Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 713, settled in 1874.
25% of residents live below the poverty line in Bardwell, above both Kentucky’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 143 Kentucky towns, just 3 have a higher mean commuting time than Bardwell. Bardwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 578 in 1890, a peak of 1,512 in 1900, 714 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1951 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bardwell, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bardwell.
Home values are up 4.4% over the year to September 2026. In Bardwell, the going rate for rent is $683 a month. 58% of households are owner-occupiers here, against 59% in Kentucky’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
| Bardwell | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $683 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 58% | 59% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Among 142 Kentucky towns, just 9 have a higher FEMA risk score than Bardwell. FEMA puts 44% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 14% to inland flooding. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2011.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 27° and about 9 inches of snow falls in a winter. Among 143 Kentucky towns, just 6 have a higher midsummer high than Bardwell.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For half of commuters, work is under 22 miles away. In Bardwell, the median household income is $48,000. Most working residents leave Bardwell for work: only 11% work in town. The top destinations are Paducah (16%), Mayfield (4%) and Wickliffe (3%).
| Bardwell | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 15% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 2 crimes were reported in Bardwell in 2025: 1 property and 1 violent.
Bardwell is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Only one of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Bardwell. Bardwell: nearly a quarter of adults smoke cigarettes.
| Bardwell | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| What stands out | Bardwell | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.6% | 5.4% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5.9% | 4% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.8% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bardwell. Close and well known come first.
13 mi MuseumMagnolia Manor
32 mi Ancient siteKincaid Mounds State Historic Site30 mi MuseumDiscovery Park of America
9 mi MuseumColumbus-Belmont State ParkMagnolia Manor: MuZemike, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kincaid Mounds State Historic Site: Herb Roe, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Columbus-Belmont State Park: Knowledgeum at en.wikipedia, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Bardwell; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Bardwell residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kentucky.
4 notable people were born in Bardwell.
City in Kentucky, United States
Bardwell is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Carlisle County, Kentucky, United States. The city was formally incorporated by the state assembly in 1878. The population was 714 at the 2020 census, down from 723 in 2010. Bardwell is included in the Paducah, KY-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bardwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
4 notable people were born here, including Martha Stewart and Thomas L. Glenn.
