The Town FilesDry Ridge, Kentucky
City in Grant County · population 2,102 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $216,800
- Household income
- $55,995
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 30.8
Dry Ridge is a city of 2,102 people in Grant County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $216,800, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 71% of Kentucky towns.
How Dry Ridge 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 Dry Ridge is worth $216,800, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $55,995, which is more affordable than 16% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $811 a month. 42.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dry Ridge | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $216,800 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $811 | $837 |
| Median household income | $55,995 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 42.3% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dry Ridge
| People | Dry Ridge | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Dry Ridge
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 25.0°F. About 45.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.0 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dry Ridge since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on March 2, 2012 about 7.7 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 18 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 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 |
| April 10, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4702: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4497: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 5,446 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,144 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Dry Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Dry Ridge
5 public schools with 3,010 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County High School | 9-12 | 1,062 | 18.6 |
| Grant County Middle School | 6-8 | 709 | 15.8 |
| Dry Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 421 | 13.6 |
| Sherman Elementary | PK-5 | 414 | 14.8 |
| Crittenden-Mt. Zion Elementary | PK-5 | 404 | 15.5 |
Towns near Dry Ridge
- Williamstown, KY3.5 mi · 3,894 people · home $209,800
- Crittenden, KY7.1 mi · 4,023 people · home $223,800
- Verona, KY9.0 mi · 1,545 people · home $451,600
- Walton, KY12.3 mi · 5,460 people · home $262,200
- Butler, KY14.2 mi · 646 people · home $158,200
- Falmouth, KY14.6 mi · 2,216 people · home $100,800
- Owenton, KY16.4 mi · 1,682 people · home $137,500
- Warsaw, KY17.2 mi · 1,761 people · home $185,900
Dry Ridge questions
Is Dry Ridge, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dry Ridge scores better for retirees than 19% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 43%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.8).
How much does a house cost in Dry Ridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Dry Ridge is valued at $216,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,995, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $811 a month.
What is the weather like in Dry Ridge?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 25.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.9 inches of precipitation a year and 16.0 inches of snow.
Does Dry Ridge get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dry Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on March 2, 2012. 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)