Vanceburg (Lexington, Louisville, Ashland: house, school districts, median income)

[vman]

Can anybody tell me about Vanceburg and the surrounding area ? Especially the schools. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[The Village Idiot]

Wow, I never thought I'd see a Vanceburg question...it's one of those small towns people don't usually talk about. I've never been to "downtown" Vanceburg, but I've stopped on the outskirts of town several times and have driven through Lewis County more times than I can count. I love the scenery in Lewis County. It transitions from hills and ridges in the eastern part of the county to flatter land in the west, and of course it's located along the Ohio River.

First of all, Vanceburg is very small, with a population of less than 2,000. It's located right in the middle of Maysville, Morehead, and Portsmouth, Ohio (about 30 miles from each). These are all larger towns, although Maysville and Morehead are still pretty small. Portsmouth is the largest, but it's definitely not my favorite town in the area. I always feel depressed every time I travel through Portsmouth. Your shopping in Vanceburg would obviously be very limited. I'd assume that you could get your groceries and other necessities there, but for things like Wal-Mart you'd most likely go to Maysville. I guess the nearest mall is in Ashland, which is about 50 miles away. Huntington, WV is about 60 miles away, and is larger than Ashland so it has a few more things to do. Honestly, though, if you're going to drive that far you might as well go to Cincinnati, which is about 90 miles NW of Vanceburg.

Vanceburg is the county seat of Lewis County. According to test scores, Lewis County schools are more or less consistent with the surrounding school districts. Or, in other words, somewhere around the middle of the pack when compared to most of the rest of the state. Their test scores are in the upper 70s and lower 80s. A score of 100 is supposed to be "proficient," whatever that means, but the majority of Kentucky's schools have scores below 100. The bottom line is that Lewis County schools are definitely nowhere near the best in the state, but there aren't really any neighboring school districts that are far superior. Of course, this is all based on test scores, so you may want to take this information with a grain of salt. I don't know anyone who's been through the Lewis County school system, so I don't have any first-hand accounts of how bad or good it is.

I've found a few other pieces of data about Vanceburg/Lewis County. Vanceburg's population is not really growing or shrinking. It has decreased by 0.2% since 2000, but since it's so small to begin with, just one or two families moving away could cause a 0.2% decrease in population. Lewis County's population has decreased by 1.5% since 2000. In comparison, neighboring Mason County has grown by 2.3% over the same time period. The median income in Lewis County is a little less than $25,000 which ranks 102nd out of 120 Kentucky counties. 28.5% of families in Lewis County are below the poverty level, and a little less than 60% of adults in the county have graduated from high school. You can view these facts however you wish. Obviously, the local economy is not particularly strong, so that's something you'll have to be prepared for if you're considering moving to the area, especially if you're currently living in a more affluent community. However, the people in eastern Kentucky are some of the best people I've met anywhere. I personally have always chosen not to look down on anyone just because they may be poor or haven't attained a certain level of education, and if you have a similar attitude and give the locals time to warm up to you, I think they'll welcome you. Having kids in school can be a good way to break the ice. The area is very conservative, so if you happen to go to church, that can be another way to meet people and feel like a part of the community. I might also add that the area is very safe and the cost of living is low, as 81.2% of people own the house they live in.

Personally, if I had to live in the immediate area, I'd choose Maysville, because Vanceburg is too small for me. Actually, Maysville is also too small for me, but if I had to choose between those two towns, I'd go with Maysville. If I had to live in Lewis County, I'd probably pick the western end of the county, near Tollesboro. The land is flatter and it's closer to Maysville.

Feel free to post any other questions you have and I'll try to find answers if I can.

[vman]

I appreciate all the insightful information you were able to provide me. We are looking at a horse farm and have an 8 year old so the schools are very important to us. We currently reside in Columbus, Ohio. My wife is from NY/NJ so not as adept at the slower more isolated atmosphere that a place like Vanceburg offers. We are planning a trip down to look at the farm around Labor Day Weekend. Any places nearby or on the way that you suggest we take sidetrips to. Thanks again, V Man

[The Village Idiot]

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of things to do around Vanceburg. It lacks the more impressive outdoor activities found in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky, and it's over an hour from the nearest big city. However, there are a few unique activities nearby. I think I mentioned the town of Maysville in my earlier post. Maysville probably isn't large enough to spend the whole day in, but it is sort of a quaint little town on the river. For something a little different, Carter Caves State Resort Park is about 25 miles southeast of Vanceburg. It obviously doesn't compare to Mammoth Cave, but it does have some nice guided tours. I know I loved going to Carter Caves when I was a kid, so your eight-year-old might enjoy it.

One unique thing about Vanceburg is that it's near a large number of covered bridges. Some people might find it extremely boring to drive 30 or 40 minutes out into the country just to look at a covered bridge, but for some reason it's something I've always enjoyed.

You can find more information about the things I've mentioned at the following websites:
City of Maysville - Welcome
Kentucky State Parks - Home
Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer - Covered Bridges

You can also use this website to help you compare the schools in Kentucky:
courier-journal.com » Kentucky CATS scores database » Louisville, KY

At one time, the town of Tollesboro in western Lewis County had its own high school, which was closed in the 1990s. I believe it was a very controversial decision at the time, and the state ended up allowing residents in that part of the county to send their kids to high school in Mason or Fleming County. I don't know if this is still an option, but it might be something for you to look into down the road.

It might be difficult for an urban-oriented person to adjust to living in the Vanceburg area. If you eventually decide that this property won't work for your family, you can always look at less isolated areas closer to Louisville, Lexington, or Cincinnati. I think Kentucky is the best state in the country for raising horses, but I'm probably a little biased!