The Town Files

Anchorage, Kentucky

City in Jefferson County · population 2,500 (2020 Census)

Map: where Anchorage is in KentuckyAnchorage
Median home
$854,200
Household income
$199,375
Jan low / Jul high
27° / 88°
Snow a year
10 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
37
Median age
37.3

Anchorage is a city of 2,500 people in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $854,200, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Kentucky towns, more upscale than 95% of Kentucky towns, better transit than 91% of Kentucky towns.

Anchorage in our rankings:

How Anchorage ranks

Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.

Anchorage lifestyle rankings vs other Kentucky townsRetirement62nd pctFamilies26th pctQuiet32nd pctWalkability65th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals95th pctVibrancy90th pctHip & trendy80th pctCollege town16th pctUpscale95th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit91st pctDriving6th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Anchorage is worth $854,200, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $199,375, which is more affordable than 10% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $1,578 a month. 81.9% of households own their home.

Anchorage vs Jefferson County vs typical Kentucky townAnchorageJefferson CountyTypical Kentucky townHome value$854,200$248,400$161,450Household income$199,375$69,866$54,969Monthly rent$1,578$1,149$837
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Kentucky towns with 500+ people.
HousingAnchorageTypical Kentucky town
Median home value$854,200$161,450
Median rent$1,578$837
Median household income$199,375$54,969
Home value ÷ income4.3×3.0×
Homeownership81.9%63.5%
Median year built19661974
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Anchorage

PeopleAnchorageTypical Kentucky town
Median age37.339.1
Age 65 and over14.2%18.1%
Under 1830.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher83.8%19.8%
Below the poverty line11.9%18.0%
Veterans4.3%—
Born outside the U.S.8.9%—
Work from home22.2%7.5%
Average commute21.5 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband99.0%88.6%

Weather in Anchorage

July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 27.1°F. About 48.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.0 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.

Anchorage monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing43°27°Jan48°30°Feb57°38°Mar69°48°Apr77°57°May85°66°Jun88°69°Jul87°68°Aug81°60°Sep69°48°Oct57°38°Nov46°31°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.33.53.32.84.41.54.70.15.24.74.63.53.63.63.40.23.91.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Louisville Bowman Fld station (7.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Anchorage since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 2.6 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 264 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Anchorage by decade01950s31960s51970s21980s21990s42000s112010s102020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 102 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 28, 2012.

Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996

Storm events in Jefferson County since 1996 by typeHail170Flood72Tornado28High Wind14Ice Storm4Lightning24Heavy Rain10Heavy Snow18
NOAA Storm Events Database, Jefferson County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 24 deaths recorded.

Jefferson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3633: Severe Winter Storm
April 24, 2025Severe StormDR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 3, 2025Severe StormEM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
February 24, 2025Severe StormDR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
February 16, 2025Severe StormEM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides

Jobs and pay in Jefferson County

Jefferson County had 482,313 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,280 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Anchorage itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.

Largest industries in Jefferson CountyHealth care & social assistan…75,328 jobs · $72,064Manufacturing53,624 jobs · $86,327Hotels & restaurants42,357 jobs · $28,738Retail42,311 jobs · $42,326Transportation & warehousing41,677 jobs · $79,166Administrative & support32,083 jobs · $49,596
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Jefferson County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Jefferson 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Anchorage

1 public school with 399 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Anchorage Independent Public SchoolPK-839910.2

Towns near Anchorage

Anchorage questions

Is Anchorage, Kentucky a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Anchorage scores better for retirees than 62% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 32%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).

How much does a house cost in Anchorage?

The median owner-occupied home in Anchorage is valued at $854,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $199,375, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,578 a month.

What is the weather like in Anchorage?

July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 27.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.1 inches of precipitation a year and 10.0 inches of snow.

Does Anchorage get tornadoes?

37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Anchorage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Anchorage's Census boundary (GEOID 2101504). Comparisons use the median of Kentucky towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.