The Town FilesBeattyville, Kentucky
City in Lee County · population 2,176 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,600
- Household income
- $22,880
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 37.3
Beattyville is a city of 2,176 people in Lee County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $113,600, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 81% of Kentucky towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Kentucky towns.
How Beattyville ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Beattyville is worth $113,600, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $22,880, which is more affordable than 4% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $433 a month. 37.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Beattyville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,600 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $433 | $837 |
| Median household income | $22,880 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 37.7% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Beattyville
| People | Beattyville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 11.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.4% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 42.2% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 63.9% | 88.6% |
Weather in Beattyville
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.2°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.1 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Beattyville since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1961 about 7.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 70 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 22, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 24, 1958.
Severe weather in Lee County since 1996
Lee County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4913: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 23, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4875: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lee County
Lee County had 1,706 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,886 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Beattyville itself the ACS puts it at 14.5%.
Public schools in Beattyville
4 public schools with 902 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County Elementary School | PK-5 | 454 | 17.5 |
| Lee County Middle High School | 6-12 | 448 | 17.2 |
| Lee County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
| Delta Academy | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Beattyville
- Ravenna, KY15.0 mi · 568 people · home $94,700
- Irvine, KY16.2 mi · 2,360 people · home $139,200
- Jackson, KY18.2 mi · 2,237 people · home $77,500
- McKee, KY18.7 mi · 803 people · home $112,800
- Stanton, KY19.9 mi · 3,251 people · home $123,000
- Clay City, KY22.5 mi · 1,193 people · home $63,500
- Annville, KY22.5 mi · 1,102 people · home $86,600
- Frenchburg, KY25.7 mi · 601 people · home $131,400
Beattyville questions
Is Beattyville, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Beattyville scores better for retirees than 53% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 81%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Beattyville?
The median owner-occupied home in Beattyville is valued at $113,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $22,880, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $433 a month.
What is the weather like in Beattyville?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.1 inches of snow.
Does Beattyville get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Beattyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1961. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)