Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Flat Lick

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Kentucky›Knox County
CompareFollow

Flat LickKY

With 634 residents, this town was settled in 1848.

Population
634
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$10K
Census ACS
Household income
$17K
median
Median age
30.5
years
Jobs based here
42
A commuter town

Is Flat Lick a good place to live?

100% of residents live below the poverty line in Flat Lick, against 16% in Kentucky’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower owner-occupancy rate than Flat Lick. Flat Lick has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

634 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Pineville · 6 miBarbourville · 7 miMiddlesborough · 15 miCumberland Gap · 17 miHarrogate · 19 miCorbin · 20 mi
Getting set up

Moving to Flat Lick: who provides what

Flat Lick is unincorporated, so Knox County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerKU11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKnox County Utility Commission2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKnox CountyKnox County provides services here
SchoolsKnox County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereKnox County ClerkKnox County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code4093540935 100%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 Flat Lick.

Natural hazards

Flat Lick faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

On expected storm and flood damage, Flat Lick sits above 88% of U.S. communities. 42% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 41%. Federal aid has come to Flat Lick households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024.

88risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
88Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageFlat Lick’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters5 federal disasters · Paid out in Flat LickGet ready2.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Schools

The schools Flat Lick’s kids attend

The public schools here belong to the Knox County school district. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Flat Lick’s public school: 163 students.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Flat Lick Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5163B
Full pageFlat Lick’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsKnox CountyEvery school1 school · Flat Lick Elementary SchoolQuestions“Are Flat Lick’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts

Work & commute

With only 0.2 jobs per working resident, most people in Flat Lick work out of town

Flat Lick had 42 jobs in 2023, up 21 from 2013. For working residents here, the share who work locally is 1.2%. The top destinations are Barbourville (24%), Corbin (9%) and Lexington (4%).

1%work in town

Where working residents work

In Flat Lick1%
Barbourville24%
Corbin9%
Lexington4%
North Corbin4%
20 mi
median commute distance
42
jobs based in Flat Lick
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Full pageFlat Lick’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here42 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work1% work in Flat LickCommute timesCommute timesHow far they goHalf commute less than 20 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Flat Lick has four seasons and pleasant summers

Winters in Flat Lick are chilly and summers warm, with plenty of rain. Summer afternoons peak near 87° in July, and January nights bottom out around 25°; snowfall runs to about 11 inches a winter.

11″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter28–48°
Spring43–68°
Summer63–85°
Fall45–69°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageFlat Lick’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 25°Rain & snow11″ of snow a winter · 52 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+0.5° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Compared with most of Kentucky and the rest of the country, more of Flat Lick’s adults say their health is fair or poor

On the CDC’s 31 measures, Flat Lick is ahead of Kentucky on 1 and behind on 23. Of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Flat Lick. Among adults in the town, 39% get no exercise outside work.

Flat LickKentucky townsU.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)36%23%19%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)29%18%14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)23%18%17%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)23%15%14%
31 measures vs. Kentucky
1 better7 too close to call23 worse
What stands outFlat LickKY
Fewer binge drinkers11.1%14.2%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth39.7%18.9%
Pineville Community Health Center
5.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageFlat Lick’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby5.8 miles to an ER · Pineville Community Health CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than KY on 1 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

$150Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in September
Full pageFlat Lick’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyA typical home costs 8.7 years of incomeRents$499 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Flat Lick

16pages on Flat Lick
The big questions
Schools1 schoolHealthBetter than KY on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingWork & commute$17K median household income · 42 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 88% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
PlacesAttractions14 nearby · Cumberland Gap National Historical Park 14 miLibraryPineville-Bell Co. Public LibraryCollegesUnion Commonwealth University is 7.5 mi away
The story
HistorySettled 1848Climate87° summer highs · 11″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 40935Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Flat Lick

Union Commonwealth UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Barbourville7.5 mi$30,946 tuitionClear Creek Baptist Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Pineville7.8 mi$10,720 tuition

About 0 of every 100 Flat Lick residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Flat Lick for work

Where Flat Lick’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

24% → Barbourville Barbourville 24% 9% → Corbin Corbin 9% 4% → Lexington Lexington 4% 4% → North Corbin North Corbin 4% 3% → London London 3% 2% → Hazard Hazard 2% Flat Lick · 1% stay
42jobs based in Flat Lick
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Flat Lick

Unincorporated community in Kentucky, United States

Flat Lick is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Knox County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, Flat Lick had a population of 850. The oldest community in the county, Flat Lick was settled by Europeans before 1784 and named for a salty rock which attracted wild animals.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
4.8 sq mi
Elevation
1,040 ft
ZIP code
40935

Questions about Flat Lick

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Flat Lick, KY a good place to live?

Flat Lick has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.