Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 742, settled in 1869.
Hanson Historic District and Beckley Jackson House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hanson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hanson beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 217 in 1880, a low of 216 in 1920, 758 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper and 3 maps from 1909 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hanson, 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 Hanson.
Jobs in Hanson grew by 626 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 1,304. Only 4% of working residents stay in Hanson for work; the rest commute out. The middle household income locally is $96,000. The share of residents in Hanson who live below the poverty line is 7.6%, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 9.6%.
| Hanson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $96,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 15% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Public schools: the Hopkins County school district. Its one school is below. Hanson’s only public school teaches 532 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 532 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
The share of residents in Hanson who are under 18 is 26%, above both Kentucky’s towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%). Adults 35 to 64 are nearly a quarter of residents (38% statewide); people 65 and older are 30% of residents (17% statewide). A bachelor’s degree or higher: 23% of adults 25 and older, vs 28% across Kentucky. The town’s median age stands at 42.1 years.
| Hanson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 26% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 42.1 years | 37.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 26% | 29% |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.7 points. Across Kentucky, 50.5% of residents are women.
| Hanson | KY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.3% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.1% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.5% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.9% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 24.5% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.9% | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.6% | 32.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.8% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.4% | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.5% | 11.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Expected losses in Hanson break down as 42% from inland flooding and 16% from earthquakes. The town’s risk rating from FEMA comes in at 74 of 100. Federal aid has come to Hanson households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2025.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 26° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Two figures for adults in the town: 12% binge drink, 15% have diabetes. The share of adults in Hanson who get no exercise outside work: 30%.
| Hanson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 14% |
| What stands out | Hanson | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 27.9% | 18.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.6% | 8.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.2% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Hanson, 91% of households are owner-occupiers. Home values are down 2.9% over the year to September 2026. Its rent at the middle of the market is $950 a month.
| Hanson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $950 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hanson
About 1 of every 100 Hanson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
Where Hanson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Kentucky, United States
Hanson is a home rule-class city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, Hanson had a population of 758. The Hanson Historic District is located in the city. The companies that supply power to Hanson residents are Kentucky Utilities and Kenergy.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hanson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Bob Givens and Bertha Mae Lillenas.