The Town FilesBrodhead, Kentucky
City in Rockcastle County · population 1,117 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $150,200
- Household income
- $35,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 35.1
Brodhead is a city of 1,117 people in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $150,200, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Kentucky towns.
How Brodhead 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 Brodhead is worth $150,200, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $35,333, which is more affordable than 10% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $636 a month. 44.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brodhead | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $150,200 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $636 | $837 |
| Median household income | $35,333 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 44.9% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brodhead
| People | Brodhead | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.9% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.1% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.9% | 88.6% |
Weather in Brodhead
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 51.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brodhead since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 1, 2002.
Severe weather in Rockcastle County since 1996
Rockcastle County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4937: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Rockcastle County
Rockcastle County had 4,008 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,657 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Brodhead itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Brodhead
1 public school with 483 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodhead Elementary School | PK-5 | 483 | 15.1 |
Towns near Brodhead
- Mount Vernon, KY5.7 mi · 2,453 people · home $111,400
- Crab Orchard, KY6.3 mi · 744 people · home $98,200
- Berea, KY14.3 mi · 15,539 people · home $199,900
- Stanford, KY15.7 mi · 3,640 people · home $155,000
- Lancaster, KY17.1 mi · 3,899 people · home $175,300
- Science Hill, KY20.1 mi · 657 people · home $138,700
- East Bernstadt, KY21.6 mi · 809 people · home $91,900
- Richmond, KY23.2 mi · 34,585 people · home $214,900
Brodhead questions
Is Brodhead, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brodhead scores better for retirees than 66% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 47%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Brodhead?
The median owner-occupied home in Brodhead is valued at $150,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,333, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $636 a month.
What is the weather like in Brodhead?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.4 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does Brodhead get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brodhead 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)