The Town FilesOlive Hill, Kentucky
City in Carter County · population 1,580 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,700
- Household income
- $70,682
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 52.4
Olive Hill is a city of 1,580 people in Carter County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $136,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 86% of Kentucky towns, better for retirees than 84% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 76% of Kentucky towns.
How Olive Hill 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 Olive Hill is worth $136,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $70,682, which is more affordable than 92% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $542 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olive Hill | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $542 | $837 |
| Median household income | $70,682 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Olive Hill
| People | Olive Hill | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.8% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 16.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Olive Hill
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 21.1°F. About 49.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.5 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Olive Hill since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 11, 2008 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 27, 2017.
Severe weather in Carter County since 1996
Carter County has been included in 37 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 |
| November 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4848: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
Jobs and pay in Carter County
Carter County had 5,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,562 a year. Unemployment was 7.6% in 2023; in Olive Hill itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Olive Hill
5 public schools with 1,608 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Carter County High School | 9-12 | 510 | 17.6 |
| Olive Hill Elementary School | PK-5 | 393 | 14.0 |
| West Carter Middle School | 6-8 | 375 | 17.0 |
| Tygart Creek Elementary School | PK-5 | 330 | 13.8 |
| Carter County Career and Technical Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Olive Hill
- Grayson, KY12.7 mi · 3,834 people · home $136,900
- Sandy Hook, KY14.9 mi · 641 people · home $132,100
- Morehead, KY17.2 mi · 7,151 people · home $184,900
- Garrison, KY20.8 mi · 731 people · home $66,600
- Vanceburg, KY21.6 mi · 1,428 people · home $90,600
- Greenup, KY25.9 mi · 1,095 people · home $143,000
- Cannonsburg, KY26.1 mi · 862 people · home $179,900
- Wurtland, KY27.0 mi · 983 people · home $95,000
Olive Hill questions
Is Olive Hill, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olive Hill scores better for retirees than 84% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 86%. 33.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Olive Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Olive Hill is valued at $136,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,682, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $542 a month.
What is the weather like in Olive Hill?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 21.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.8 inches of precipitation a year and 17.5 inches of snow.
Does Olive Hill get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Olive Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 11, 2008. 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)