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Kentucky›Johnson County
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West Van LearKY

A town of 1,155, settled in 1912.

Population
1,155
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$135K
Census ACS
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
29.7
years
Jobs based here
57
A commuter town

Is West Van Lear a good place to live?

West Van Lear’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. West Van Lear has 2 places on the National Register. West Van Lear has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestACost of livingWeakestD−Hazard riskC−Walkability
Small town

1,155 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Paintsville · 3 miPrestonsburg · 7 miAllen · 12 miInez · 15 miMartin · 15 miSalyersville · 15 mi
Van LearVan LearWest Van Lear

How West Van Lear grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far West Van Lear is from typical.

How grading works

Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $135K, 3 years of the county’s $45K median household incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.2 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthPaintsville ARH Hospital 2.7 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsBeat 56% of Kentucky districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Jobs & income$67K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →HistoryD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.7; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to West Van Lear: who provides what

West Van Lear is unincorporated, so Johnson County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerKentucky Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPaintsville Municipal Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJohnson CountyJohnson County provides services here
SchoolsJohnson County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereJohnson County ClerkJohnson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2019
ZIP codes41268, 4122241268 78% · 41222 21%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 West Van Lear.

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−

West Van Lear stands out in Kentucky and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is higher

Of the losses FEMA expects in West Van Lear, 92% come from inland flooding. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2025. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 99% of U.S. communities.

99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
99Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland flooding
7
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageWest Van Lear’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in West Van LearGet ready1.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−

With only 0.2 jobs per working resident, most people in West Van Lear work out of town

In West Van Lear, the typical journey to work is 27 minutes. The share of residents in West Van Lear who live below the poverty line is 3.5%, against 16% in Kentucky’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. This Kentucky town had 57 jobs in 2023, down 58 from 2013. The top destinations are Paintsville (21%), Prestonsburg (16%) and Lexington (6%).

0%work in town
West Van LearKentucky townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line3.5%16%9.6%
Average trip to work27 minutes22 minutes25 minutes
Median household income$67,000$60,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In West Van Lear0%
Paintsville21%
Prestonsburg16%
Lexington6%
Pikeville3%
19 mi
median commute distance
57
jobs based in West Van Lear
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 16% of U.S. towns
Full pageWest Van Lear’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here57 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in West Van LearCommute times27 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 19 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthC

On CDC estimates, West Van Lear is less healthy than 69% of U.S. towns

40% of adults have high blood pressure in West Van Lear. The share of adults in West Van Lear who sleep under 7 hours is 41%, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 40% and U.S. towns at 36%.

31%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
West Van LearKentucky townsU.S. towns
Depression (CDC PLACES)28%27%23%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)19%18%14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)41%40%36%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)40%38%35%
31 measures vs. Kentucky
1 better30 too close to call0 worse
What stands outWest Van LearKY
Fewer adults facing food insecurity13.8%15.5%
Paintsville ARH Hospital
2.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageWest Van Lear’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exerciseHospitals & doctors nearby2.7 miles to an ER · Paintsville ARH HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than KY on 1 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in West Van Lear

July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 25° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.

17″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter27–48°
Spring42–69°
Summer63–86°
Fall45–70°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageWest Van Lear’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 25°Rain & snow17″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Nearby attractions

U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum and 3 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Van Lear. Close and well known come first.

All 12 attractions →
4 mi MuseumU.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum6 mi MuseumMountain Homeplace7 mi MuseumEast Kentucky Science Center16 mi MuseumMagoffin County Pioneer Village and Museum
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum: J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mountain Homeplace: J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Magoffin County Pioneer Village and Museum: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 3.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about West Van Lear

16pages on West Van Lear
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 56% of KY districtsHealthCBetter than KY on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingAWork & commuteB−$67K median household income · 57 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 99% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
PlacesAttractions12 nearby · U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum 4 miLibraryJohnson County Public LibraryCollegesBig Sandy Community and Technical College is 6.5 mi away
The story
HistoryD−Settled 1912Climate87° summer highs · 17″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 41268Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of West Van Lear

Big Sandy Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Prestonsburg6.5 mi$4,728 in-state tuition

About 9 of every 100 West Van Lear residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave West Van Lear for work

Where West Van Lear’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

21% → Paintsville Paintsville 21% 16% → Prestonsburg Prestonsburg 16% 6% → Lexington Lexington 6% 3% → Pikeville Pikeville 3% 3% → Hazard Hazard 3% 2% → Louisa Louisa 2% West Van Lear · 0% stay
57jobs based in West Van Lear
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About West Van Lear

Unincorporated community in Kentucky, United States

West Van Lear is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, West Van Lear had a population of 768. Even though it is unincorporated, it has a post office and its own ZIP code (41268). It has a small grocery store, a volunteer fire department, and a community center. West Van Lear's post office was established on April 29, 1912, with James H. Price as postmaster.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
1.1 sq mi
Elevation
417 ft
ZIP code
41268

Questions about West Van Lear

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is West Van Lear, KY expensive?

Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.