The Town FilesJenkins, Kentucky
City in Letcher County · population 1,902 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,200
- Household income
- $27,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.9
Jenkins is a city of 1,902 people in Letcher County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $80,200, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 89% of Kentucky towns, better for retirees than 83% of Kentucky towns, hipper than 74% of Kentucky towns.
How Jenkins 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 Jenkins is worth $80,200, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $27,200, which is more affordable than 57% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $455 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jenkins | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,200 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $455 | $837 |
| Median household income | $27,200 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 60.4% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.3% | — |
Who lives in Jenkins
| People | Jenkins | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.3% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 88.6% |
Weather in Jenkins
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.4 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jenkins since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 8, 2009 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 8, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 29, 2019.
Severe weather in Letcher County since 1996
Letcher County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 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 |
| November 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4848: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
Jobs and pay in Letcher County
Letcher County had 4,258 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,995 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Jenkins itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Jenkins
1 public school with 482 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins Independent School | PK-12 | 482 | 13.4 |
Towns near Jenkins
- Fleming-Neon, KY3.7 mi · 548 people · home $52,900
- McRoberts, KY3.7 mi · 741 people · home $60,100
- Pound, VA3.7 mi · 877 people · home $98,100
- Whitesburg, KY10.3 mi · 1,773 people · home $111,700
- Clintwood, VA10.4 mi · 1,377 people · home $162,800
- Wheelwright, KY12.4 mi · 509 people · home $72,000
- Wise, VA13.8 mi · 2,971 people · home $144,700
- Norton, VA16.5 mi · 3,687 people · home $110,000
Jenkins questions
Is Jenkins, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jenkins scores better for retirees than 83% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 89%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Jenkins?
The median owner-occupied home in Jenkins is valued at $80,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $27,200, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $455 a month.
What is the weather like in Jenkins?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 38.4 inches of snow.
Does Jenkins get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jenkins since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 8, 2009. 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)