Whitley City is a small town of 1,148 in Kentucky, with a median household income of $22,702
.
Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is
15% below the national average.
Strengths:
Whitley City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Whitley City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Whitley City city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 84.8
Whitley City's overall cost of living index is 84.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Whitley City costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
Metric
Whitley City, KY
National Avg
Median Home Value
$75,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$621
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
50.4%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$22,702
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Crime data for Whitley City is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Whitley City is served primarily by McCreary County.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.1:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Whitley City, KY
National Avg
School District
McCreary County
—
Elementary Schools
3
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
2.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
79.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Whitley City sees average highs of 45.0°F in January
and 85.4°F in July,
with 56.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 5.5 inches of snow per year.
Whitley City's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Whitley City roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $75,500 and median rent is $621/month.
Crime data for Whitley City is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Whitley City are operated by McCreary County.
The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.1:1. 2.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Whitley City, KY has a population of 1,148, a median household income of $22,702, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Whitley City averages 45.0°F in January and 85.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 56.1 inches
with about 5.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Whitley City, KY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 42653.
The population of Whitley City, Kentucky is 1,148 with a median age of 37.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Whitley City: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home $75,500, median household income $22,702, crime index 2 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Whitley City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
