The Town FilesVanceburg, Kentucky
City in Lewis County · population 1,428 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,600
- Household income
- $30,054
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.7
Vanceburg is a city of 1,428 people in Lewis County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $90,600, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Kentucky towns, quieter than 90% of Kentucky towns, better for retirees than 87% of Kentucky towns.
How Vanceburg 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 Vanceburg is worth $90,600, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $30,054, which is more affordable than 53% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $391 a month. 57.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vanceburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,600 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $391 | $837 |
| Median household income | $30,054 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 57.3% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Vanceburg
| People | Vanceburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.9% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 39.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 88.6% |
Weather in Vanceburg
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.1 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vanceburg since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1982 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 4, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 2009.
Severe weather in Lewis County since 1996
Lewis County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 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 |
Jobs and pay in Lewis County
Lewis County had 1,972 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,450 a year. Unemployment was 8% in 2023; in Vanceburg itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Vanceburg
5 public schools with 1,414 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis County High School | 9-12 | 602 | 21.5 |
| Lewis County Central Elementary School | PK-6 | 453 | 16.8 |
| Lewis County Middle School | 7-8 | 281 | 14.8 |
| Laurel Elementary School | PK-6 | 78 | 9.8 |
| Foster Meade Career & Technical Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Vanceburg
- Garrison, KY7.7 mi · 731 people · home $66,600
- Manchester, OH16.6 mi · 1,839 people · home $94,300
- West Union, OH18.1 mi · 3,004 people · home $132,500
- West Portsmouth, OH19.6 mi · 2,928 people · home $115,500
- South Shore, KY21.3 mi · 1,066 people · home $89,200
- Olive Hill, KY21.6 mi · 1,580 people · home $136,700
- Rosemount, OH22.5 mi · 2,117 people · home $111,900
- Portsmouth, OH23.0 mi · 18,252 people · home $103,300
Vanceburg questions
Is Vanceburg, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vanceburg scores better for retirees than 87% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 90%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.7).
How much does a house cost in Vanceburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Vanceburg is valued at $90,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $30,054, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $391 a month.
What is the weather like in Vanceburg?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 18.1 inches of snow.
Does Vanceburg get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vanceburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1982. 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)