West Van Lear, Kentucky
West Van Lear is a community of 1,155 people in Johnson County, Kentucky.
Why visit West Van Lear
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks in and around town.
Highlights include First National Bank Building and Francis M. Stafford House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in West Van Lear
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About West Van Lear
West Van Lear is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, West Van Lear had a population of 768. Even though it is unincorporated, it has a post office and its own ZIP code (41268). It has a small grocery store, a volunteer fire department, and a community center.
From the Wikipedia article West Van Lear, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks9
First National Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic structure in Paintsville, Kentucky
Francis M. Stafford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Paintsville, Kentucky
H.B. Rice Insurance Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Office building in Kentucky, United States of America
Mayo Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in Kentucky, United States
Mine No. 5 Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Building in Kentucky, United States of America
Paintsville City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Rathaus in Kentucky, United States of America
Paintsville Country Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Clubhouse in Kentucky, United States of America
Paintsville Public Library Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Library
Churches and places of worship4
First Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic church in Paintsville, Kentucky, United States
First United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic church in Paintsville, Kentucky, United States
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Church building in Kentucky, United States of America
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Kentucky Tech - Mayo Regional Tech Ctr
School · 2.6 mi
513 3Rd Street, Paintsville
1 more on the map.
Map of West Van Lear
26 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 23°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 26°F | 3.2 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 32°F | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 41°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 76°F | 51°F | 4.4 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 60°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 5.2 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 3.6 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 56°F | 3.4 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 43°F | 3.2 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 32°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 28°F | 3.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Paintsville 1E (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
Johnson County has had 35 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 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)
- 2025-02-24: 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pike County Airport (PVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Paintsville 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Prestonsburg 7 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Salyersville 15 mi west, about 25 min by car
- Coal Run Village 21 mi southeast, about 34 min by car
- Pikeville 25 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
- Louisa 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- West Liberty 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Jackson 36 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Grayson 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Huntington 47 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 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
- F.M. Stafford House, J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First United Methodist Church (Paintsville), J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church, J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paintsville Public Library, Nyttend, Public domain
- First National Bank (Paintsville), J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paintsville City Hall, Nyttend, Public domain
- H.B. Rice Insurance Building, J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Baptist-Nazarene Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Mayo Mansion (distant), J654567, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS047-E-78334 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-61957 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.