© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Winchester.
About
Life in Winchester
Living in Winchester puts you in the sweet spot of Kentucky's Bluegrass region—close enough to Lexington's job market and amenities (just 18 miles west) without the urban sprawl or higher costs. The median home value hovers around $188,300 and rent averages $916 a month, which means your money stretches further than it would in bigger metros, and the 4.3% unemployment rate suggests steady work is actually available here. As the Clark County seat with about 19,000 residents, Winchester feels like a real town with community identity rather than a bedroom subdivision—it's home to the annual Beer Cheese Festival in June (celebrating a dish invented right here in the 1940s) and iconic local brands like Ale-8-One, the Kentucky soft drink that's been bottled here since 1926.
Winchester at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.3%
Foreign-Born
1.6%
Broadband Internet
91.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.6% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Winchester: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Winchester, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (47.9%), and 2.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.6%
of households
Married Couples
38.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
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 about average for KY
Rent, home values, and income in Winchester
In Winchester, home values are 8% below the KY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,362
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $251,145 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for KY
Unemployment in Winchester
Unemployment in Clark County, which includes Winchester, is close to the KY average.
Unemployment rate
Winchester: Clark County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clark County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Winchester Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.9 min avg
How Winchester residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Winchester, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Blue Grass Airport (LEX)
Small hub796k passengers boarded in 2025
- 78 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 47% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Winchester runs 47% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
174.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,249.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Winchester Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
38.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clark County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clark County, which includes Winchester, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 8 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 7 | Flash Flood | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 7 | Winter Storm | None reported |
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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clark County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Fayette County, KY (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from Winchester) is typically good — 273 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
273
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Fayette County, KY (15 mi away)
Climate85°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Winchester has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.3"
Annual Snowfall
8.8"
Hot Days/Year
28
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
116
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
146
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 3.52" |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 3.66" |
| Mar | 56°F | 31°F | 4.36" |
| Apr | 67°F | 40°F | 4.40" |
| May | 76°F | 51°F | 4.53" |
| Jun | 83°F | 59°F | 4.80" |
| Jul | 87°F | 63°F | 5.38" |
| Aug | 86°F | 61°F | 3.36" |
| Sep | 80°F | 53°F | 3.61" |
| Oct | 69°F | 42°F | 3.22" |
| Nov | 56°F | 31°F | 3.38" |
| Dec | 45°F | 25°F | 4.28" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Winchester
Winchester has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Clark Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Saint Joseph East
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 mi away · Lexington
The Ridge Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric · 13.7 mi away · Lexington
Saint Joseph Mount Sterling
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.2 mi away · Mount Sterling
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Winchester
Winchester's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Camp Nelson National Monument, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Winchester
Winchester has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Camp Nelson National Monument (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
26 mi awayMill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
79 mi awayAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
86 mi awayCumberland Gap National Historical Park
National Historical Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Winchester
Clark County Public Library
370 South Burns Avenue, Winchester
Cities Near Winchester
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Winchester?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Winchester FAQ
Is Winchester, Kentucky affordable?⌄
Winchester's median rent is $916/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $54,378/year. Median home value is $188,300.
Is Winchester, Kentucky safe?⌄
Winchester's violent crime rate was 175 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 2249 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Winchester, Kentucky?⌄
Clark County, which includes Winchester, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Winchester, Kentucky?⌄
The cost of living in Winchester is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $916/month and median household income is $54,378/year. The median home value is $188,300. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Winchester, Kentucky?⌄
The average commute in Winchester is 22 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