The Town FilesFort Knox, Kentucky
Community in Hardin County · population 7,742 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Household income
- $82,663
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 24.0
Fort Knox is a community of 7,742 people in Hardin County, Kentucky. It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 97% of Kentucky towns, better for young professionals than 96% of Kentucky towns.
How Fort Knox 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
Median rent is $1,502 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Knox | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $1,502 | $837 |
| Median household income | $82,663 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 0.0% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fort Knox
| People | Fort Knox | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.0 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 1.8% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 33.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.3% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 20.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 12.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 88.6% |
Weather in Fort Knox
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 53.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.9 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Knox since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on January 2, 2006 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 3, 1974.
Severe weather in Hardin County since 1996
Hardin County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4937: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Hardin County
Hardin County had 48,897 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,787 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Fort Knox itself the ACS puts it at 15.1%.
Public schools in Fort Knox
1 public school with 67 students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Challenge Academy | 9-12 | 67 | — |
Towns near Fort Knox
- Radcliff, KY5.2 mi · 23,042 people · home $169,600
- Vine Grove, KY5.6 mi · 6,559 people · home $235,400
- Rineyville, KY10.3 mi · 3,039 people · home $257,100
- Brandenburg, KY13.7 mi · 2,894 people · home $214,700
- Elizabethtown, KY13.8 mi · 31,394 people · home $245,900
- Shepherdsville, KY15.7 mi · 14,201 people · home $222,100
- Hillview, KY18.9 mi · 8,622 people · home $186,300
- Pioneer Village, KY19.4 mi · 2,671 people · home $240,500
Fort Knox questions
Is Fort Knox, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Knox scores better for retirees than 1% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 0%. 1.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.0).
What is the weather like in Fort Knox?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.3 inches of precipitation a year and 2.9 inches of snow.
Does Fort Knox get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Knox since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on January 2, 2006. 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)