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Living in
Nicholasville.
About
Life in Nicholasville
Nicholasville offers a solid middle-ground option if you're drawn to the Lexington area but want something slightly quieter and more affordable. The median home value hovers around $226,800 with median rent at $1,147 a month, while median household income sits at $68,503—numbers that suggest a working-class to upper-middle-class community without extreme wealth gaps. The 24.7-minute average commute to Lexington is reasonable for a satellite city, though you'll definitely need a car; the city is built around US Route 27 and other major highways, so walkability is limited.
Nicholasville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Foreign-Born
6.4%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Population Growth
+8.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.4% foreign-born, most often from Ukraine
Who lives in Nicholasville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Nicholasville, the largest foreign-born group is from Ukraine (31.8%), and 3.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.0%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.3%
of households
Married Couples
45.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.63
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 19% above KY average
Rent, home values, and income in Nicholasville
In Nicholasville, rent runs 19% above the KY average, and home values are 10% above the KY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,660
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1993
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $327,210 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below KY average
Unemployment in Nicholasville
Unemployment in Nicholasville is 0.6 percentage points lower than the KY average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Nicholasville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24 min avg
How Nicholasville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Nicholasville, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Blue Grass Airport (LEX)
Small hub796k passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 mi
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
Medium hub4.4M 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 40% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Nicholasville runs 40% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
196.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,491.2
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Nicholasville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
39.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jessamine County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jessamine County, which includes Nicholasville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 6 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 9 | Winter Storm | $100,000 |
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
Jessamine County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jessamine County, which includes Nicholasville, is typically good — 285 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
285
per year
Moderate Days
78
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Jessamine County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Nicholasville has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.5"
Annual Snowfall
10.2"
Hot Days/Year
25
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
90
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
115
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 25°F | 3.42" |
| Feb | 47°F | 28°F | 3.64" |
| Mar | 56°F | 36°F | 4.48" |
| Apr | 67°F | 45°F | 4.42" |
| May | 76°F | 55°F | 5.44" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.96" |
| Jul | 87°F | 67°F | 5.12" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.71" |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 3.42" |
| Oct | 69°F | 47°F | 3.66" |
| Nov | 56°F | 36°F | 3.37" |
| Dec | 46°F | 30°F | 4.20" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Nicholasville
Uninsured
7.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Nicholasville's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Health Lexington
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.3 mi away · Lexington
Saint Joseph Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.9 mi away · Lexington
Lexington VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 10 mi away · Lexington
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Nicholasville
Nicholasville's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 26.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Nicholasville (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 24,763 students · in-state tuition $13,907 · 69% graduate · median earnings $63,924 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,005 students · in-state tuition $48,920 · 69% graduate · median earnings $57,381 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Camp Nelson National Monument, 7 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Nicholasville
Nicholasville has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Camp Nelson National Monument (7 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
7 mi awayMill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
58 mi awayAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
64 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayBig South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
94 mi awayMammoth Cave National Park
National Park
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Nicholasville
Jessamine County Public Library
600 South Main Street, Nicholasville
Cities Near Nicholasville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Nicholasville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Nicholasville FAQ
Is Nicholasville, Kentucky affordable?⌄
Nicholasville's median rent is $1,147/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $68,503/year. Median home value is $226,800.
Is Nicholasville, Kentucky safe?⌄
Nicholasville's violent crime rate was 197 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1491 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Nicholasville, Kentucky?⌄
Nicholasville has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Nicholasville, Kentucky?⌄
The cost of living in Nicholasville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,147/month and median household income is $68,503/year. The median home value is $226,800. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Nicholasville, Kentucky?⌄
The average commute in Nicholasville is 24 minutes, which is about 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