The Town FilesClarkson, Kentucky
City in Grayson County · population 933 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,900
- Household income
- $24,531
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 31.9
Clarkson is a city of 933 people in Grayson County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $88,900, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 75% of Kentucky towns.
How Clarkson 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 Clarkson is worth $88,900, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $24,531, which is more affordable than 24% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $552 a month. 38.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarkson | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,900 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $552 | $837 |
| Median household income | $24,531 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 38.0% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.8% | — |
Who lives in Clarkson
| People | Clarkson | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 31.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.6% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.3% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Clarkson
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 49.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkson since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on November 15, 1989.
Severe weather in Grayson County since 1996
Grayson County has been included in 30 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 Grayson County
Grayson County had 7,527 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,028 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Clarkson itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Clarkson
1 public school with 617 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkson Elementary School | PK-5 | 617 | 16.2 |
Towns near Clarkson
- Leitchfield, KY3.2 mi · 6,404 people · home $159,100
- Caneyville, KY15.7 mi · 529 people · home $116,400
- Upton, KY18.1 mi · 704 people · home $156,500
- Sonora, KY18.2 mi · 565 people · home $185,400
- Cecilia, KY19.2 mi · 575 people · home —
- Brownsville, KY20.7 mi · 875 people · home $161,000
- Rineyville, KY22.4 mi · 3,039 people · home $257,100
- Hardinsburg, KY22.8 mi · 2,385 people · home $150,800
Clarkson questions
Is Clarkson, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarkson scores better for retirees than 39% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 75%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Clarkson?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarkson is valued at $88,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $24,531, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $552 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarkson?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.8 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Clarkson get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkson 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)