Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Harlan’s subject grades is an A for history; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 33% of residents live below the poverty line in Harlan, above both Kentucky’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 9 of Kentucky’s 236 towns score lower on incomes. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 93% of the country. On history, just 22 of Kentucky’s 238 towns do better. Harlan's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 82% of U.S. towns. Harlan has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Harlan beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Harlan is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1880.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Harlan, 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 Harlan.
18% of Harlan adults report frequent physical distress, above both the Kentucky town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Harlan. Harlan beats the Kentucky average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 23% | 19% |
| What stands out | Harlan | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.2% | 5.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 21.7% | 15.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.7% | 18.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Harlan Independent school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Harlan High School, with 455 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 335 | A− |
| Harlan High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 5–12 | Grades 5–12 | 455 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KY on state tests and graduation
Harlan’s median rent is $543 a month. Typical home values fell 8.8% in the year to September 2026. 41% of Harlan households own their home.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 41% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $543 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 89% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 38 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Harlan.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The violent crime rate in Harlan is 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.6 per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Harlan 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 Harlan.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Harlan for work: only 17% work in town. Since 2013, Harlan has lost 282 jobs, to 806 in 2023. Only 6 of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower median household income than Harlan.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 15% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Kentucky average. Harlan has lost 9.1% of its people since 2020, down to 1,822 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 28% across Kentucky.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 years | 37.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 22% | 22% |
57% women, 43% men
About 75 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.2 points). Across Kentucky, 50.5% of residents are women.
| Harlan | KY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.1% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.3% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.6% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 21.2% | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.5% | 32.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.3% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 3.7% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.3% | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14% | 11.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Harlan | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Huff Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Harlan. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Ancient siteUnited States Penitentiary
24 mi MountainBlack Mountain
13 mi National Historical ParkCumberland Gap National Historical Park765K visitors a year
17 mi MuseumHensley SettlementUnited States Penitentiary: Nyttend, Public domain · Black Mountain: iLoveMountains.org, CC BY 2.0 · Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hensley Settlement: National Park Service, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Harlan; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Harlan residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kentucky.
13 notable people were born in Harlan.
City in Kentucky, United States
Harlan is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Harlan County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, Harlan had a population of 1,776. Harlan is one of three Kentucky county seats to share its name with its county, the others being Greenup and Henderson.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
13 notable people were born here, including Nick Lachey and Wallace Jones.
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