The Town FilesHazard, Kentucky
City in Perry County · population 5,263 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $145,400
- Household income
- $51,016
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.2
Hazard is a city of 5,263 people in Perry County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $145,400, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks more of a college town than 76% of Kentucky towns, more walkable than 71% of Kentucky towns.
How Hazard 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 Hazard is worth $145,400, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $51,016, which is more affordable than 57% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $720 a month. 53.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hazard | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $145,400 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $720 | $837 |
| Median household income | $51,016 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 53.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hazard
| People | Hazard | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Hazard
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 51.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.8 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hazard since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 11, 2008 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 30, 1999.
Severe weather in Perry County since 1996
Perry County has been included in 47 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4913: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Perry County
Perry County had 11,351 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,907 a year. Unemployment was 5.6% in 2023; in Hazard itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Hazard
11 public schools with 3,451 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County Central High School | 9-12 | 806 | 16.8 |
| West Perry Elementary School | PK-8 | 766 | 17.4 |
| East Perry County Elementary School | PK-8 | 642 | 14.6 |
| Roy G. Eversole Elementary School | PK-4 | 449 | 15.0 |
| Hazard High School | 9-12 | 301 | 13.1 |
| Hazard Middle School | 5-8 | 266 | 13.3 |
| Cordia School | PK-12 | 171 | 10.7 |
| Learning Academy | 9-12 | 47 | 47.0 |
| Perry County Alternative School | K-8 | 3 | 1.5 |
| Kentucky TECH - Hazard Regional Tech Ctr | 15-15 | — | — |
| Hazard Community College Tech Campus | 15-15 | — | — |
Hazard questions
Is Hazard, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hazard scores better for retirees than 28% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 21%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Hazard?
The median owner-occupied home in Hazard is valued at $145,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,016, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $720 a month.
What is the weather like in Hazard?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.8 inches of snow.
Does Hazard get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hazard since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 11, 2008. 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)