The Town FilesBuckner, Kentucky
Community in Oldham County · population 5,785 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $425,400
- Household income
- $164,219
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 36.5
Buckner is a community of 5,785 people in Oldham County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $425,400, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks more upscale than 88% of Kentucky towns, better for young professionals than 82% of Kentucky towns, better for families than 72% of Kentucky towns.
- #1 in The 13 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Kentucky
- #16 in The 21 Best Small Towns for Families in Kentucky
- #19 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Kentucky
- #45 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in America
- #49 in The 50 Best Affordable Places for Remote Workers in America
How Buckner 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buckner is worth $425,400, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $164,219, which is more affordable than 71% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $1,762 a month. 92.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buckner | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,400 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $1,762 | $837 |
| Median household income | $164,219 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 92.7% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Buckner
| People | Buckner | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.1% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.1% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 19.2% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 88.6% |
Weather in Buckner
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 23.1°F. About 52.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buckner 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 6.4 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 271 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 2, 1980.
Severe weather in Oldham County since 1996
Oldham County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4782: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Oldham County
Oldham County had 17,474 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,157 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Buckner itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Buckner
5 public schools with 1,608 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham County Middle School | 6-8 | 699 | 16.3 |
| Buckner Elementary School | K-5 | 659 | 16.9 |
| Oldham County Preschool | PK-PK | 195 | 21.7 |
| Buckner Alternative High School | 4-12 | 55 | 6.1 |
| The Robert L. Arvin Education Center | 11-12 | — | — |
Towns near Buckner
- Crestwood, KY3.5 mi · 6,183 people · home $338,200
- La Grange, KY4.1 mi · 10,067 people · home $283,200
- Prospect, KY9.0 mi · 4,592 people · home $538,400
- Anchorage, KY9.5 mi · 2,500 people · home $854,200
- Middletown, KY10.9 mi · 9,706 people · home $336,000
- Lyndon, KY11.4 mi · 11,008 people · home $276,800
- Douglass Hills, KY11.9 mi · 5,456 people · home $346,300
- Graymoor-Devondale, KY12.0 mi · 2,853 people · home $338,000
Buckner questions
Is Buckner, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buckner scores better for retirees than 18% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 41%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Buckner?
The median owner-occupied home in Buckner is valued at $425,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $164,219, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,762 a month.
What is the weather like in Buckner?
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 23.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does Buckner get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buckner since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)