Bardstown is a city in Nelson County, Kentucky, home to about 13,804 people across 12 square miles. Its ZIP code is 40004.
Homes sold for a median of $189 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bardstown. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bardstown’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)29 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY27 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL302 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bardstown; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bardstown had 13,567 residents in the 2020 census, up 31% since 2000.
It’s the 35th largest of 553 towns in Kentucky by population.
Nelson County grew from 16,587 residents in 1900 to 46,738 in 2020.
Nelson County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 26°F. About 51.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 12 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bardstown 5e, KY weather station (4 miles away).
17,214 jobs at 1,023 businesses in Nelson County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
313 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bardstown.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 26 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 21 |
| Dentists | 31 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 83 |
| Mental health providers | 79 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 52 |
| Optometrists | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 13 |
| Pharmacies | 13 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1770.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Bardstown Independent, Nelson County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bardstown Early Childhood CenterBardstown | Pre-K | 263 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Nelson County Early Learning CenterBardstown | Pre-K | 150 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Bardstown Alternative SchoolBardstown | K–12 | 31 | Alternative Education | 1.6 mi |
| Bardstown Primary SchoolBardstown | K–1 | 434 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Foster Heights Elementary SchoolBardstown | K–5 | 588 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| The Academy at HorizonsBardstown | K–12 | 38 | Alternative Education | 2.4 mi |
| Bardstown Elementary SchoolBardstown | 2–5 | 847 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Bardstown Middle SchoolBardstown | 6–8 | 591 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Heartland Youth VillageBardstown | 6–12 | 15 | Alternative Education | 2.0 mi |
| Old Kentucky Home Middle SchoolBardstown | 6–8 | 594 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| The Up CenterBardstown | 6–12 | — | Career and Technical | 2.4 mi |
| Bardstown High SchoolBardstown | 9–12 | 703 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Nelson County High SchoolBardstown | 9–12 | 756 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Thomas Nelson High SchoolBardstown | 9–12 | 629 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Christian AcademyBardstown | Pre-K–12 | 58 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.1 mi |
| Our Lady of the RosaryBardstown | Pre-K–12 | 78 | Roman Catholic | 1.7 mi |
| St Joseph Montessori Childrens CenterBardstown | Pre-K–K | 7 | Nonsectarian | 0.5 mi |
| St Joseph SchoolBardstown | Pre-K–8 | 371 | Roman Catholic | 0.6 mi |
| Nelson County Baptist SchoolBardstown | TK–12 | 70 | Baptist | 4.4 mi |
| Bethlehem High School/DioceseBardstown | 9–12 | 300 | Roman Catholic | 0.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.