The Town FilesTompkinsville, Kentucky
City in Monroe County · population 2,309 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,000
- Household income
- $38,628
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 37.9
Tompkinsville is a city of 2,309 people in Monroe County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $99,000, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for retirees than 79% of Kentucky towns, quieter than 78% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 75% of Kentucky towns.
How Tompkinsville 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 Tompkinsville is worth $99,000, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $38,628, which is more affordable than 71% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $728 a month. 52.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tompkinsville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,000 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $728 | $837 |
| Median household income | $38,628 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 52.4% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tompkinsville
| People | Tompkinsville | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.9 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.0% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.3% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 14.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.6% | 88.6% |
Weather in Tompkinsville
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.7 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tompkinsville since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 5, 2008 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 20, 2018.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4913: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 3,230 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,811 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Tompkinsville itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Tompkinsville
5 public schools with 1,553 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Co High | 9-12 | 516 | 14.3 |
| Tompkinsville Elem | PK-5 | 407 | 13.1 |
| Monroe Co Middle | 6-8 | 380 | 15.2 |
| Joe Harrison Carter | PK-5 | 250 | 14.7 |
| Monroe County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Tompkinsville
- Red Boiling Springs, TN14.6 mi · 1,205 people · home $194,400
- Celina, TN14.9 mi · 1,422 people · home $203,200
- Burkesville, KY19.2 mi · 1,388 people · home $117,300
- Edmonton, KY20.0 mi · 1,671 people · home $104,000
- Lafayette, TN22.4 mi · 5,584 people · home $213,900
- Gainesboro, TN23.5 mi · 920 people · home $170,600
- Glasgow, KY24.6 mi · 15,014 people · home $173,900
- Dodson Branch, TN28.2 mi · 1,160 people · home $171,700
Tompkinsville questions
Is Tompkinsville, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tompkinsville scores better for retirees than 79% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 78%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.9).
How much does a house cost in Tompkinsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Tompkinsville is valued at $99,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,628, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $728 a month.
What is the weather like in Tompkinsville?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 5.7 inches of snow.
Does Tompkinsville get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tompkinsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 5, 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)