The Town FilesWilliamsburg, Kentucky
City in Whitley County · population 5,326 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,300
- Household income
- $38,147
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 24.8
Williamsburg is a city of 5,326 people in Whitley County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $113,300, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for young professionals than 76% of Kentucky towns.
How Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg is worth $113,300, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $38,147, which is more affordable than 53% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $793 a month. 35.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williamsburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,300 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $793 | $837 |
| Median household income | $38,147 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 35.9% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Williamsburg
| People | Williamsburg | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 1.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 12.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.5% | 88.6% |
Weather in Williamsburg
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 24.8°F. About 52.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.2 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williamsburg since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1967 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 4, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 31, 1998.
Severe weather in Whitley County since 1996
Whitley County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4913: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 23, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4875: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 Whitley County
Whitley County had 14,351 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,563 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Williamsburg itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Williamsburg
9 public schools with 3,967 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County High School | 9-12 | 947 | 14.1 |
| Williamsburg City School | PK-12 | 842 | 13.6 |
| Whitley County Middle School | 7-8 | 519 | 14.4 |
| Whitley County Central Primary School | PK-2 | 459 | 15.3 |
| Whitley Central Intermediate School | 3-6 | 446 | 13.9 |
| Whitley County East Elementary School | PK-6 | 278 | 14.6 |
| Pleasant View Elementary School | PK-6 | 221 | 12.3 |
| Boston Elementary School | PK-6 | 199 | 12.4 |
| Whitley County Alternative School | 7-12 | 56 | 9.3 |
Towns near Williamsburg
- Corbin, KY13.8 mi · 7,856 people · home $166,000
- Barbourville, KY17.9 mi · 3,222 people · home $182,400
- Oneida, TN24.6 mi · 3,787 people · home $170,600
- La Follette, TN25.5 mi · 7,430 people · home $138,900
- Middlesborough, KY26.0 mi · 9,405 people · home $99,900
- London, KY26.6 mi · 7,572 people · home $170,200
Williamsburg questions
Is Williamsburg, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williamsburg scores better for retirees than 15% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 33%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.8).
How much does a house cost in Williamsburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Williamsburg is valued at $113,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,147, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $793 a month.
What is the weather like in Williamsburg?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 24.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.0 inches of precipitation a year and 11.2 inches of snow.
Does Williamsburg get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williamsburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 1967. 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)