The Town FilesBerea, Kentucky
City in Madison County · population 15,539 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $199,900
- Household income
- $59,495
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 33.2
Berea is a city of 15,539 people in Madison County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $199,900, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 88% of Kentucky towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Kentucky towns.
How Berea 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 Berea is worth $199,900, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $59,495, which is more affordable than 31% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $835 a month. 58.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Berea | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,900 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $835 | $837 |
| Median household income | $59,495 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 58.7% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Berea
| People | Berea | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 88.6% |
Weather in Berea
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 26.8°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Berea since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 65 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 11, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 25, 2015.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4937: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 36,909 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,794 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Berea itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Berea
10 public schools with 4,686 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Southern High School | 9-12 | 1,230 | 18.6 |
| Kingston Elementary School | PK-5 | 609 | 16.0 |
| Shannon Johnson Elementary School | PK-5 | 493 | 15.9 |
| Silver Creek Elementary School | PK-5 | 474 | 14.4 |
| Berea Community Elementary School | PK-5 | 467 | 12.6 |
| Farristown Middle School | 6-8 | 446 | 17.2 |
| Foley Middle School | 6-8 | 429 | 15.3 |
| Berea Community High School | 9-12 | 328 | 15.6 |
| Berea Community Middle School | 6-8 | 210 | 10.0 |
| Ignite Academy South | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Berea
- Richmond, KY9.7 mi · 34,585 people · home $214,900
- Lancaster, KY15.8 mi · 3,899 people · home $175,300
- Stanford, KY20.3 mi · 3,640 people · home $155,000
- Nicholasville, KY25.6 mi · 31,093 people · home $226,800
- Danville, KY26.6 mi · 17,234 people · home $207,600
- Wilmore, KY28.4 mi · 5,999 people · home $248,900
- Winchester, KY29.1 mi · 19,134 people · home $188,300
- Stanton, KY30.0 mi · 3,251 people · home $123,000
Berea questions
Is Berea, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Berea scores better for retirees than 32% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 15%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.2).
How much does a house cost in Berea?
The median owner-occupied home in Berea is valued at $199,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,495, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $835 a month.
What is the weather like in Berea?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 26.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 5.3 inches of snow.
Does Berea get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Berea since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. 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)