The Town FilesWhitesburg, Kentucky
City in Letcher County · population 1,773 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,700
- Household income
- $29,189
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 43.8
Whitesburg is a city of 1,773 people in Letcher County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $111,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Kentucky towns, better for retirees than 90% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 73% of Kentucky towns.
How Whitesburg 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 Whitesburg is worth $111,700, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $29,189, which is more affordable than 18% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $640 a month. 52.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whitesburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,700 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $640 | $837 |
| Median household income | $29,189 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 52.7% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Whitesburg
| People | Whitesburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.8% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.8% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 37.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 88.6% |
Weather in Whitesburg
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 23.6 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 Whitesburg since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 3, 1983 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 3, 1983.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 26, 1989.
Severe weather in Letcher County since 1996
Letcher County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4848: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
Jobs and pay in Letcher County
Letcher County had 4,258 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,995 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Whitesburg itself the ACS puts it at 11.1%.
Public schools in Whitesburg
8 public schools with 1,994 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County Central High School | 9-12 | 706 | 14.4 |
| West Whitesburg Elementary School | PK-5 | 433 | 12.4 |
| Martha Jane Potter Elementary School | PK-5 | 287 | 12.5 |
| Cowan Elementary School | PK-8 | 244 | 15.3 |
| Whitesburg Middle School | 6-8 | 189 | 15.8 |
| Arlie Boggs Elementary School | K-8 | 131 | 11.9 |
| Letcher County Alternative Education Ctr | 8-12 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Letcher County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Whitesburg
- Fleming-Neon, KY8.7 mi · 548 people · home $52,900
- Jenkins, KY10.3 mi · 1,902 people · home $80,200
- McRoberts, KY11.1 mi · 741 people · home $60,100
- Lynch, KY11.7 mi · 658 people · home $58,600
- Pound, VA11.9 mi · 877 people · home $98,100
- Benham, KY12.8 mi · 512 people · home $53,000
- Cumberland, KY13.1 mi · 1,947 people · home $66,500
- Appalachia, VA14.3 mi · 1,432 people · home $67,100
Whitesburg questions
Is Whitesburg, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitesburg scores better for retirees than 90% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 71%. 28.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Whitesburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Whitesburg is valued at $111,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $29,189, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $640 a month.
What is the weather like in Whitesburg?
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 23.6 inches of snow.
Does Whitesburg get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Whitesburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 3, 1983. 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)