Powderly-City-Hall-ky, 2018
Powderly’s story
136 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1890Powderly is settled
PowderlyKY
A town of 787, settled in 1890.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
787
2025 Census estimate · +1.5% since 2020
Median home value
$99K
Census ACS
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
38.4
years
Jobs based here
414
A job hub
Is Powderly a good place to live?
20% of residents live below the poverty line in Powderly, above both the Kentucky town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 143 Kentucky towns, just 7 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Powderly. Powderly has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
787 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
GreenvillePowderly
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Powderly: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Powderly, and how to reach them.
PowerKU11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMuhlenberg Co Water District1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Powderly’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereMuhlenberg County ClerkMuhlenberg County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes42367, 4233042367 97% · 42330 3%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 Powderly.
Work & commute
Powderly has 1.5 jobs for every working resident, and 411 people commute in
Most working residents leave Powderly for work: only 1% work in town. At 17 minutes, Powderly’s average trip to work is against 22 minutes in Kentucky’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Powderly’s median household income is $51,000.
1%work in town
| Powderly | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Powderly1%
Greenville18%
Madisonville14%
Central City7%
Owensboro6%
20 mi
median commute distance
414
jobs based in Powderly
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Powderly’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Muhlenberg County school district. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longest ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 404 | D |
| The Renaissance CenterLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 90 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
In Powderly, expect mild winters and hot summers
Powderly has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Powderly is 89°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–47°
Spring46–69°
Summer66–87°
Fall47–70°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Powderly
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Powderly
2 crimes were reported in Powderly in 2025: 2 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Powderly is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
Compared with most of Kentucky and the rest of the country, more of Powderly’s adults have diabetes
18% of adults have diabetes in Powderly. Only 1 of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Powderly. 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Powderly.
| Powderly | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 23% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
0 better13 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Powderly | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 9.3% | 5.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 31.7% | 18.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.9% | 10.2% |
Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital
3.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Powderly
18pages on Powderly
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Powderly; the nearest are
Madisonville Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madisonville21.5 mi$4,728 in-state tuitionWestern Kentucky UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bowling Green42.2 mi$11,652 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Powderly residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
A job hub
Every workday, about 411 people come to Powderly for work
Where Powderly’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
414jobs based in Powderly
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Powderly
City in Kentucky, United States
Powderly is a home rule-class city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 788 as of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1963
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 449 ft
- ZIP code
- 42367
- Area code
- 270
Questions about Powderly
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Powderly, KY a good place to live?
Powderly has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.