Median Income
$27,055
household / year
Median Home Value
$97,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
N/A
gross / month
Cost of Living
N/A
national avg = 100

Is Phelps, KY a Good Place to Live?

Phelps is a small town of 446 in Kentucky, with a median household income of $27,055 and a 86.4% unemployment rate.

Strengths: Phelps stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Phelps is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Phelps city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Phelps metro area.

Metric Phelps, KY National Avg
Median Home Value $97,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent N/A $1,163
Homeownership Rate 88.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $27,055 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Phelps's violent crime rate is 24.2 per 100,000 residents — 94% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
24.2 /100k
Property Crime
304.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Phelps is served primarily by Pike County. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Phelps, KY National Avg
School District Pike County —
Elementary Schools 11 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 8 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 4.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 83.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Phelps sees average highs of 46.5°F in January and 88.6°F in July, with 44.0 inches of annual precipitation and 7.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricPhelps, KY
Average High — January46.5°F
Average High — July88.6°F
Annual Precipitation44.0"
Annual Snowfall7.7"

Demographics

MetricPhelps, KYNational Avg
Population446—
Median Age54.338.9
Unemployment Rate86.4%3.7%
Avg Commute TimeN/A26 min
White (non-Hispanic)100.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 180.0%22.2%
65 and over13.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Freeburn, KY 4 mi McCarr, KY 8 mi Matewan, WV 8 mi Belfry, KY 10 mi Red Jacket, WV 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Phelps

Phelps, KY is covered by 1 ZIP code:

41553

Phelps vs Other Cities

Phelps, KY vs Freeburn, KY Phelps, KY vs McCarr, KY Phelps, KY vs Matewan, WV Phelps, KY vs Belfry, KY Phelps, KY vs Red Jacket, WV

Frequently Asked Questions

Phelps has a median home value of $97,300 and median rent of N/A/month against a median household income of $27,055.
Phelps's violent crime rate is 24.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 304.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Phelps are operated by Pike County. The district has 11 elementary, 1 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 4.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Phelps, KY has a population of 446, a median household income of $27,055, and an unemployment rate of 86.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Phelps averages 46.5°F in January and 88.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 44.0 inches with about 7.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Phelps, KY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 41553.
The population of Phelps, Kentucky is 446 with a median age of 54.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Phelps: median home $97,300, median household income $27,055, crime index 10 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Phelps side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.