The Town FilesCave City, Kentucky
City in Barren County · population 2,356 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,700
- Household income
- $27,589
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 32.8
Cave City is a city of 2,356 people in Barren County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $116,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 76% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 75% of Kentucky towns.
How Cave City 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 Cave City is worth $116,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $27,589, which is more affordable than 11% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $704 a month. 36.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cave City | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $704 | $837 |
| Median household income | $27,589 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 36.7% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Cave City
| People | Cave City | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.8% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Cave City
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 54.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.9 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 79 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cave City since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 31, 1979 about 5.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 31 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 14, 1968.
Severe weather in Barren County since 1996
Barren County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, 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 Barren County
Barren County had 15,413 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,346 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Cave City itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Cave City
1 public school with 317 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caverna Elementary School | PK-5 | 317 | 13.2 |
Towns near Cave City
- Horse Cave, KY3.5 mi · 2,212 people · home $113,700
- Park City, KY5.5 mi · 614 people · home $150,000
- Glasgow, KY9.5 mi · 15,014 people · home $173,900
- Munfordville, KY10.4 mi · 1,686 people · home $119,000
- Smiths Grove, KY14.7 mi · 752 people · home $164,500
- Brownsville, KY16.9 mi · 875 people · home $161,000
- Edmonton, KY21.7 mi · 1,671 people · home $104,000
- Upton, KY22.4 mi · 704 people · home $156,500
Cave City questions
Is Cave City, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cave City scores better for retirees than 52% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 67%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Cave City?
The median owner-occupied home in Cave City is valued at $116,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $27,589, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $704 a month.
What is the weather like in Cave City?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.9 inches of precipitation a year and 4.9 inches of snow.
Does Cave City get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cave City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 31, 1979. 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)