What it's like to live in Somerset
Somerset is a small city in Kentucky with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Somerset deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Somerset compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Somerset
Based on Somerset's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,550
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $31,000 a year
- 50% of Somerset renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$28,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,400
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 45% below US
$775/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $775 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $144,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $144,000 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pulaski County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Pulaski County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
328 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1153/100k · Somerset Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°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 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 45% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument (7 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Somerset'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 college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($775/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Somerset
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