The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Kentucky
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 94 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Kentucky. #1 is Prospect, KY.
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25Cynthiana, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 69% of Kentucky towns
6,333 people · Harrison County · median home $172,500 · income $54,647 · Jan low 23°F · 16 in snow
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24Russell Springs, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 72% of Kentucky towns
2,715 people · Russell County · median home $170,300 · income $38,697 · Jan low 25°F · 5 in snow
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23Highland Heights, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 73% of Kentucky towns
6,662 people · Campbell County · median home $169,700 · income $53,275 · Jan low 24°F · 17 in snow
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22Edgewood, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 73% of Kentucky towns
8,435 people · Kenton County · median home $312,200 · income $119,028 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow
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21Rineyville, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 75% of Kentucky towns
3,039 people · Hardin County · median home $257,100 · income $84,511 · Jan low 24°F · 5 in snow
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20Crescent Springs, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 75% of Kentucky towns
4,319 people · Kenton County · median home $302,100 · income $83,066 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow
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19Hurstbourne, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 76% of Kentucky towns
4,683 people · Jefferson County · median home $542,600 · income $116,094 · Jan low 27°F · 13 in snow
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18Cold Spring, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 76% of Kentucky towns
6,216 people · Campbell County · median home $253,600 · income $75,000 · Jan low 24°F · 18 in snow
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17Villa Hills, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 78% of Kentucky towns
7,310 people · Kenton County · median home $362,500 · income $107,859 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow
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16Wilmore, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 80% of Kentucky towns
5,999 people · Jessamine County · median home $248,900 · income $77,665 · Jan low 27°F · 10 in snow
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15Russell, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 81% of Kentucky towns
3,744 people · Greenup County · median home $211,900 · income $76,182 · Jan low 23°F · 6 in snow
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14Flemingsburg, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 83% of Kentucky towns
2,953 people · Fleming County · median home $132,800 · income $35,493 · Jan low 23°F · 9 in snow
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13Douglass Hills, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 83% of Kentucky towns
5,456 people · Jefferson County · median home $346,300 · income $78,482 · Jan low 27°F · 10 in snow
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12Benton, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 84% of Kentucky towns
4,756 people · Marshall County · median home $157,000 · income $66,827 · Jan low 27°F · 4 in snow
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11Indian Hills, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 85% of Kentucky towns
2,860 people · Jefferson County · median home $699,200 · income $192,000 · Jan low 27°F · 4 in snow
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10Barbourville, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 85% of Kentucky towns
3,222 people · Knox County · median home $182,400 · income $22,046 · Jan low 25°F · 9 in snow
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9Crestview Hills, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 86% of Kentucky towns
3,246 people · Kenton County · median home $279,800 · income $95,441 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow
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8Greenville, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 86% of Kentucky towns
4,492 people · Muhlenberg County · median home $116,400 · income $46,054 · Jan low 24°F · 6 in snow
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7Park Hills, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 89% of Kentucky towns
3,162 people · Kenton County · median home $282,100 · income $99,861 · Jan low 24°F · 23 in snow
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6Fort Wright, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 91% of Kentucky towns
5,851 people · Kenton County · median home $328,900 · income $105,024 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow
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5Springfield, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 94% of Kentucky towns
2,846 people · Washington County · median home $168,600 · income $48,750 · Jan low 26°F · 3 in snow
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4Providence, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 94% of Kentucky towns
2,892 people · Webster County · median home $60,300 · income $55,121 · Jan low 25°F · 9 in snow
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3Reidland, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 94% of Kentucky towns
4,526 people · McCracken County · median home $228,000 · income $99,423 · Jan low 25°F · 4 in snow
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2Columbia, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 95% of Kentucky towns
4,845 people · Adair County · median home $143,600 · income $47,299 · Jan low 26°F · 8 in snow
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1Prospect, Kentucky
Better for retirees than 97% of Kentucky towns
4,592 people · Jefferson County · median home $538,400 · income $163,462 · Jan low 27°F · 9 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Kentucky rankings
- The 17 Quietest Small Towns in Kentucky
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Kentucky
- The 21 Best Small Towns for Families in Kentucky
- 22 Small Towns in Kentucky With the Cheapest Homes
- 22 Small Towns in Kentucky With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Kentucky
- 25 Small Towns in Kentucky With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Kentucky
- The 13 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Kentucky
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Ohio
- 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)