The Town FilesWinchester, Kentucky
City in Clark County · population 19,134 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,300
- Household income
- $54,378
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.1
Winchester is a city of 19,134 people in Clark County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $188,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for cycling than 85% of Kentucky towns, more vibrant than 76% of Kentucky towns, more walkable than 75% of Kentucky towns.
How Winchester 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 Winchester is worth $188,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $54,378, which is more affordable than 27% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $916 a month. 60.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winchester | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,300 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $916 | $837 |
| Median household income | $54,378 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 60.5% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Winchester
| People | Winchester | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 88.6% |
Weather in Winchester
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 21.6°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.3 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winchester since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 9.5 miles from the town center and killed 7. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 33 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 19, 2022.
Severe weather in Clark County since 1996
Clark County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| November 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4848: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
Jobs and pay in Clark County
Clark County had 13,594 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,905 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Winchester itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Winchester
10 public schools with 5,390 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Rogers Clark High School | 9-12 | 1,704 | 18.9 |
| Robert D. Campbell Jr. High | 7-8 | 789 | 16.4 |
| Rev. Henry E. Baker Sr. Interm. School | 5-6 | 714 | 15.2 |
| Strode Station Elementary School | K-4 | 521 | 14.5 |
| William G. Conkwright Elementary | K-4 | 504 | 12.6 |
| Willis H. Justice Elementary School | K-4 | 459 | 14.3 |
| Shearer Elementary School | K-4 | 399 | 14.3 |
| Clark County Preschool | PK-PK | 258 | 14.3 |
| Phoenix Academy | K-12 | 42 | 8.4 |
| Clark County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Winchester
- Mount Sterling, KY13.9 mi · 7,558 people · home $187,600
- Paris, KY14.4 mi · 10,171 people · home $186,300
- Lexington-Fayette, KY14.8 mi · 322,570 people · home $293,500
- Richmond, KY19.8 mi · 34,585 people · home $214,900
- Stanton, KY21.1 mi · 3,251 people · home $123,000
- Nicholasville, KY21.8 mi · 31,093 people · home $226,800
- Georgetown, KY25.8 mi · 37,086 people · home $265,400
- Cynthiana, KY27.0 mi · 6,333 people · home $172,500
Winchester questions
Is Winchester, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winchester scores better for retirees than 11% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 25%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Winchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Winchester is valued at $188,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,378, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $916 a month.
What is the weather like in Winchester?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 21.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 7.3 inches of snow.
Does Winchester get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. 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)