What it's like to live in Bardstown
Bardstown is a small city in Kentucky with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bardstown deals with household incomes below the national average, above-average rainfall, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average rainfall
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bardstown compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bardstown
Based on Bardstown's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,954
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,080 a year
- 47% of Bardstown renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$40,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,350
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 31% below US
$977/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $977 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $203,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $203,500 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Nelson County is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Nelson County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 83% below US
56 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1728/100k · Bardstown Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 26% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (20 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bardstown's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($977/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Bardstown
All Kentucky guides →Moving to Mount Washington →
16 mi away · pop. 18,480
Rent $1,008/mo · Income $96,239
Compare with Bardstown →Moving to Shepherdsville →
17 mi away · pop. 14,533
Rent $943/mo · Income $71,476
Compare with Bardstown →Moving to Elizabethtown →
24 mi away · pop. 32,576
Rent $909/mo · Income $60,760
Compare with Bardstown →Not sure Bardstown is the one?
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