Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 279, established in 1878.
Hyden’s median age is 59.8 years, against 37.6 years in Kentucky’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Of the 140 Kentucky towns we compare, none has a lower median rent than Hyden. Wendover and Roderick McIntosh Farm is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hyden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hyden beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 80 in 1890, a peak of 647 in 1950, 303 in 2020. The archive holds 15 old photos and papers going back to 1935 and 4 maps from 1919 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hyden, 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 Hyden.
Its public schools are run by the Leslie County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 435 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Hyden home is worth about $82,000, down 15.7% in a year, 64% below the Kentucky typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
About one in 5 of Hyden’s working residents works in town. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Hyden. Since 2013, Hyden has added 75 jobs, to 1,040 in 2023.
| Hyden | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 15% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 86% of U.S. communities. Since 1989, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hyden.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Hyden has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Among 143 Kentucky towns, just 8 have a lower July high than Hyden.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. River Front Park | 0.3 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
No violent or property crimes were reported in Hyden in 2025. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Hyden is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
34% of Hyden adults say their health is fair or poor. No town among the 142 in Kentucky we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Hyden. 21% of Hyden adults have diabetes.
| Hyden | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 23% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 27% | 25% |
| What stands out | Hyden | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.1% | 14.2% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 87.7% | 81.3% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 7.7% | 4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hyden
College town 15 of every 100 Hyden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
Where Hyden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Kentucky, United States
Hyden is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Leslie County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, Hyden had a population of 303. It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 421 and Kentucky Route 80, along the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hyden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.