The Town FilesHorse Cave, Kentucky
City in Hart County · population 2,212 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,700
- Household income
- $51,118
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 48.2
Horse Cave is a city of 2,212 people in Hart County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $113,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 87% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 75% of Kentucky towns.
How Horse Cave 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 Horse Cave is worth $113,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $51,118, which is more affordable than 86% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $651 a month. 53.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Horse Cave | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $651 | $837 |
| Median household income | $51,118 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 53.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Horse Cave
| People | Horse Cave | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.9% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 34.8% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 88.6% |
Weather in Horse Cave
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 5.0 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
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Horse Cave since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 31, 1979 about 6.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 32 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Hart County since 1996
Hart County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Hart County
Hart County had 5,269 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,189 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Horse Cave itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Horse Cave
3 public schools with 643 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legrande Elementary School | PK-8 | 322 | 14.6 |
| Caverna High School | 9-12 | 213 | 12.5 |
| Caverna Middle School | 6-8 | 108 | 9.8 |
Towns near Horse Cave
- Cave City, KY3.5 mi · 2,356 people · home $116,700
- Munfordville, KY7.6 mi · 1,686 people · home $119,000
- Park City, KY8.9 mi · 614 people · home $150,000
- Glasgow, KY11.4 mi · 15,014 people · home $173,900
- Smiths Grove, KY18.0 mi · 752 people · home $164,500
- Brownsville, KY19.2 mi · 875 people · home $161,000
- Upton, KY20.0 mi · 704 people · home $156,500
- Edmonton, KY20.7 mi · 1,671 people · home $104,000
Horse Cave questions
Is Horse Cave, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Horse Cave scores better for retirees than 23% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 87%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
How much does a house cost in Horse Cave?
The median owner-occupied home in Horse Cave is valued at $113,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,118, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $651 a month.
What is the weather like in Horse Cave?
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 5.0 inches of snow.
Does Horse Cave get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Horse Cave 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)