The Town FilesWheelwright, Kentucky
City in Floyd County · population 509 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $72,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.7
Wheelwright is a city of 509 people in Floyd County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $72,000, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Kentucky towns, quieter than 80% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 79% of Kentucky towns.
How Wheelwright 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 Wheelwright is worth $72,000, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Median rent is $593 a month. 73.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wheelwright | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $72,000 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $593 | $837 |
| Median household income | — | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 73.0% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Wheelwright
| People | Wheelwright | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.1% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 35.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.0% | 88.6% |
Weather in Wheelwright
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 24.1°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.8 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wheelwright since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 4, 2011 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 4, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Floyd County since 1996
Floyd County has been included in 48 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 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 Floyd County
Floyd County had 11,156 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,449 a year. Unemployment was 6% in 2023; in Wheelwright itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Wheelwright
1 public school with 600 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Floyd Elementary School | PK-8 | 600 | 17.1 |
Towns near Wheelwright
- McDowell, KY8.4 mi · 661 people · home $73,100
- McRoberts, KY8.6 mi · 741 people · home $60,100
- Fleming-Neon, KY9.7 mi · 548 people · home $52,900
- Jenkins, KY12.4 mi · 1,902 people · home $80,200
- Pikeville, KY14.1 mi · 7,754 people · home $263,800
- Hindman, KY14.5 mi · 701 people · home $143,200
- Betsy Layne, KY15.6 mi · 651 people · home —
- Martin, KY15.9 mi · 513 people · home —
Wheelwright questions
Is Wheelwright, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wheelwright scores better for retirees than 51% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 80%. 10.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).
How much does a house cost in Wheelwright?
The median owner-occupied home in Wheelwright is valued at $72,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $593 a month.
What is the weather like in Wheelwright?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 24.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.5 inches of precipitation a year and 9.8 inches of snow.
Does Wheelwright get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wheelwright since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 4, 2011. 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)