipitation
54.9"
Annual Snowfall
5.7"

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,900 residents15,000 residents15,100 residents15,200 residents15,300 residents15,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,027 residents 15,302 residents ▲ +1.8%
Glasgow's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
54
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
36
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 25
2020 134
2021 161
2022 64
2023 28
2024 54

Permit volume increased 116% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.8 minutes
Drive Alone
75.5%
Carpool
17.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
4.7%
Other
0.6%

Based on 5,628 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 Glasgow sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$868/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
67.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Shively
15,556 people
Berea
15,557 people
Shepherdsville
14,351 people
Newport
14,039 people
Bardstown
13,673 people
Danville
17,235 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Glasgow's 15,141 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Belmont, NC
15,140 people
Vincent, CA
15,151 people
Johnson City, NY
15,130 people
Mineral Wells, TX
15,130 people
Front Royal, VA
15,152 people
Lebanon, MO
15,157 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Glasgow's $42,417 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Parkersburg, IL
$42,417 median income
Quaker City, OH
$42,417 median income
Grundy, VA
$42,417 median income
Lanett, AL
$42,415 median income
Ironton, MO
$42,415 median income
Bret Harte, CA
$42,422 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Glasgow, 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 Glasgow, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.6% 8.3% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.7% White 78.6% Black or African American 8.3% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.4% Two or more races 8.8% 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 Glasgow 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
Glasgow (this city) 15,141 $42,417
Shively 15,556 $46,522
Berea 15,557 $56,484
Shepherdsville 14,351 $71,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Glasgow, KY?

What is the population of Glasgow, KY? +

Glasgow, KY has a population of 15,141 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Glasgow households earn a median of $42,417 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Glasgow? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Glasgow; 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 Glasgow, KY safe? +

Glasgow has a total crime rate of 2277.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Glasgow, KY? +

A typical home in Glasgow is worth $147,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Glasgow? +

Glasgow has an average annual temperature of 59.5°F, 54.9 inches of precipitation, and 5.7 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 BPS 2024, 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.