About Somerset, KY

Somerset, Kentucky, with a population of around 13,000, is a great place for families because it blends small-town charm with big outdoor adventures. Being located near Lake Cumberland creates year-round opportunities for outdoor activities like boating, camping, hiking, and fishing. Of course, summer is perfect for swimming. General Burnside Island State Park is nearby with a golf course and picnic spots for weekend outings.

Somerset hosts festivals which turn the downtown city center into a lively, family-oriented gathering. The town also emphasizes arts and culture with programs at the Center for Rural Development and local theaters, giving locals and visitors access to music, plays, and community events. For everyday living, there are plenty of public parks, playgrounds, and recreational sports leagues for youth and adults.

Education and healthcare support the local economy while providing quality services. Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital provides a full range of services, giving peace of mind about any major medical needs. Because of the relatively low cost of living, compared to other Kentucky cities, Somerset makes for a well-rounded life.

What To Do in Somerset, KY

Families especially like summer in Somerset. Here are a few fun things to do during summer.

SomerSplash: This is the top-ranked waterpark in the state of Kentucky. This place is a lot of fun for kids of all ages. Safety tubes, vests, and water wings are available to fit all sizes. The larger rotating bucket splash is a quick way to get wet by standing underneath as it turns and spills the water down.

Lake Cumberland Farmer's Market: The farmer's market is held every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday evening from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The community supports local farmers with a farm-to-the-table initiative for improved nutrition that also provides fresh produce for those in need of food assistance.

SomerSport Park: This is the city's outdoor sports complex. There are 17 acres of sports fields with a playground and picnic areas. There is a walking/jogging track. This park is used for all the youth soccer leagues. Two shelters are available to rent with power, running water, tables, and grills.

Somernites Cruise: This is a car collector's festival held in downtown Somerset. Restored cars are parked along the main drag and have their hoods open to show off the beautifully-rebuilt engines.

Working in Somerset, KY

The local economy is supported by healthcare, light manufacturing, hospitality, and tourism. The 5.9% unemployment rate is high and much more than the American average at 4.3%. A rather low $35,962 per year is the median household income in this area. That amount is nearly $48,000 lower than the median household income of $83,730 for a typical American household elsewhere.

The economy is growing at a snail's pace when compared to the rest of the USA. For the next decade, the predicted job growth rate is only 24.4%. Compare this low amount to the predicted national growth rate of 33.5% for the same period.

Industries offering the most jobs are healthcare/social assistance work (15.6%), light manufacturing (15.1%), retail shops (13.0%), hotels/restaurants (10.9%), educational services (6.3%), administration/waste management (6.0%), and housing construction (5.5%).

Somerset, KY Neighborhoods

This city has various nice neighborhoods. Shafter is the most expensive neighborhood. Somerset North is in the mid-range, and Acorn / Ano is for the budget-conscious home buyer or renter.

Shafter: This neighborhood is surrounded by the lake on three sides, north, west, and south. The median real estate price is $421,502. This amount is higher than 87.3% of all other places in the state. Most of the houses were built between 1970 and 1999 and are lived in by the owner. For the few rental units available, the average rent is $1,478. The vacancy rate is 4.8%.

Somerset North: This is a large rural area north of the city center. The median real estate price is $263,905. The average rental price is $1,492. The vacancy rate is 3.8%.

Acorn / Ano: This neighborhood is a rural area on the northeastern side of the city. The median price for a home is $181,244. The average rent is $1,102, and the vacancy rate is 27.4%.

Somerset, KY School District

The public school district is Somerset Independent Schools. They spend $14,264 annually per student. At 14 to one, the student-to-teacher ratio is attractive and less than the Kentucky average.

The Children's House (PK to K), Somerset Christian School (PK to 12th grade), and Saline Christian Academy (PK to 12th grade) are the three private schools in town.

There is one public two-year college called Somerset Community College. However, if you are willing to drive for a couple of hours, you can find 44 more colleges and universities within 100 miles. The closest schools are 40 minutes away. They are Berea College (private, four-year) and the University of the Cumberlands (private, four-year), located in Williamsburg.

Moving to Somerset, KY Resource Guide

The municipal government consists of a mayor and 12 city council members. Learn more on the city's official website.

Somerset Parks and Recreation is tasked with taking care of the public parks and organizing community activities such as fitness classes. There are adult and junior league programs in basketball, soccer, and baseball. The parks have nice playgrounds for younger children and trails for walking/jogging, and outdoor exercises.

Somerset, KY Housing

The median sales price is $349,000 for those looking to buy a house in the Somerset area. It may be a good time to buy, since the housing prices have gone down a bit. There are more property listings than interested buyers, making it a buyer's market, which helps when you want to negotiate a price.

The high cost of housing, found in many other parts of the country, is not happening in this area. Housing costs in this area are 36% lower than the American average. It costs 1% less to live here than the cost-of-living in other Kentucky cities and 11% less than in other cities in America.