The Town FilesScience Hill, Kentucky
City in Pulaski County · population 657 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $138,700
- Household income
- $50,341
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 36.0
Science Hill is a city of 657 people in Pulaski County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $138,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks quieter than 83% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 78% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 71% of Kentucky towns.
How Science 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 Science Hill is worth $138,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $50,341, which is more affordable than 64% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $747 a month. 63.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Science Hill | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $747 | $837 |
| Median household income | $50,341 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 63.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Science Hill
| People | Science Hill | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 30.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Science Hill
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 53.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.4 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Science Hill since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on May 16, 2025 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 1, 2002.
Severe weather in Pulaski County since 1996
Pulaski County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4913: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 23, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4875: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Pulaski County
Pulaski County had 26,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,057 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Science Hill itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Science Hill
1 public school with 506 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science Hill Elementary School | PK-8 | 506 | 16.3 |
Towns near Science Hill
- Somerset, KY6.2 mi · 11,924 people · home $144,000
- Ferguson, KY7.9 mi · 886 people · home $153,100
- Burnside, KY11.7 mi · 694 people · home $167,300
- Liberty, KY19.1 mi · 2,028 people · home $122,300
- Brodhead, KY20.1 mi · 1,117 people · home $150,200
- Mount Vernon, KY20.9 mi · 2,453 people · home $111,400
- Crab Orchard, KY21.2 mi · 744 people · home $98,200
- Stanford, KY24.7 mi · 3,640 people · home $155,000
Science Hill questions
Is Science Hill, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Science Hill scores better for retirees than 40% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 83%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Science Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Science Hill is valued at $138,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,341, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $747 a month.
What is the weather like in Science Hill?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.3 inches of precipitation a year and 5.4 inches of snow.
Does Science Hill get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Science Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on May 16, 2025. 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)