Jackson, Kentucky
Jackson is a city of 2,015 people in Breathitt County, Kentucky, founded in 1839.
Why visit Jackson
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 10 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Breathitt County Jail and Jackson Commercial District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Jackson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jackson
Jackson is a home rule-class city in Breathitt County, Kentucky, United States, and its county seat. The population was 2,237 at the 2020 census. It was the home of the Jackson Academy, which became Lees College.
From the Wikipedia article Jackson, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks6
Breathitt County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
County jail in Jackson, Kentucky
Jackson Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in Jackson, Kentucky, United States
Jackson Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic building in Jackson, Kentucky, USA
Stacey Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Former hotel in Jackson, Kentucky, USA
Crain's Wholesale and Retail Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Breathitt County Museum
Museum · 1.0 mi
329 Broadway Street, Jackson
Mo-Fr 09:00-15:00
Restaurants and cafes10
Where to stay2
History
Upon the creation of Breathitt County in 1839, local landowner Simon Cockrell Sr. donated 10 acres (4.0 ha) to serve as its seat of government. The community was originally known as Breathitt, Breathitt Town, or Breathitt Court House after the county, but upon its incorporation as a city by the Kentucky Assembly in 1843, it was renamed Jackson to honor former U.S. president Andrew Jackson.
Local feuds led the national press to publish stories about Jackson and "Bloody Breathitt". In fact, state troops were dispatched twice in the 1870s and again in 1903 – after the assassination of U.S. Commissioner James B. Marcum on the courthouse steps – to restore order.
The Kentucky Union Railroad reached the city in 1891, and Jackson boomed until the Louisville and Nashville Railroad continued the line on to Hazard in 1912. A fire on Halloween, 1913, burned down much of the town.
From the History section of Jackson, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship7
M.E. Church, South
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Jackson First United Methodist Church
Church · 0.9 mi
1022 College Avenue, Jackson
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Hazard Community & Technical College: Lees College Campus
School · 0.8 mi
601 Jefferson Avenue, Jackson
Breathitt County Area Technology Center
School · 0.7 mi
2303 Bobcat Lane, Jackson
Healthcare1
Map of Jackson
43 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 23°F | 3.9 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 26°F | 3.6 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 31°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 40°F | 4.5 in |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 4.7 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 5.1 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 4.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.4 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 42°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 32°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 27°F | 4.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Quicksand (3 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
Breathitt County has had 33 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pike County Airport (PVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 44 miles away.
- Beattyville 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Hazard 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- Irvine 34 mi west, about 54 min by car
- Clay City 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Cumberland 45 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Coal Run Village 45 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Berea 50 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Harlan 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Richmond 52 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Winchester 54 mi northwest, 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
Loading what members have shared...
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
- Jackson city hall, Nyttend, Public domain
- Bloody Breathitt historical marker, Jackson, Nyttend, Public domain
- Breathitt Volunteers historical marker, Jackson, Nyttend, Public domain
- Breathitt County historical marker, Jackson, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jackson UMC, facade, Nyttend, Public domain
- First Baptist Church of Jackson, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jackson Post Office from east, Nyttend, Public domain
- Stacey Hotel site in Jackson, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jackson Fire Department from east, Nyttend, Public domain
- BREATHITT COUNTY JAIL, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Breathitt County Public Library, Nyttend, Public domain
- Breathitt County Courthouse, Nyttend, Public domain
- Breathitt County Judicial Center, Nyttend, Public domain
- Guerrant Memorial Presbyterian Church, Nyttend, Public domain
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