The Town FilesCarlisle, Kentucky
City in Nicholas County · population 2,093 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $101,500
- Household income
- $49,201
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 49.0
Carlisle is a city of 2,093 people in Nicholas County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $101,500, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 71% of Kentucky towns.
How Carlisle 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 Carlisle is worth $101,500, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $49,201, which is more affordable than 87% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $636 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carlisle | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $101,500 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $636 | $837 |
| Median household income | $49,201 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Carlisle
| People | Carlisle | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 88.6% |
Weather in Carlisle
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.8 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlisle since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 15, 1964 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 7, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 10, 2011.
Severe weather in Nicholas County since 1996
Nicholas County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Nicholas County
Nicholas County had 955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $36,536 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Carlisle itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Carlisle
2 public schools with 1,091 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County Elementary School | PK-6 | 645 | 16.1 |
| Nicholas County High School | 7-12 | 446 | 16.5 |
Towns near Carlisle
- Millersburg, KY6.0 mi · 747 people · home $97,300
- North Middletown, KY12.7 mi · 610 people · home $117,700
- Paris, KY15.2 mi · 10,171 people · home $186,300
- Cynthiana, KY15.3 mi · 6,333 people · home $172,500
- Flemingsburg, KY17.6 mi · 2,953 people · home $132,800
- Mount Sterling, KY17.9 mi · 7,558 people · home $187,600
- Owingsville, KY19.5 mi · 1,593 people · home $118,300
- Camargo, KY23.2 mi · 1,020 people · home $151,400
Carlisle questions
Is Carlisle, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carlisle scores better for retirees than 43% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 71%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).
How much does a house cost in Carlisle?
The median owner-occupied home in Carlisle is valued at $101,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,201, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $636 a month.
What is the weather like in Carlisle?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 8.8 inches of snow.
Does Carlisle get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlisle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 15, 1964. 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)