Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Brodhead’s best subject grades are an A+ for safety and an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D for incomes. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Brodhead, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. On safety, just 8 of Kentucky’s 180 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 76% of U.S. towns. Brodhead's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 97% of U.S. towns. Brodhead has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Brodhead beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Brodhead is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 277 in 1890, a low of 277 in 1890, 1,117 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1893 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brodhead, 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 Brodhead.
Brodhead’s property crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents, against 8.3 in Kentucky’s towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns. Only 6 of the 116 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Brodhead. Brodhead reports less crime per resident than 99% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
| Brodhead | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Rockcastle County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brodhead Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 493 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KY on state tests and graduation
Brodhead beats the Kentucky average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 12% of adults binge drink in Brodhead.
| Brodhead | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Brodhead | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.9% | 10.2% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5% | 4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.1% | 8.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 2010, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brodhead.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Brodhead for work: only 2% work in town. The median household income in Brodhead is $35,000. Since 2013, Brodhead has added 95 jobs, to 156 in 2023.
| Brodhead | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $35,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 15% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Brodhead home is worth about $161,000, down 8% in a year, 30% below the Kentucky typical home. 45% of Brodhead households own their home. Only 8 of the 140 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower median rent than Brodhead.
| Brodhead | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 45% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $636 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Brodhead has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Only 3 of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower July high than Brodhead.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (38% statewide). 20% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 28% across Kentucky.
| Brodhead | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 years | 37.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 20% | 26% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 72 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.9 points). Across Kentucky, 50.5% of residents are women.
| Brodhead | KY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 20.4% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.1% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.4% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.4% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.7% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.3% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 16.2% | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 43% | 32.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 17% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.9% | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7% | 11.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
1 within 15 miles of the center of Brodhead
About 7 of every 100 Brodhead residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kentucky.
Where Brodhead’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Kentucky, United States
Brodhead is a home rule-class city in Rockcastle County in southeastern Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, Brodhead had a population of 1,117. It is part of the Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area. Brodhead has been noted for its unusual place name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)