Cumberland, Kentucky
Cumberland is a city of 2,037 people in Harlan County, Kentucky, founded in 1826.
Why visit Cumberland
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 1 place to eat and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, Cumberland Central Business District, Benham Historic District and Kingdom Come State Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Cumberland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cumberland
Cumberland is a home rule-class city in Harlan County, Kentucky, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, Cumberland had a population of 1,947. The city sits at the confluence of Looney Creek and the Poor Fork Cumberland River.
From the Wikipedia article Cumberland, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College
School · 1.4 mi
Community college in Cumberland, Kentucky, U.S.
Museums and landmarks3
Cumberland Central Business District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Commercial district in Kentucky, US
Benham Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Kentucky Coal Mining Museum
Museum · 2.9 mi
Heritage center in Benham, Kentucky
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes1
History
Cumberland was settled in 1837 and named "Poor Fork", for its location on a fork of the Cumberland River with relatively poor soil. It remained isolated until the coal mining boom of the 1900s when railroads connected it with surrounding towns. It was renamed "Cumberland" in 1926.
On July 29, 2019, a group of coal miners blocked a coal train on a track in protest when the company they worked for, Blackjewel LLC, refused to pay them after declaring bankruptcy. Blackjewel was founded in 2017, and it was one of the largest coal mining companies in the country. Its bankruptcy filing also affected employees in Virginia and Wyoming; in total about 1700 miners have been affected. The miners called off the protest in late September 2019, mostly because they have found other jobs. They intend to continue their fight in court.
From the History section of Cumberland, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Saint Stephen Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.9 mi
304 Central Street, Cumberland
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries2
Healthcare1
Map of Cumberland
25 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 26°F | 3.7 in | 5.3 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 29°F | 3.9 in | 4.2 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 33°F | 4.8 in | 3.1 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 42°F | 4.5 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 52°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 60°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 57°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 46°F | 2.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 34°F | 3.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 29°F | 4.5 in | 3.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Skyline 1 Se (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Harlan County has had 25 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2024-11-26: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-07-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lonesome Pine Airport (LNP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Benham 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Lynch 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Appalachia 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Whitesburg 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Big Stone Gap 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Kingsport 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Coal Run Village 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Barbourville 50 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bristol 52 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Bristol 53 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Eastward on Main from Myers, Nyttend, Public domain
- City Hall Benham KY, Acdixon, CC0
- KY Coal Mining Museum, Acdixon, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.