The Town FilesLoretto, Kentucky
City in Marion County · population 723 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $183,100
- Household income
- $61,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.8
Loretto is a city of 723 people in Marion County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $183,100, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 92% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 78% of Kentucky towns.
How Loretto 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 Loretto is worth $183,100, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $61,250, which is more affordable than 53% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $797 a month. 89.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Loretto | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,100 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $797 | $837 |
| Median household income | $61,250 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 89.6% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Loretto
| People | Loretto | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.1% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 88.6% |
Weather in Loretto
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 26.1°F. About 51.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Loretto since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 28, 1997 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 1, 2002.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 23 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 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 |
Jobs and pay in Marion County
Marion County had 9,158 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,139 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Loretto itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Loretto
1 public school with 392 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Marion Elementary School | PK-5 | 392 | 15.7 |
Towns near Loretto
- Lebanon, KY8.8 mi · 6,274 people · home $149,700
- Springfield, KY10.3 mi · 2,846 people · home $168,600
- New Haven, KY10.8 mi · 798 people · home $161,700
- Bardstown, KY12.6 mi · 13,567 people · home $203,500
- Buffalo, KY19.2 mi · 571 people · home $196,300
- Bloomfield, KY19.2 mi · 961 people · home $182,100
- Hodgenville, KY19.3 mi · 3,235 people · home $151,400
- Campbellsville, KY20.7 mi · 11,426 people · home $164,600
Loretto questions
Is Loretto, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Loretto scores better for retirees than 50% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 69%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Loretto?
The median owner-occupied home in Loretto is valued at $183,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,250, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $797 a month.
What is the weather like in Loretto?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 26.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3.3 inches of snow.
Does Loretto get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Loretto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 28, 1997. 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)