What it's like to live in Berea
Berea 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 a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Berea deals with household incomes below the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Berea compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Berea
Based on Berea's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,670
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,400 a year
- 39% of Berea renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$39,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,990
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 41% below US
$835/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $835 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 $199,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $199,900 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Madison County is 4.7%, 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.
Madison County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 62% below US
126 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 546/100k · Berea Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 11% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 24% 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
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Camp Nelson National Monument (22 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Berea'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 ($835/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Berea
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