The Town FilesMount Sterling, Kentucky
City in Montgomery County · population 7,558 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $187,600
- Household income
- $55,827
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 37.8
Mount Sterling is a city of 7,558 people in Montgomery County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $187,600, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks easier by car than 77% of Kentucky towns.
How Mount Sterling 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 Mount Sterling is worth $187,600, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $55,827, which is more affordable than 31% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $699 a month. 52.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Sterling | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,600 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $699 | $837 |
| Median household income | $55,827 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 52.1% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mount Sterling
| People | Mount Sterling | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 88.6% |
Weather in Mount Sterling
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 21.6°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.8 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Sterling since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 24 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 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 |
| November 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4848: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| March 31, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4592: Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 10,484 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,214 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Mount Sterling itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Mount Sterling
9 public schools with 4,510 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County High School | 9-12 | 1,306 | 19.5 |
| McNabb Middle School | 6-8 | 992 | 17.7 |
| Camargo Elementary School | PK-5 | 592 | 14.8 |
| Northview Elementary | PK-5 | 546 | 15.6 |
| Mapleton Elementary School | PK-5 | 504 | 14.0 |
| Mount Sterling Elementary School | PK-5 | 495 | 16.0 |
| The Sterling School | 6-12 | 59 | 19.7 |
| Gateway Children's Services | 5-12 | 16 | 8.0 |
| Montgomery County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Mount Sterling
- Winchester, KY13.9 mi · 19,134 people · home $188,300
- Stanton, KY15.8 mi · 3,251 people · home $123,000
- Paris, KY19.9 mi · 10,171 people · home $186,300
- Flemingsburg, KY27.3 mi · 2,953 people · home $132,800
- Lexington-Fayette, KY27.8 mi · 322,570 people · home $293,500
- Morehead, KY28.5 mi · 7,151 people · home $184,900
- Cynthiana, KY29.1 mi · 6,333 people · home $172,500
Mount Sterling questions
Is Mount Sterling, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Sterling scores better for retirees than 53% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 57%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Mount Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Sterling is valued at $187,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,827, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $699 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Sterling?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 21.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.8 inches of snow.
Does Mount Sterling get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Sterling 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)