Somerset, Kentucky
Somerset is a city of 12,216 people in Pulaski County, Kentucky, founded in 1798.
Why visit Somerset
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 45 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 12 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Battle of Dutton's Hill Monument and Crawford House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 29°F.
Weather in Somerset
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Somerset
Somerset is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,924. Somerset's micropolitan area population is 67,384; it comprises the entirety of Pulaski County.
From the Wikipedia article Somerset, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do12
Flashback Theater Company
Cinema and theater · 0.5 mi
400 East Mount Vernon Street, Somerset
Museums and landmarks11
Battle of Dutton's Hill Monument
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Sculpture in Kentucky, United States of America
Crawford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
House in Somerset, Kentucky
Somerset Downtown Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Kentucky, United States
Withers House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
House in Somerset, Kentucky
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes45
Casa Grande
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.0 mi
105 Belmont Avenue, Somerset
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 1.6 mi
1899 S Highway 27, Somerset
LongHorn Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.6 mi
1975 S Highway 27, Somerset
Serendipity at the Orange Door
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
220 East Mount Vernon Street, Somerset
33 more on the map.
History
Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the early settlers had formerly lived. Somerset became the Pulaski County seat in 1801, and was incorporated as a city in 1887. The Civil War Battle of Mill Springs was fought in January 1862 at Logan's Crossroads (now "Nancy") about 8 miles (13 km) west of Somerset, and a museum is at the site. A smaller battle was fought nearby at Dutton's Hill in 1863. In 1875 tracks for the Southern Railway were completed and Somerset saw a population growth and an increase in industry. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, library services were provided by the pack horse library. The completion of Lake Cumberland in 1950 transformed Somerset from a sleepy rural community into a recreation center.
The Center for Rural Development in Somerset was established in 1996. It is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that describes its mission as follows: "to provide leadership that stimulates innovative and sustainable economic development solutions and a better way of life for the citizens we serve." The center's programs and services focus on public safety, arts & culture, leadership, and technology.
From the History section of Somerset, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Country Inn & Suites, Somerset, KY
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
515 North Highway 27, Somerset
Churches and places of worship35
Bogletown Pentecostal Church of God
Church · Pentecostal · 0.9 mi
420 Bogle Street, Somerset
Mt Olive Missionary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.7 mi
99 West Bourbon Road, Somerset
Shopping15
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries22
Healthcare5
Map of Somerset
178 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 29°F | 4.3 in | 3.0 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 32°F | 3.9 in | 1.3 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 39°F | 5.1 in | 0.8 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 57°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 69°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 67°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 60°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 48°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 38°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 33°F | 4.9 in | 0.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Somerset 2 N (2 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
Pulaski County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-05-29: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (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
Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Ferguson 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Burnside 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Science Hill 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Eubank 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Monticello 22 mi southwest, about 35 min by car
- Berea 39 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Danville 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Campbellsville 45 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Richmond 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Nicholasville 56 mi north, 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
- South Courthouse Square in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Main at Columbia in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- East on Mount Vernon from Somerset square, Nyttend, Public domain
- William Fox House in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Parker House in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Withers House site in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Crawford House site in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Smith House by Somerset schools, Nyttend, Public domain
- Morrow House in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- Somerset Armory, Nyttend, Public domain
- Somerset school, Carnegie library section, Nyttend, Public domain
- Harvey's Hill in Somerset, Nyttend, Public domain
- EF2 and EF3 damage in the southern portions of Somerset, Kentucky 02, National Weather Service, Public domain
- EF2 and EF3 damage in the southern portions of Somerset, Kentucky 01, National Weather Service, Public domain
- A. Jackson Crawford Building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Hotel Beecher, Nyttend, Public domain
- EmmaRayneLyle-2018, Emmaraynelyle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gover-Hardin House, Nyttend, Public domain
- West Columbia Street Historic District, Nyttend, Public domain
- Morgan's First Raid historical marker, reverse, Nyttend, Public domain
- Morgan's First Raid historical marker, Nyttend, Public domain
- Dr. John Milton Perkins House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Dill Scott House site, Nyttend, Public domain
- Waddle-Prather House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Beecher Smith House, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS036-E-37708 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-156061 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-230413 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-34643 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-160647 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-156060 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-345141 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-345142 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-34644 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-160646 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Master-Musicians-Festival-2013, Design219, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Master Musicians Festival 2014, Design219, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Dutton's Hill Monument, Jacob singleton21, CC BY-SA 4.0
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