Richmond, Kentucky
Richmond is a city of 37,111 people in Madison County, Kentucky, founded in 1798.
Why visit Richmond
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 85 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinemark, Blythewood, Downtown Richmond Historic District and Gibson Bay Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Richmond
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Richmond
Richmond is a city in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 34,585 as of the 2020 census, making it the state's seventh-largest city. It is the principal city of the Richmond–Berea micropolitan area, which includes all of Madison and Rockcastle counties and had 123,000 residents in 2020.
From the Wikipedia article Richmond, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Museums and landmarks9
Blythewood
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
House in Madison County, Kentucky
Downtown Richmond Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic district in Richmond, Kentucky
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Madison County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Courthouse in Kentucky, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
Lake Reba Park
Park · 2.4 mi
Madison County youth baseball play most home games here; additional soccer fields and running trail
Paradise Cove Aquatic Center
Sports field and stadium · 2.3 mi
Additional parking next to baseball fields
274 Lake Reba Drive, Richmond
Camp Catalpa
Park · 2.9 mi
Bird sanctuary. many of the foot paths are used for disc golf; most are dirt/mud though some are grassy. mapped mostly from memory and...
Taylor Fork Ecological Area
Hiking and trails · 0.8 mi
1 Hancock Taylor Ln., Richmond
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes85
Golden Leaves LLC
Cafe · Tea, Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Cafe, Lounge Bar · 2.4 mi
Welcome to Golden Leaves LLC, a charming cafe nestled in the heart of Richmond, KY, and serving a delightful assortment of over 60 teas,...
2008 Merchant Dr, Richmond
Su,Tu closed, Mo,We-Fr 08:00-16:00, Sa 09:00-16:00
Big City Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.7 mi
1105 Kim Kent Drive, Richmond
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:45; Su 12:00-20:45
Dutch Bros. Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.0 mi
847 Eastern Bypass, Richmond
Su-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-23:00
Jackson's Restuarant
Diner · American · 1.2 mi
203 South 3rd Street, Richmond
Mo-Sa 06:30-20:00; Su 08:00-19:00
LongHorn Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 0.8 mi
815 Eastern Bypass, Richmond
Su-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Mad Mushroom
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.6 mi
626 University Shopping Center, Richmond
Mo-We 10:00-00:00; Th 10:00-01:00; Fr 10:00-02:00; Sa 11:00-02:00;...
McAlister's Deli
Restaurant · Sandwich · 0.7 mi
620 University Shopping Center, Richmond
Mo-Su 10:00-21:00
Olive Garden
Restaurant · Italian · 1.5 mi
2168 Lantern Ridge Drive, Richmond
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
The Peach Cobbler Factory
Restaurant · Dessert · 1.8 mi
2055 Lantern Ridge Drive, Richmond
Mo-Su 12:00-22:00
Champions Sports Bar and Grill
Restaurant · Burger, Hot Dog, Sandwich, Chicken, Pizza, Salad · 1.5 mi
Mo-We 14:00-23:00; Th-Fr 14:00-01:00; Sa 12:00-01:00; Su 13:00-21:00
73 more on the map.
History
Richmond was founded in 1798 by Colonel John Miller from Richmond, Virginia. A British American, Miller served with the rebels in the Revolutionary War. According to lore, he was attracted to the area by its good spring water and friendly Native Americans.
With the original county seat of Madison County being Milford, Kentucky, Miller successfully lobbied the Kentucky legislature to move it from Milford to present-day Richmond. Although the residents of Milford strongly opposed the move, the county approved the transfer in March 1798. On July 4, 1798, the new town was named Richmond in honor of Miller's Virginia birthplace. Richmond was incorporated in 1809.
Kentucky was a southern border state during the Civil War and remained mostly in the Union, even though early in the war, 68 of 110 Kentucky counties seceded to join the Confederacy; however, the state largely came back under U.S. control after early 1862. On August 30, 1862, the Battle of Richmond took place. Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith routed the Union General William Nelson, capturing or killing 5,300 of his 6,500 men. One historian called this battle "the nearest thing to a Cannae ever scored by any general, North or South, in the course of the whole war."
From the History section of Richmond, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Richmond
Motel and hotel · 1.6 mi
1990 Colby Taylor Drive, Richmond
The Bennett House Bed & Breakfast
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
419 West Main Street, Richmond
Churches and places of worship17
Mt. Zion Christian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
Big Hill Christian Church
Church · Christian Church · 1.9 mi
1150 Goggins Lane, Richmond
Richmond Church Of Christ
Church · Church Of Christ · 1.2 mi
1500 Lancaster Road, Richmond
University Church of Christ
Church · Church Of Christ · 1.7 mi
461 Tobiano Drive, Richmond
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging18
Schools, colleges and libraries28
B. Michael Caudill Middle School
School · 3.1 mi
1428 Robert R. Martin Bypass, Richmond
Glenn R Marshall Elementary School
School · 3.1 mi
1442 Robert R. Martin Bypass, Richmond
Healthcare4
Map of Richmond
209 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 25°F | 3.7 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 27°F | 3.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 34°F | 4.3 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 43°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 44°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 36°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Eastern Kentucky Univ (2 mi away), rain and snow from Richmond State Police, 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
Madison County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter 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)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 27 miles away.
- Berea 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Nicholasville 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Lancaster 18 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Irvine 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Winchester 20 mi north, about 32 min by car
- Wilmore 22 mi northwest, about 36 min by car
- Clay City 22 mi northeast, about 36 min by car
- Lexington-Fayette 23 mi north, about 37 min by car
- Stanford 24 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Danville 27 mi west, about 43 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
- Madison County, Kentucky courthouse, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2021-09-19 Hancock Taylor Marker Richmond KY, Seblake, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Elmwood in Richmond, Nyttend, Public domain
- Richmond Cemetery, KY (43703704142), joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Richmond Cemetery, KY (43703656892), joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, KY (43703655672), joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Richmond Cemetery, KY (29881179008), joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
- James Knox Polk Scott - Richmond Cemetery - October 2023, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Irvinton — Richmond, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Battle for the Richmond Cemetery marker - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- William Holloway - Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- William Holloway - Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 07, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Walker House — Richmond, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walker House in Richmond, Nyttend, Public domain
- Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 05, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Richmond Cemetery - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 06, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Mount Pleasant — Richmond, Kentucky, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mount Pleasant in Richmond, Nyttend, Public domain
- Old Madison County Courthouse Richmond KY, Absecon 49, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blythewood, Madison Co, KY, US, Jud McCranie, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pioneer monument, Madison County, Kentucky, FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mt. Zion Christian Church - Richmond, Kentucky, Ky1958, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Roark Building, Alpha 40475, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Science Building (Phase I), Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- EKU Science Building (2012 Phase I), Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Powell Corner, Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- John Grant Crabbe Library’s Noel Reading Porch, Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- EKU Keen Johnson Building, Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- EKU Ravine, Homogenius16, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grave of James B. McCreary (43703664252), joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Irvinton with lawn, Nyttend, Public domain
- Confederate Soldiers Memorial – October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 04, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Confederate Soldiers Memorial – October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Confederate Soldiers Memorial – October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 05, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Confederate Soldiers Memorial – October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Confederate Soldiers Memorial – October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Bovista plumbea - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Bovista plumbea - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.