The Town FilesPhelps, Kentucky
Community in Pike County · population 760 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 58.3
Phelps is a community of 760 people in Pike County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $102,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 96% of Kentucky towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Kentucky towns, better transit than 89% of Kentucky towns.
How Phelps 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 Phelps is worth $102,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). 57.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phelps | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | — | $837 |
| Median household income | — | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 57.4% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Phelps
| People | Phelps | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.3 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.6% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.3% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | — min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.9% | 88.6% |
Weather in Phelps
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 25.8°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.1 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Phelps since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 5, 1977.
Severe weather in Pike County since 1996
Pike County has been included in 47 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| 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 |
| July 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4663: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Pike County
Pike County had 20,549 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,529 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Phelps itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Phelps
1 public school with 252 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps High School | 7-12 | 252 | 16.8 |
Towns near Phelps
- Red Jacket, WV9.8 mi · 525 people · home $207,600
- South Williamson, KY12.7 mi · 562 people · home $169,800
- Williamson, WV12.9 mi · 3,083 people · home $89,600
- Chattaroy, WV15.0 mi · 641 people · home —
- Gilbert Creek, WV15.4 mi · 1,136 people · home $119,400
- Elkhorn City, KY16.8 mi · 1,035 people · home $116,700
- Grundy, VA17.1 mi · 875 people · home $203,600
- Pikeville, KY20.3 mi · 7,754 people · home $263,800
Phelps questions
Is Phelps, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phelps scores better for retirees than 57% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 96%. 28.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.3).
How much does a house cost in Phelps?
The median owner-occupied home in Phelps is valued at $102,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Phelps?
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 25.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 9.1 inches of snow.
Does Phelps get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Phelps in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)