Kentuckians love to sing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ because it’s such a great state. But Kentucky isn’t just for some. It’s for everyone: especially families. And HomeSnacks is here to tell you where the best places for families are located in the Bluegrass State for 2026.
How did we determine Kentucky’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in bluegrass country with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 40 family friendly Kentucky places that any family would be lucky to call home. We discovered that there are places in Kentucky for every type of family. There are hip mommy and daddy towns like Danville, cool mountain towns like Morehead, and cowboy/cowgirl towns like Bowling Green for families that want to raise horse too.
Speaking of family entertainment, when Kentucky families are ready for some fun in the Midwest sun, there is plenty of family friendly fun to be had. We think the best family day in the Commonwealth of Kentucky would go something like this: first, a trip to Harland Sanders Cafe in North Corbin for a bucket of that famous Kentucky Fried Chicken; then, a quick stroll through campus at the University of Kentucky in Lexington (it’s never too early to start planning for your kid’s future); followed by a couple of spins on the ferris wheel at Louisville’s Kentucky Kingdom.
So, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
$62,368 median income · 34.1% households with kids
Located in
Woodford County, Kentucky
Versailles is a home rule-class city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is located near Lexington. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,568 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County. The city’s name is pronounced vr-SAYLZ, not like the French city of the same name.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,361 median income · 42.8% households with kids
Located in
Kenton County, Kentucky
Independence is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is one of its county’s two seats of government. Independence is a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the population was 24,757 at the time of the 2010 U.S. census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,350 median income · 34.1% households with kids
Located in
Campbell County, Kentucky
Fort Thomas is a home rule-class city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, on the southern bank of the Ohio River and the site of an 1890 US Army post. The population was 16,325 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Campbell County and it is officially part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$80,088 median income · 37.3% households with kids
Located in
Scott County, Kentucky
Georgetown is a home rule-class city in Scott County, Kentucky, in the United States. The 2016 population was 33,440 per the United States Census Bureau. It is the 7th-largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the seat of its county. It was originally called Lebanon when founded by Rev. Elijah Craig and was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts college. Georgetown is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,610 median income · 36.8% households with kids
Located in
Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelbyville is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Shelby County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 14,045 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,239 median income · 36.8% households with kids
Located in
Campbell County, Kentucky
Alexandria is a home rule-class city in Campbell County, Kentucky, in the United States. Along with Newport, it is one of the dual seats of the county. The population was 8,477 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,760 median income · 33.2% households with kids
Located in
Hardin County, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, and was estimated at 29,906 by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2016, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. It is included in the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Louisville/Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Madison, Kentucky-Indiana Combined Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$88,464 median income · 40.3% households with kids
Located in
Oldham County, Kentucky
La Grange is a home rule-class city in Oldham County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 8,082 at the time of the 2010 U.S. census. It is the seat of its county.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$66,486 median income · 35.4% households with kids
Located in
Anderson County, Kentucky
Lawrenceburg is a home rule-class city in Anderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 10,505 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of its county. Lawrenceburg is part of the Frankfort, Kentucky, micropolitan statistical area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,840 median income · 30.3% households with kids
Located in
Kenton County, Kentucky
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Kentucky’s statewide median.
Kentucky statewide median: $63,726
Kentucky statewide median: $231,894
On the map
Where Kentucky’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Kentucky anyways?
To give you the places in Kentucky that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Kentucky, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Kentucky, that meant a total of 40 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Kentucky.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Kentucky
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Versailles | 10,492 | $62,368 | $348,651 | 34.1% |
| 2 | Independence | 29,392 | $102,361 | $323,031 | 42.8% |
| 3 | Fort Thomas | 17,169 | $104,350 | $368,293 | 34.1% |
| 4 | Georgetown | 39,117 | $80,088 | $336,540 | 37.3% |
| 5 | Shelbyville | 17,668 | $75,610 | $305,922 | 36.8% |
| 6 | Alexandria | 10,562 | $102,239 | $338,680 | 36.8% |
| 7 | Elizabethtown | 32,576 | $60,760 | $268,313 | 33.2% |
| 8 | La Grange | 10,311 | $88,464 | $392,372 | 40.3% |
| 9 | Lawrenceburg | 11,943 | $66,486 | $261,326 | 35.4% |
| 10 | Erlanger | 19,875 | $75,840 | $245,646 | 30.3% |
| 11 | Mount Washington | 18,480 | $96,239 | $325,406 | 39.0% |
| 12 | Paris | 10,160 | $55,839 | $256,361 | 26.5% |
| 13 | Danville | 17,327 | $52,646 | $247,085 | 26.1% |
| 14 | Madisonville | 19,515 | $53,860 | $159,338 | 32.3% |
| 15 | Murray | 18,080 | $44,091 | $198,098 | 27.9% |
| 16 | Nicholasville | 32,197 | $68,503 | $320,269 | 33.1% |
| 17 | Shepherdsville | 14,533 | $71,476 | $285,270 | 41.4% |
| 18 | Frankfort | 28,503 | $53,073 | $240,679 | 28.4% |
| 19 | Bardstown | 13,804 | $51,381 | $262,584 | 30.2% |
| 20 | Ashland | 21,295 | $52,715 | $121,324 | 30.7% |
| 21 | Berea | 15,786 | $59,495 | $247,721 | 29.4% |
| 22 | Franklin | 10,360 | $59,052 | $247,589 | 29.6% |
| 23 | Somerset | 12,216 | $34,704 | $191,314 | 30.0% |
| 24 | Jeffersontown | 29,199 | $81,506 | $282,762 | 24.9% |
| 25 | Richmond | 37,111 | $50,870 | $297,033 | 22.8% |
| 26 | Campbellsville | 11,622 | $49,644 | $209,817 | 22.1% |
| 27 | Lyndon | 11,030 | $65,679 | $312,200 | 16.4% |
| 28 | St. Matthews | 17,577 | $82,412 | $381,227 | 19.1% |
| 29 | Paducah | 26,845 | $49,915 | $191,091 | 22.4% |
| 30 | Florence | 32,803 | $71,003 | $286,328 | 26.4% |
| 31 | Newport | 13,967 | $60,853 | $242,641 | 14.2% |
| 32 | Owensboro | 60,302 | $56,357 | $209,852 | 30.3% |
| 33 | Covington | 41,110 | $61,166 | $221,429 | 21.8% |
| 34 | Winchester | 19,213 | $54,378 | $256,849 | 25.5% |
| 35 | Bowling Green | 75,388 | $48,873 | $288,241 | 28.1% |
| 36 | Glasgow | 15,197 | $43,074 | $214,446 | 37.0% |
| 37 | Hopkinsville | 30,906 | $49,139 | $195,680 | 33.0% |
| 38 | Henderson | 27,852 | $48,186 | $198,772 | 29.4% |
| 39 | Radcliff | 22,864 | $58,559 | $209,910 | 30.8% |
| 40 | Shively | 15,638 | $50,221 | $174,485 | 27.1% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 40 Kentucky cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Kentucky
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Kentucky ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Kentucky are Versailles, Independence, Fort Thomas, Georgetown, Shelbyville, Alexandria, Elizabethtown, La Grange, Lawrenceburg, and Erlanger. Not sold on Kentucky? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In Kentucky FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in Kentucky?
Versailles is the best place to raise a family in Kentucky for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Independence and Fort Thomas round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in Kentucky?
The best Kentucky places to raise a family are Versailles, Independence, Fort Thomas, Georgetown, Shelbyville, Alexandria, Elizabethtown, La Grange, Lawrenceburg, and Erlanger. We ranked all 40 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in Kentucky is Versailles.
Is Versailles affordable for families?
The median home in Versailles costs $348,651 against a median household income of $62,368. Statewide, the median home runs $231,894, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in Kentucky?
Shively lands at the bottom of the family ranking for Kentucky. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
