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Berea, KY

A town of about 15,786 people in Madison County.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

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Where it is
Berea
Berea in Kentucky
Kentucky in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Berea's center.

2
grocery stores
13
restaurants
6
coffee shops
5
parks
5
playgrounds
2
libraries
2
live theaters
2
bookstores
2
pharmacies
1
hospital

None found within 5 miles: movie theaters.

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Berea.

Bike lanes and bike paths
12 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
24 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 2,178 rented homes in Berea, 100% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 79%
$1,000 to $1,499: 19%
$1,500 to $1,999: 1%
$2,000 to $2,499: 0%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Berea rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Kentucky

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Kentucky DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Kentucky voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

2 public school districts in this county, with about 12,284 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Berea Independent · Berea
1,086 students · 13.1 students per teacher · 3 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Madison County · Richmond
11,198 students · 15.7 students per teacher · 23 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Kentucky keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$181/week
about $9,400 a year
$131/week
about $6,800 a year
Toddler (2)$153/week
about $8,000 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$153/week
about $8,000 a year
$131/week
about $6,800 a year
School-age$135/week
about $7,000 a year

For an infant at a center: $181/week here, $160 across KY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 12% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Kentucky →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

2 colleges in the county around Berea. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond
Public, 4-year · 15,008 students · $10,130 in-state, $20,820 out-of-state
Berea College · Berea
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,487 students · $49,326 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $4,042 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in KY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
30.1 per 100,000 people a year
30 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. KY average: 23.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 3,033 people without housing in the Kentucky Balance of State area (119 counties): 1,735 in shelters and 1,298 outside, up from 2,678 in 2024. KY: 12.6 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$62,407
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.74% of home value a year
About $740 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.50%
KY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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