South Williamson Kentucky aerial view, 1999
South Williamson’s story
South Williamson in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1999.
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South WilliamsonKY
472 people live in this town in Kentucky.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain
Population
472
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$101K
−8.9% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
48.5
years
Jobs based here
864
A job hub
Is South Williamson a good place to live?
South Williamson’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, above both the Kentucky town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). No town among the 120 in Kentucky we compare has a lower midpoint home value than South Williamson. South Williamson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes South Williamson stand out
Where South Williamson beats most towns.
Small town
472 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
WilliamsonSouth Williamson
The data
Ordered by what stands out in South Williamson.
Work & commute
With 4.5 jobs for every working resident, South Williamson draws in 844 commuters
10%work in town
In South Williamson, 24% of residents live below the poverty line. For most workers, South Williamson is a place to come home to: only 10% work in town. Since 2013, South Williamson has lost 489 jobs, to 864 in 2023. The top destinations are Pikeville (21%), Williamson (7%) and Hazard (3%).
| South Williamson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In South Williamson10%
Pikeville21%
Williamson7%
Hazard3%
Coal Run Village3%
19 mi
median commute distance
864
jobs based in South Williamson
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A typical South Williamson home is worth about $101K
$101KZillow home value
In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 8.9%. South Williamson’s typical rent stands at $723 a month. The share of households in South Williamson who own their home: 47%.
| South Williamson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 47% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $723 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
South Williamson$101K
Kentucky$231K
−8.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
South Williamson faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
88risk score of 100
FEMA puts 88% of South Williamson’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Among 142 Kentucky towns, just 9 have a higher FEMA hazard score than South Williamson. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2025.
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in South Williamson
13″snow a winter
In July, afternoons reach 88°; in January, nights fall to 26°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–48°
Spring43–70°
Summer64–87°
Fall46–70°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy South Williamson is
13% of adults binge drink in South Williamson. Against the Kentucky average, South Williamson comes out ahead on 3 CDC measures out of 31, and behind on 4. Two figures for adults here: 21% smoke cigarettes, 43% have high blood pressure. Among 142 Kentucky towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than South Williamson.
| South Williamson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
3 better24 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | South Williamson | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.1% | 18.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.6% | 8.8% |
| More adults who get no exercise | 31.4% | 26.9% |
Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center
1.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Protected land: 0.1% of South Williamson
0.1%conserved
Parks and preserves in South Williamson: one, of 1 acres.
0.1%
conserved · 1 of 1,257 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Williamson Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Williamson
16pages on South Williamson
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to South Williamson: who provides what
South Williamson is unincorporated, so Pike County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerKentucky Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMountain Water Dist11 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesPike CountyPike County provides services here
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 herePike County ClerkPike County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes41503, 4151441503 97% · 41514 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.
A job hub
Every workday, about 844 people come to South Williamson for work
Where South Williamson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
864jobs based in South Williamson
10%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of South Williamson; the nearest are
University of PikevilleUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Pikeville18 mi$24,850 tuitionSouthern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Logan, WV19.5 mi$5,136 in-state tuitionUniversity of Virginia's College at WiseUniversity or college · Public · Wise, VA50.1 mi$11,780 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 South Williamson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
About South Williamson
Place in Kentucky, United States
South Williamson is an unincorporated community in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Pike County, Kentucky, United States, on the border with West Virginia. It is separated from Williamson, West Virginia by the Tug Fork River. The community is located near U.S. Route 119 about 23 miles (37 km) east of Pikeville, Kentucky and 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Logan, West Virginia. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined that community as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the 2020 census, South Williamson had a population of 562. The South Williamson area includes the surrounding Kentucky communities of Goody, Forest Hills, Toler, and Belfry. In 1990s, r…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 663 ft
- ZIP code
- 41503
Questions about South Williamson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Williamson, KY a good place to live?
South Williamson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. 472 people live in this town in Kentucky.
South Williamson is in here
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