Tunnel Construction, 2012
Worthington’s story
106 years in pictures
Census counts: 843 in 1930, 1,501 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 7 maps from 1898 on.
- 1920Worthington is settled
WorthingtonKY
A town of 1,447, settled in 1920.
Population
1,447
2025 Census estimate · −3.8% since 2020
Typical home
$139K
−1.6% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
159
A commuter town
Is Worthington a good place to live?
The best of Worthington’s subject grades are an A+ for safety and an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D for health. Only 17 of Kentucky’s 180 towns score higher on safety. Worthington's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 91% of U.S. towns. Worthington has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Worthington stand out
Where Worthington beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Worthington0.7
Kentucky2.2
U.S.3.3
SafetyA+
68% less violent crime than KY
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Typical home value
Worthington$139K
Kentucky$231K
Cost of livingA−
2.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 83% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
31 measures vs. Kentucky
0 better22 too close to call9 worse
| Widest gap | Worthington | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.4% | 10.2% |
Worth knowing · HealthD
Less healthy than 90% of U.S. towns
Trails KY on 9 of 31 CDC measures, beats it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town
1,447 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
RacelandWurtlandWorthington
How Worthington grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Worthington is from typical.
SafetyA+Open →HealthKing's Daughters' Medical Center 7.7 miles awayDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →Jobs & income$66K median household incomeC+Open →SchoolsBehind 60% of Kentucky districts on tests and graduationC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.6 of 20; 1.4% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life1.1 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 42.2; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Worthington: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Worthington, and how to reach them.
PowerKentucky Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWorthington Municipal 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 Worthington’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 hereGreenup County ClerkGreenup County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code4118341183 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 Worthington.
SafetyA+
Crime per resident in Worthington is lower than in 97% of U.S. towns
Of the 116 Kentucky towns we compare, none has a lower rate of thefts and burglaries than Worthington. The violent offense rate for Worthington comes to 0.7 per 1,000 residents, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 1.3 and U.S. towns at 1.6.
97%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Worthington | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Worthington0.7
Kentucky2.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Worthington0.7
Kentucky12.8
U.S.15.5
97th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthD
A larger share of adults in Worthington have obesity than in the typical Kentucky or U.S. town
17% of Worthington adults report frequent physical distress, against 15% in Kentucky’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. Worthington: 41% of adults have high blood pressure.
10%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Worthington | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 39% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
0 better22 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Worthington | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 12.4% | 10.2% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 18.1% | 15.5% |
| More smokers | 21.6% | 18.5% |
King's Daughters' Medical Center
7.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
A home in Worthington is worth about $139K, on Zillow’s estimate
In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 1.6%. For Worthington, the median rent is $871 a month. 69% of households are owner-occupiers in the town.
$139KZillow home value
| Worthington | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 69% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $871 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Worthington$139K
Kentucky$231K
−1.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Worthington has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The median commute is under 8 miles. Worthington had 159 jobs in 2023, up 26 from 2013. Just 2% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The top destinations are Ashland (21%), Russell (9%) and Huntington (5%).
2%work in town
| Worthington | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 15% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Worthington2%
Ashland21%
Russell9%
Huntington5%
Flatwoods4%
8 mi
median commute distance
159
jobs based in Worthington
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 43% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Worthington has four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 87° and January nights of 24°, with about 7 inches of snow a winter.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–45°
Spring42–67°
Summer63–86°
Fall44–68°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Worthington: inland flooding
The national flood insurance program has paid 9 claims in Worthington since 1982. Compared with 52% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. Expected losses in Worthington break down as 60% from inland flooding and 22% from heat waves. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesTornadoes
9
paid flood claims since 1982
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 16 attractions →Wayne National Forest and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Worthington. Close and well known come first.
16 mi National forestWayne National Forest
15 mi Theme parkCamden Park
20 mi MuseumHuntington Museum of Art
19 mi MuseumHeritage Farm Museum and Village18 mi MuseumMuseum of Radio and TechnologySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wayne National Forest: Forest Service, USDA, Public domain · Camden Park: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Huntington Museum of Art: Daderot, CC0 · Heritage Farm Museum and Village: Zeo1989, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Worthington
19pages on Worthington
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 60% of KY districtsSafetyA+0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than KY on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$139K typical home · down 1.6% in a yearWork & commuteC+$66K median household income · 159 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Worthington
Ohio University-Southern CampusCommunity college · Public · Ironton, OH4.1 mi$6,362 in-state tuitionAshland Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ashland7.3 mi$4,728 in-state tuitionTri-State Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · South Point, OH12 mi$9,100 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Worthington residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Worthington for work
Where Worthington’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
159jobs based in Worthington
2%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Worthington
City in Kentucky, United States
Worthington is a home rule-class city on the south bank of the Ohio River in Greenup County, Kentucky, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, Worthington had a population of 1,501. Worthington is a part of the Huntington-Ashland-Ironton metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1920
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 561 ft
- ZIP code
- 41183
- Area code
- 606
Questions about Worthington
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Worthington, 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−.