About Somerset, KY

This part of Kentucky was settled by people who came from Somerset County, New Jersey, in 1798, and gave the city its name. Somerset became the county seat of Pulaski County in 1801 and is famous for having a natural spring with pristine water.

The railroad arrived in the late 19th century, and the town became a regional trading hub. Some of the buildings in the historic city center were built during that time and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

In contemporary times, it is a "home rule" type of city, which means it makes up its own rules of municipal government and does not have to rely on state laws. The 2020 U.S. Census reported the population as 11,924. The area is still growing, albeit slowly, and is known for its terrific camping, boating, golfing, and fishing.

What To Do in Somerset, KY

Here are some of the popular places to enjoy.

City Center: Somerset embraces the arts and has many areas in the city center with public murals. Enjoy local arts, shopping, delicious food, and entertainment in this lively downtown area. Theater groups bring a creative spark and put on enjoyable performances.

Lee's Ford Resort Marina: This marina is one of the best on Lake Cumberland. It is about four miles from downtown. At the marina, you will see plenty of houseboats, fishing boats, and speedy cruisers. If you would like to enjoy a short stay, perhaps while you hunt for a house to buy, there are lakeside cabins on land, floating cottages, stationary houseboats, and motorized houseboats for rent. The Oar House restaurant on the marina has tasty food and will deliver it to your cabin, cottage, or docked boat. For fine dining, Sorrento's Bar & Grill is a short drive from the marina.

Sackett's Lake Bluff Cabins: If you want to enjoy the Lake Cumberland area and stay in a luxury cabin that is fully equipped with modern amenities, including a fire pit and a hot tub, this is the place for your outdoor adventures in style.

Pulaski County Park: Festivals, live concerts, and delicious food are enjoyed at this park throughout the year.

Working in Somerset, KY

The local economy benefits from healthcare, manufacturing, and tourism, including restaurants and accommodations. The unemployment rate is high at 5.9%, which is much more than the American average at 4.3%. The median household income in this area is a modest $35,962 per year, which is almost $48,000 lower than the American median household income of $83,730.

The economy is growing very slowly compared to the rest of the country. The predicted job growth rate for the next ten years is only 24.4%. Compare this to the predicted national growth rate of 33.5% for the same period.

Industries offering the most jobs are healthcare/social programs (15.6%), light manufacturing (15.1%), retail trade (13.0%), hospitality (10.9%), education (6.3%), admin/waste management (6.0%), and building construction (5.5%).

Somerset, KY Neighborhoods

This city has many exciting choices for places to live, including lakefront properties, rural farmhouses, and, in the heart of the action, near the historic district in the City Center.

City Center: This neighborhood is bordered by Highway 80 on the north side and Highway 914 on the east side. The median real estate price is $227,484. This amount is higher than 47.3% of all other places in Kentucky. Most of the properties are owner-occupied. The neighborhood includes downtown and extends out to the suburbs. Most of the houses were built after the 1970s, and yet some are older, dating back to between 1940 and 1969. The average rent is $1,353. The vacancy rate is 12.1%.

Ferguson: This is a large rural area south of the city center. The median real estate price is $192,566. The average rental price is $1,280. The vacancy rate is 11.3%.

Elihu: This neighborhood is on the eastern side of the city near the airport. The median price for a home is $185,390. The average rent is $1,099, and the vacancy rate is 17.2%.

Somerset, KY School District

Somerset Independent Schools is the public school district. The school district spends $14,264 each year on each student's education. The student-to-teacher ratio, at 14 to one, is attractive and lower than average for Kentucky.

There are three private schools in town that have good reviews, which are Somerset Christian School (PK to 12th grade), The Children's House (PK to K), and Saline Christian Academy (PK to 12th grade).

The Somerset Community College (public, two-year) is the only college in town. However, if you are willing to drive an hour or so, you can find 44 more colleges and universities within 100 miles. For the shortest commute (about 40 minutes), consider the University of the Cumberlands (private, four-year), located in Williamsburg, and Berea College (private, four-year) in Berea.

Moving to Somerset, KY Resource Guide

The City of Somerset has a mayor and 12 members who serve on the city council. Learn more on Somerset's website.

Somerset Parks and Recreation is the department managing the public parks, community activities that include fitness classes, and athletic programs with adult and junior leagues in basketball, soccer, and baseball. The parks have nice playgrounds for younger children.

Somerset, KY Housing

If you are looking to buy a house in the Somerset area, the median sales price is $349,000. The good news is that there are more houses listed for sale than the number of interested buyers, making it a buyer's market, which gives you an advantage when negotiating.

If you've experienced the high cost of housing in other parts of the country, you will be delighted to learn that the housing costs in this area are 36% lower than the national average. It costs 1% less to live here than in other Kentucky cities and 11% less than in other parts of the country.