The Town Files

Ludlow, Kentucky

City in Kenton County · population 4,385 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ludlow is in KentuckyLudlow
Median home
$184,800
Household income
$65,284
Jan low / Jul high
22° / 85°
Snow a year
16 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
24
Median age
37.4

Ludlow is a city of 4,385 people in Kenton County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $184,800, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks more walkable than 97% of Kentucky towns, hipper than 97% of Kentucky towns, better transit than 91% of Kentucky towns.

Ludlow in our rankings:

How Ludlow 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.

Ludlow lifestyle rankings vs other Kentucky townsRetirement29th pctFamilies33rd pctQuiet25th pctWalkability97th pctFirst-time buyers84th pctYoung professionals81st pctVibrancy79th pctHip & trendy97th pctCollege town82nd pctUpscale63rd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit91st pctDriving7th 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 Ludlow is worth $184,800, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $65,284, which is more affordable than 64% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $1,233 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.

Ludlow vs Kenton County vs typical Kentucky townLudlowKenton CountyTypical Kentucky townHome value$184,800$244,400$161,450Household income$65,284$80,548$54,969Monthly rent$1,233$1,069$837
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Kentucky towns with 500+ people.
HousingLudlowTypical Kentucky town
Median home value$184,800$161,450
Median rent$1,233$837
Median household income$65,284$54,969
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.0×
Homeownership76.1%63.5%
Median year built19381974
Seasonal / vacation homes1.3%—

Who lives in Ludlow

PeopleLudlowTypical Kentucky town
Median age37.439.1
Age 65 and over15.2%18.1%
Under 1825.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher38.4%19.8%
Below the poverty line24.4%18.0%
Veterans2.9%—
Born outside the U.S.1.4%—
Work from home12.6%7.5%
Average commute20.6 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband82.7%88.6%

Weather in Ludlow

July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.0 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.

Ludlow monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°22°Jan42°25°Feb52°33°Mar65°43°Apr74°53°May82°62°Jun85°65°Jul85°64°Aug78°57°Sep66°45°Oct53°35°Nov42°27°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.66.03.24.34.52.44.90.25.24.84.33.53.33.50.33.40.24.02.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Cheviot station (6.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ludlow since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.9 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 504 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ludlow by decade31950s51960s51970s31980s11990s12000s22010s42020s
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 106 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 8, 1998.

Severe weather in Kenton County since 1996

Storm events in Kenton County since 1996 by typeHail48Heat3Flood35Tornado4High Wind11Ice Storm7Heavy Snow7Flash Flood46
NOAA Storm Events Database, Kenton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Kenton County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

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 16, 2025Severe StormEM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides
March 28, 2020BiologicalDR-4497: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in Kenton County

Kenton County had 74,672 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,985 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Ludlow itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.

Largest industries in Kenton CountyHealth care & social assistan…12,656 jobs · $75,434Hotels & restaurants7,759 jobs · $25,797Manufacturing7,093 jobs · $90,663Transportation & warehousing5,956 jobs · $88,668Retail5,825 jobs · $37,538Professional & technical serv…4,491 jobs · $102,597
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Kenton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Kenton 3.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Ludlow

2 public schools with 813 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Mary A. Goetz Elementary SchoolPK-643713.2
Ludlow High School7-1237614.5

Towns near Ludlow

Ludlow questions

Is Ludlow, Kentucky a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ludlow scores better for retirees than 29% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 25%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).

How much does a house cost in Ludlow?

The median owner-occupied home in Ludlow is valued at $184,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,284, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,233 a month.

What is the weather like in Ludlow?

July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.2 inches of precipitation a year and 16.0 inches of snow.

Does Ludlow get tornadoes?

24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ludlow since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ludlow's Census boundary (GEOID 2148378). 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.