Kentucky Route 1754 Bridge, Spanning Chaplin River on Kentucky Route 1754
Chaplin’s story
194 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper.
- 1832Chaplin is settled
ChaplinKY
Mount Zion Covered Bridge · Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
337
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$228K
+4% in a year
Household income
$94K
median
Median age
49.1
years
Jobs based here
99
A commuter town
Is Chaplin a good place to live?
Chaplin’s mean commuting time is 37 minutes, above both the Kentucky town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Chaplin. Chaplin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Chaplin stand out
Where Chaplin beats most towns.
Small town
337 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Chaplin: who provides what
Chaplin is unincorporated, so Nelson County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerKU11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBloomfield Water & Sewer Dept2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers2% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesNelson CountyNelson County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Kentucky you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNelson County ClerkNelson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2019
ZIP codes40012, 4000840012 59% · 40008 41%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chaplin.
Work & commute
Chaplin has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
For most workers, Chaplin is a place to come home to: only 3% work in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in the town rose by 55, to 99. Chaplin: just over a fifth of residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Bardstown (25%), Louisville (11%) and Elizabethtown (4%).
3%work in town
| Chaplin | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Chaplin3%
Bardstown25%
Louisville11%
Elizabethtown4%
Lexington4%
26 mi
median commute distance
99
jobs based in Chaplin
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Chaplin: four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 25° on a January night to 87° on a July afternoon, with about 12 inches of snow a winter.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–45°
Spring44–67°
Summer64–85°
Fall46–69°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 13
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
High risk in Chaplin, with inland flooding at the top
62% of Chaplin’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 10%. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 65% of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2025, has brought federal aid to Chaplin households.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Chaplin is
In Chaplin, 25% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. 40% of adults in the town have high blood pressure; 16% report frequent mental distress.
| Chaplin | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
8 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Chaplin | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.9% | 15.5% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 6.2% | 8.8% |
CHI Saint Joseph Flaget Memorial Hospital
16.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A home in Chaplin is worth about $228K, on Zillow’s estimate
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4%.
$228KZillow home value
Typical home value
Chaplin$228K
Kentucky$231K
+4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chaplin
15pages on Chaplin
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Chaplin; the nearest are
Kentucky State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Frankfort28.8 mi$9,387 in-state tuitionJefferson Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Louisville37.6 mi$4,808 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Chaplin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Chaplin for work
Where Chaplin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
99jobs based in Chaplin
3%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Chaplin
Unincorporated community in Kentucky, United States
Chaplin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, Chaplin had a population of 440. Chaplin has a post office with ZIP code 40012, which opened on January 4, 1832. U.S. Route 62 passes through the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 823 ft
- ZIP code
- 40012
Questions about Chaplin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chaplin, KY a good place to live?
Chaplin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.