The Town FilesWest Liberty, Kentucky
City in Morgan County · population 3,215 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,300
- Household income
- $48,235
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.7
West Liberty is a city of 3,215 people in Morgan County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $206,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better transit than 84% of Kentucky towns, better for young professionals than 75% of Kentucky towns, more of a college town than 72% of Kentucky towns.
How West Liberty 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 West Liberty is worth $206,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $48,235, which is more affordable than 10% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $600 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Liberty | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,300 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $600 | $837 |
| Median household income | $48,235 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Liberty
| People | West Liberty | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 8.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in West Liberty
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Liberty since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on March 2, 2012 about 1.5 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 80 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 2, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2002.
Severe weather in Morgan County since 1996
Morgan County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Morgan County
Morgan County had 3,293 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,329 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in West Liberty itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in West Liberty
9 public schools with 1,691 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County High School | 9-12 | 533 | 16.7 |
| Morgan County Middle School | 6-8 | 376 | 13.9 |
| Wrigley Elementary School | PK-5 | 282 | 13.4 |
| Morgan Central Elementary School | PK-5 | 280 | 14.7 |
| East Valley Elementary School | PK-5 | 119 | 10.8 |
| Morgan County RISE Academy | 6-12 | 71 | — |
| Woodsbend Youth Development Center | 6-12 | 29 | 9.7 |
| Morgan County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | 1 | — |
| Eastern KY Education Center | 15-15 | — | — |
Towns near West Liberty
- Morehead, KY21.2 mi · 7,151 people · home $184,900
- Paintsville, KY26.1 mi · 4,312 people · home $116,100
West Liberty questions
Is West Liberty, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Liberty scores better for retirees than 52% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 51%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.7).
How much does a house cost in West Liberty?
The median owner-occupied home in West Liberty is valued at $206,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,235, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $600 a month.
What is the weather like in West Liberty?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.9 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does West Liberty get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Liberty since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on March 2, 2012. 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)