Jobs, pay and daily life in Bardstown, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bardstown is a city in Kentucky with 13,804 residents. The median household earns $51,381 a year and the median rent is $977 a month, which is 22.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 685,190 jobs.
How Bardstown compares. Among the 80 largest places in Kentucky, Bardstown is #34 by population, #77 for remote work (#1 = most), #66 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #56 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Nelson County, is #22 of 120 counties for average pay ($56,670).
Bardstown has 13,804 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Kentucky. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,140 people per square mile. The median age is 38.1, about the same as the state median (38.1 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $977 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($977 against $967). Over a year that is 22.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $203,500, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($51,381); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.1% of households own their home, 11% below the state average (61.1% against 68.3%).
The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan area has 685,190 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,370 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,370 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (90,400 jobs, median $46,830); office and administrative support (85,080 jobs, median $45,920); production (60,110 jobs, median $48,440). The area is most specialised in production (1.6 times) and transportation and material moving (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,630) and computer and mathematical ($86,670). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Nelson County was 4.4%. 62.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Nelson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 4.1% work from home. 14.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 19% above the state average (14.9% against 12.5%).
26.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 3% below the state share (26.7% against 27.6%). 5.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 24% above the state share (5.8% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 14.7%, 9% below the state rate (14.7% against 16.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (24.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 32°F (0.0°C). About 1,305 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (138 mm) and Jan the driest (86 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Mount Washington (16 miles, rent 3% higher); Shepherdsville (18 miles, rent 3% lower); Lebanon (20 miles, rent 28% lower); Hillview (21 miles, rent 35% higher). Rent differences are against Bardstown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kentucky (288) →State guide: KentuckyCountry guideNelson CountyKentucky rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 288 federal postings open in Kentucky (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Kentucky →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 29,400 | 2.26 | $46,830 | $35,190 | $51,200 | +16% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 20,920 | 3.38 | $48,440 | $34,790 | $64,460 | +8% |
| Registered Nurses | 18,180 | 1.22 | $84,850 | $65,300 | $118,200 | -13% |
| Retail Salespersons | 17,540 | 1.02 | $30,660 | $23,210 | $45,510 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 16,830 | 1.09 | $89,140 | $44,440 | $206,940 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 16,410 | 1.31 | $37,610 | $31,440 | $59,880 | +1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 15,540 | 0.92 | $28,690 | $22,670 | $35,470 | -8% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 13,630 | 1.19 | $41,600 | $31,350 | $61,240 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 12,630 | 0.93 | $30,560 | $23,250 | $36,060 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 10,970 | 0.58 | $35,860 | $28,800 | $47,880 | +0% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,820 | 1.19 | $59,000 | $44,970 | $87,580 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 10,480 | 0.96 | $41,290 | $23,320 | $59,660 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,220 | 1.02 | $30,180 | $17,070 | $63,500 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,220 | 0.95 | $35,000 | $28,620 | $49,230 | -5% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 7,910 | 1.87 | $44,430 | $35,560 | $53,450 | -3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 7,730 | 1.28 | $47,990 | $30,360 | $69,850 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 7,650 | 1.20 | $42,220 | $35,360 | $47,260 | -0% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 7,060 | 1.05 | $48,970 | $35,070 | $76,330 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 6,470 | 1.02 | $67,450 | $44,830 | $102,140 | -3% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 6,340 | 1.46 | $47,150 | $28,330 | $82,050 | +5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | 500 | 2.91 | $491,640 | $119,990 | $491,640 | +26% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,100 | 0.73 | $335,670 | $138,590 | $513,680 | +26% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 710 | 3.10 | $222,520 | $211,800 | $310,480 | -6% |
| Chief Executives | 640 | 0.72 | $213,920 | $81,800 | $466,660 | -0% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,280 | 0.43 | $150,710 | $93,750 | $220,850 | -14% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 600 | 0.62 | $149,430 | $115,270 | $203,170 | -13% |
| Pharmacists | 1,830 | 1.29 | $143,920 | $97,700 | $173,620 | +2% |
| Sales Managers | 2,710 | 0.96 | $137,880 | $71,090 | $260,050 | -7% |
| Financial Managers | 2,670 | 0.72 | $136,970 | $88,620 | $230,840 | -18% |
| Marketing Managers | 920 | 0.53 | $136,350 | $79,830 | $211,130 | -18% |
| Managers, All Other | 790 | 0.29 | $134,710 | $62,140 | $209,310 | -5% |
| Lawyers | 2,000 | 0.60 | $124,530 | $65,310 | $211,880 | -22% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,580 | 1.11 | $122,900 | $104,090 | $159,860 | -7% |
| Human Resources Managers | 730 | 0.75 | $122,360 | $74,380 | $195,970 | -18% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,380 | 0.95 | $115,400 | $81,440 | $134,860 | +9% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 1,570 | 1.25 | $115,320 | $49,810 | $204,740 | +10% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 3,010 | 1.14 | $112,070 | $58,040 | $249,990 | -10% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,930 | 1.78 | $111,440 | $75,060 | $197,630 | -12% |
| Software Developers | 2,770 | 0.37 | $110,270 | $77,750 | $163,350 | -19% |
| Information Security Analysts | 650 | 0.77 | $106,760 | $60,750 | $160,100 | -17% |
These figures are for the whole Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,370 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.0% |
| Manufacturing | 20.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.8% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.4% |
| Other services | 3.3% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.2% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bardstown lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County | 47,606 | $2,394 million | $50,297 | 18,445 | 1,530 | $56,670 | +1.6% | 4.4% | 23,494 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5,690 | 36.1% | $69,648 | 3.75 |
| Retail trade | 2,037 | 12.9% | $36,074 | 1.11 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,010 | 12.8% | $57,368 | 0.76 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,545 | 9.8% | $23,189 | 0.92 |
| Construction | 1,466 | 9.3% | $69,312 | 1.51 |
| Administrative and waste services | 848 | 5.4% | $34,969 | 0.78 |
| Wholesale trade | 666 | 4.2% | $78,092 | 0.92 |
| Professional and technical services | 455 | 2.9% | $71,618 | 0.35 |
| Finance and insurance | 380 | 2.4% | $63,700 | 0.51 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 290 | 1.8% | $41,584 | 0.52 |
| Real estate and rental | 96 | 0.6% | $43,248 | 0.34 |
| Information | 84 | 0.5% | $63,157 | 0.24 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 77 | 0.5% | $18,095 | 0.25 |
| Management of companies | 52 | 0.3% | $162,755 | 0.17 |
| Educational services | 51 | 0.3% | $28,310 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 4.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 14.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,381 |
| Income per person | $31,358 |
| Median gross rent per month | $977 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.8% |
| Median home value | $203,500 |
| Homeowners | 61.1% |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,370 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.7% |
| Born abroad | 5.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.0 | 32 | 86 |
| Feb | 1.6 | 35 | 96 |
| Mar | 7.1 | 45 | 112 |
| Apr | 13.4 | 56 | 134 |
| May | 18.6 | 65 | 138 |
| Jun | 23.0 | 73 | 110 |
| Jul | 24.9 | 77 | 122 |
| Aug | 24.8 | 77 | 88 |
| Sep | 21.2 | 70 | 96 |
| Oct | 14.1 | 57 | 111 |
| Nov | 7.2 | 45 | 98 |
| Dec | 2.2 | 36 | 114 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Washington | KY | 16 mi | 18,480 | $96,239 | $1,008 |
| Shepherdsville | KY | 18 mi | 14,533 | $71,476 | $943 |
| Lebanon | KY | 20 mi | 6,430 | $45,479 | $701 |
| Hillview | KY | 21 mi | 8,797 | $68,111 | $1,316 |
| Elizabethtown | KY | 24 mi | 32,576 | $60,760 | $909 |
| Louisville | KY | 26 mi | 631,818 | $66,849 | $1,120 |
| Radcliff | KY | 26 mi | 22,864 | $58,559 | $971 |
| Jeffersontown | KY | 28 mi | 29,199 | $81,506 | $1,320 |
| Fort Knox | KY | 28 mi | 8,836 | $82,663 | $1,502 |
| Vine Grove | KY | 29 mi | 6,830 | $72,560 | $1,334 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
13,804 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$977 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.8% of the median household income.
$51,381 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Nelson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kentucky. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.