Powell County Courthouse, 2014
Stanton’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 59 in 1860, 3,251 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
- 1854Stanton is settled
StantonKY
A town of 3,153, settled in 1854.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
3,153
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$164K
−5.8% in a year
Household income
$25K
median
Median age
37.2
years
Jobs based here
1,530
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#133 of 138 in KY
Is Stanton a good place to live?
Stanton earns a D, 133rd among Kentucky's 138 graded towns, mostly because of schools and incomes. Its public schools trail 95% of Kentucky towns on state tests and graduation. The median household income is $25K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. One bright spot: crime is low: it reports less per resident than 73% of U.S. towns. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Stanton, above both the Kentucky town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Stanton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 93% of U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare have a lower median household income than Stanton.
What makes Stanton stand out
Where Stanton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Stanton1
Kentucky2.1
U.S.3.3
SafetyB+
52% less violent crime than KY
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
3.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Powell County schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Stanton Elementary School | PK–5 | 322 |
| Powell County Middle School | 6–8 | 418 |
| Powell County High School | 9–12 | 580 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Stanton has grown 15% since 2010
2,733 counted in 2010 and 3,251 in 2020; an estimated 3,153 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 3%, after 19% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Stanton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Stanton is from typical.
SchoolsDOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthMarcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital 11.9 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SafetyB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 13.4% of households have no carB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.2; 8% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Stanton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Stanton, and how to reach them.
PowerClark Energy Coop13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterStanton Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Stanton’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 herePowell County ClerkPowell County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2019
ZIP code4038040380 100%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 Stanton.
Stanton is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has home values still below their peak, but it has household incomes well below the Kentucky norm.
SchoolsD
For schools, Stanton earns a D
Its public schools are run by the Powell County school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Powell County High School, with 580 students.
5%of KY districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 418 | C− |
| Powell County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 580 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KY on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Residents of Stanton are less healthy than 87% of U.S. towns
Against the 229 U.S. towns with household incomes like Stanton’s, it is healthier than 84%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
Stanton beats the Kentucky average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Stanton.
13%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Stanton | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
0 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Stanton | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.2% | 5.4% |
| More smokers | 21.6% | 18.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.5% | 10.2% |
Marcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital
11.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
29th
percentile among KY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
73%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Stanton | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.4 per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Stanton1
Kentucky2.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Stanton5.4
Kentucky12.8
U.S.15.5
73rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
73rd
percentile among KY towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
17
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade C
A typical Stanton home is worth about $164K
The typical value, about $164K, is 11% below its April 2025 peak. 73.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 45.4% across Kentucky.
The typical Stanton home is worth about $164,000, down 5.8% in a year, 29% below the Kentucky typical home. The median rent in Stanton is $775 a month.
$164KZillow home value
| Stanton | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $775 a month | $937 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Stanton$164K
Kentucky$231K
−5.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Stanton faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 14 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Stanton.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windTornadoes
14
paid flood claims since 1978
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Stanton has four seasons and pleasant summers
Stanton has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 25° and about 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–46°
Spring44–68°
Summer63–86°
Fall46–70°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
A job hub: Stanton has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 1,288 commuters
About one in 5 of Stanton’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Stanton has added 92 jobs, to 1,530 in 2023. The top destinations are Lexington (17%), Winchester (10%) and Mount Sterling (3%).
20%work in town
| Stanton | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 15% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Stanton20%
Lexington17%
Winchester10%
Mount Sterling3%
Clay City2%
22 mi
median commute distance
1,530
jobs based in Stanton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Stanton
19pages on Stanton
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 95% of KY districts · 4 schoolsSafetyB+1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than KY on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC$164K typical home · down 5.8% in a yearWork & commuteD$25K median household income · 1,530 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 69% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Stanton; the nearest are
Eastern Kentucky UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Richmond25.4 mi$10,320 in-state tuitionBluegrass Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lexington38 mi$4,808 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Stanton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
About Stanton
City in Kentucky, United States
Stanton is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Powell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,251 in the 2020 census. Stanton is the birthplace of Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse trainer Woody Stephens.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1854
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 673 ft
- ZIP code
- 40380
- Area code
- 606
Questions about Stanton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Stanton, KY a good place to live?
Stanton grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #133 of 138 in Kentucky. It grades D for health, B+ for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Stanton, KY expensive?
That is 4.1 years of the area's median household income ($40,309 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Stanton, KY known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Woody Stephens and William Ward Stephens.