Apparently, This is the Worst Place to Live in Kentucky

Which city in Kentucky was named the worst place to live in 2024? Well, it might not be what you'd expect.

Kentucky towns have been a hot topic lately. When it comes to the Commonwealth, we have no shortage of small towns with a few big cities scattered in there too. Everyone has small-town pride nowadays. Recently we have covered many of these towns in articles such as Kentucky city is one of the most mispronounced places in America, the safest town in Kentucky, a Kentucky city named one of the rudest in America, and one Kentucky city is among the best in the nation for pet owners.

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To keep up with the theme of Kentucky towns, the website 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the "worst" places to live in each state. Here's how they did it:

Using data from the Census Bureau, the FBI, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 22 measures to identify the worst cities to live in in every state. The measures used in the index fall into one of three broad categories: economy, community, and overall quality of life. We considered all places in the U.S. with sufficient data and populations of at least 8,000. Our list includes cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and unincorporated communities.

So, out of all the cities and towns across the state of Kentucky, which is the worst?

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This is the Worst Place to Live in Kentucky

According to 24/7 Wall St., the worst place to live in Kentucky isn't one of the biggest cities like Louisville or Lexington. In fact, it is a town in southeastern Kentucky that I don't think anyone would have guessed. Apparently, the worst place to live in Kentucky is Somerset. This city is the county seat Somerset is a city in Pulaski County, located near Lake Cumberland.

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Here's the data from 24/7 Wall St.:

- Poverty rate: 30.6% (state: 16.3%)
- Median home value: $117,000 (state: $155,100)
- Median household income: $30,107 (state: $55,454)
- Drug-induced mortality: 42.4 deaths per 100,000 (state: 46.1 per 100,000)
-Total population: 11,696

Now, I don't know because I don't live there, but just looking at some of the videos I have seen of Somerset, it really doesn't look like that bad of a place. In fact, it looks very welcoming, and there's always something going on that attracts tourists.

Now, with this in mind, what one person considers a horrible place to live, another might consider their favorite spot in the world. I can't say that this is the worst place to live in the state. As a matter of fact, I think we all might agree that there are more notable cities in the state that are much worse.

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in Kentucky

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Kentucky using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.