Pulaski County, Kentucky

Pulaski County is a county in Kentucky, United States, about 65 miles south of Lexington. It had
a population of 65,034 at the 2020 census, an estimated 65,897 by 2024, and covers 677 square
miles (1,753 km2) centred near 37°04′N 84°21′W.

Somerset is the county seat; its postal code is 42501. The county holds 5 cities and 48
unincorporated communities across no formal townships — Kentucky abolished civil townships
statewide — and it runs on Eastern Time. Pulaski is the third-largest county by land area in
Kentucky.

Towns & Villages in Pulaski County

Pulaski County has 53 named places on record: 5 incorporated cities and 48 unincorporated
communities with no local government of their own. Kentucky reclassified all its incorporated
municipalities as simply “cities” in 2015, so the table below carries no separate Town
category; Unincorp. covers crossroads, former post-office stops and rural neighborhoods with no
formal boundary.

One name on this list causes real confusion: the unincorporated community of Pulaski, Kentucky,
sits inside Pulaski County and shares the county’s name — it is not the county seat and
has no relation to the county government beyond the coincidence. Nancy, the county’s largest
unincorporated community, is also its own ZIP-code hub even though it has never incorporated as a
city.

ZIP Codes

• 42501–42503 — Somerset (three ZIPs cover downtown, the north side and PO boxes)
• 42544 — Nancy
• 42533 — Ferguson
• 42519 — Burnside
• 42553 — Science Hill
• 42567 — Eubank
• 42518 — Bronston
• 42558 — Tateville

The remaining 44 unincorporated communities have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is
delivered under whichever of the eight codes above covers the nearest post office, since most of
these hamlets lost their standalone post offices decades ago.

Geography

Pulaski County sits at the eastern edge of Kentucky’s Mississippian Plateau, where the
Bluegrass region’s karst limestone gives way to the foothills of the Appalachians. Of its 677
square miles, 658 are land and 19 are water, about 2.8 percent — unusually high for an inland
Kentucky county, and almost all of it is Lake Cumberland, the reservoir formed on the Cumberland
River in the early 1950s that forced the entire town of Burnside to relocate uphill. The lake and
the river define the county’s southern and eastern edges and drive much of its tourism
economy.

Lincoln County lies to the north, Rockcastle County to the northeast, Laurel County to the east,
McCreary County to the southeast, Wayne County to the southwest, Russell County to the west, and
Casey County to the northwest. Lincoln
County, Rockcastle County,
Laurel County, McCreary County, Wayne County, Russell County and Casey County all border Pulaski directly.

Demographics

Pulaski County had a population of 65,034 at the 2020 census, and the latest county estimate
puts it near 65,897 residents. Somerset and Nancy are by far the two largest communities, together
accounting for roughly a quarter of the county’s population. Median household income runs
$51,898, well below Kentucky’s statewide figure of $61,118 (2023 ACS). Population density
works out to just under 100 people per square mile of land, low even by rural Kentucky standards,
reflecting how much of the county is lake, forest and farmland rather than built-up ground.

Economy & Local Life

Health care and social assistance employs the most workers in the county, about 4,461 people,
followed by manufacturing at 4,018 and retail trade at 3,472. Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, a
304-bed facility in Somerset, is the largest single employer and the region’s main health
care center. Blackboard, Hendrickson, Prairie Farms Dairy, Safe Auto Insurance Company and Texas
Roadhouse all run significant operations in or near Somerset. Tourism tied to Lake Cumberland —
marinas, houseboat rentals and Cumberland Falls day trips — supports much of the rest of the
local economy. The county’s best-known recurring event is Somernites Cruise, a classic-car
show held in downtown Somerset the fourth weekend of every month from April through October.

History

Kentucky’s legislature formed Pulaski County in December 1798, carving it from land ceded
by Lincoln and Green Counties. It was named for Count Casimir Pulaski, the Polish cavalry officer
who died fighting for American independence at the 1779 Siege of Savannah. Thomas Hansford founded
Somerset the same year, naming it after Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the first
settlers had lived; Somerset became the county seat in 1801 and incorporated as a city in 1887.

The Battle of Mill Springs, fought about 8 miles west of Somerset on 19 January 1862, was one of
the first significant Union victories of the Civil War and helped secure eastern Kentucky against
Confederate advance. Nearly a century later, the damming of the Cumberland River to create Lake
Cumberland forced the relocation of Burnside to higher ground, one of the largest town-moving
projects in Kentucky history.

Getting There

US 27 crosses the county north to south through Somerset, and US 80 runs east to west; no
interstate reaches Pulaski County directly, though the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway (signed as
future Interstate 365) passes through northern Somerset and connects toward Lexington.

• Lexington — about 65 miles north
• Danville — about 40 miles north
• Corbin — about 30 miles southeast
• London — about 28 miles east

Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, roughly 65 miles north, is the nearest airport with scheduled
commercial service. Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, on the north side of Somerset, handles
general aviation and charter flights only. No Amtrak line reaches Pulaski County; the nearest
station is well outside the region, so ground transport runs entirely by highway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Pulaski County located?
It sits in south-central Kentucky on the Mississippian Plateau, about 65 miles south of Lexington,
bordered by Lincoln, Rockcastle, Laurel, McCreary, Wayne, Russell and Casey counties.

What is the population of Pulaski County?
65,034 at the 2020 census, with a 2024 estimate near 65,897.

How big is Pulaski County?
677 square miles (1,753 km2) total, of which 658 square miles are land — the third-largest
county by area in Kentucky.

What is the county seat of Pulaski County?
Somerset is the county seat, founded in 1798 and incorporated in 1887.

How many towns and cities are in Pulaski County?
Five incorporated cities — Somerset, Burnside, Eubank, Ferguson and Science Hill —
plus 48 named unincorporated communities, including the large ZIP-coded hub of Nancy.

What ZIP codes does Pulaski County use?
42501 through 42503 for Somerset, plus 42544 (Nancy), 42533 (Ferguson), 42519 (Burnside), 42553
(Science Hill), 42567 (Eubank), 42518 (Bronston) and 42558 (Tateville).

What is Pulaski County known for?
Lake Cumberland, the reservoir that forced Burnside to relocate uphill in the 1950s, and the 1862
Battle of Mill Springs fought just west of Somerset.

More counties in this state: Towns and
villages in Kentucky.