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Living in
Glasgow.
About
Life in Glasgow
This is a place where you can actually afford to buy a home—the median house price hovers around $173,900 and rent runs about $849 a month, which means your paycheck stretches further than it would in most American cities. The job market isn't flashy, but it's stable; Walmart, manufacturing operations like Akebono Brake Industry, and upcoming expansion projects (including a major $76 million Kingspan facility opening soon with 400 expected jobs) provide consistent work, and if you're willing to commute 20 minutes or so, you've got options in Bowling Green and beyond. Summers are hot and humid (this is Kentucky, after all), winters are mild, and you'll get the typical spring and fall weather swings, but it's not a trade-off most people lose sleep over.
Glasgow at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.9%
Foreign-Born
4.1%
Broadband Internet
86.7%
of households
Population Growth
+1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Glasgow: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Glasgow, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (41.9%), and 4.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.0%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.4%
of households
Married Couples
38.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% below KY average
Rent, home values, and income in Glasgow
In Glasgow, rent runs 12% below the KY average, and home values are 15% below the KY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,220
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $214,949 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for KY
Unemployment in Glasgow
Unemployment in Barren County, which includes Glasgow, is close to the KY average.
Unemployment rate
Glasgow: Barren County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Barren County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Glasgow Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.2 min avg
How Glasgow residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Glasgow, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 73 mi
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Major hub12.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 39% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Glasgow runs 39% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
200.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,685.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Glasgow Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
67.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Barren County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Barren County, which includes Glasgow, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 10 | Winter Storm | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $130,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Barren County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Edmonson County, KY (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 22 miles from Glasgow) is typically good — 328 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
328
per year
Moderate Days
28
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Edmonson County, KY (22 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Glasgow has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
50°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.9"
Annual Snowfall
5.7"
Hot Days/Year
52
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
79
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
134
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 29°F | 4.14" |
| Feb | 52°F | 31°F | 4.40" |
| Mar | 62°F | 39°F | 5.15" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 5.27" |
| May | 81°F | 56°F | 5.77" |
| Jun | 87°F | 64°F | 4.88" |
| Jul | 90°F | 68°F | 4.97" |
| Aug | 90°F | 66°F | 3.44" |
| Sep | 84°F | 59°F | 3.79" |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 3.74" |
| Nov | 60°F | 39°F | 3.92" |
| Dec | 51°F | 32°F | 5.41" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Glasgow
Glasgow has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
T J Samson Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Caverna Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 10.7 mi away · Horse Cave
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Glasgow
Glasgow's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mammoth Cave National Park, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Glasgow
Glasgow has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mammoth Cave National Park (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mammoth Cave National Park
National Park
17 mi awayAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
42 mi awayMill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
66 mi awayBig South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
77 mi awayStones River National Battlefield
National Battlefield
83 mi awayCamp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayObed Wild & Scenic River
Wild & Scenic River
96 mi awayLincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Memorial
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Glasgow
Mary Wood Weldon Memorial Public Library
1530 South Green Street, Glasgow
Cities Near Glasgow
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Glasgow?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Glasgow FAQ
Is Glasgow, Kentucky affordable?⌄
Glasgow's median rent is $849/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $43,074/year. Median home value is $173,900.
Is Glasgow, Kentucky safe?⌄
Glasgow's violent crime rate was 200 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1686 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Glasgow, Kentucky?⌄
Barren County, which includes Glasgow, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Glasgow, Kentucky?⌄
The cost of living in Glasgow is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $849/month and median household income is $43,074/year. The median home value is $173,900. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Glasgow, Kentucky?⌄
The average commute in Glasgow is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from