Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Loretto’s typical journey to work is 33 minutes, above both the Kentucky town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 4 of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Loretto. Loretto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Loretto beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 42 in 1870, a peak of 985 in 1970, 723 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Loretto, 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 Loretto.
Loretto: 8.2% of residents live below the poverty line. Just 3% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The top destinations are Bardstown (22%), Lebanon (16%) and Louisville (6%). The median commute is under 13 miles.
| Loretto | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 15% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect chilly winters and warm summers in Loretto, with plenty of rain. Summer afternoons peak near 87° in July, and January nights bottom out around 25°; snowfall runs to about 3 inches a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearly two in five adults have obesity in Loretto. The town beats the Kentucky average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. Among adults here, 28% have been diagnosed with depression and 16% report frequent physical distress.
| Loretto | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 40% | 36% |
| What stands out | Loretto | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.3% | 18.9% |
| More smokers | 21.3% | 18.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Loretto once, in 2010. On expected storm and flood damage, Loretto sits below 55% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts just over two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 24% to tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The share of households in Loretto who are owner-occupiers: 90%. The rent at the middle of the market here is $797 a month. Values rose 1% in the 12 months to September 2026.
| Loretto | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $797 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Loretto. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi LandmarkUnited States Bullion Depository
13 mi National Historical ParkAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park213K visitors a year
12 mi MuseumMy Old Kentucky Home State Park
11 mi MuseumKentucky Railway Museum
38 mi Ancient sitePleasant Hill
36 mi MuseumGeneral George Patton Museum of LeadershipUnited States Bullion Depository: Work permit Original author=Cliff, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park: Jamie from Toronto, ON, CC BY 2.0 · My Old Kentucky Home State Park: Firthpond1700, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kentucky Railway Museum: C. Bedford Crenshaw, Attribution · Pleasant Hill: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.0 · General George Patton Museum of Leadership: Yellowute at English Wikipedia, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Loretto; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Loretto residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kentucky.
Where Loretto’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Kentucky, United States
Loretto is a home rule-class city in Marion County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 723 at the 2020 census. It is best known as the home of the Maker's Mark bourbon distillery.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Loretto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including William Medley and J. Bruce Saltsman.
