Hazard’s natural landscape lends to quiet, riverside living
The North Fork Kentucky River winds through Hazard, an Eastern Kentucky city in the thick of the Appalachian Mountains. “It’s very rural. We don’t have suburbs. People who live here want to get away from big city life. They just want to live peacefully, quietly and be able to come and go without hustling,” says local Realtor Renee Shepherd with RO&CO Real Estate, who has two years of experience. “It’s a great place to raise a family. There are a lot of family-oriented things, especially sports. Even if you don’t have a kid that plays, the town still comes out like for ‘Friday Night Lights.’”
Home cooking, national chains and downtown Hazard businesses
In downtown, brick-clad buildings are home to local businesses, including The Copper Lantern, a clothing and décor store, Appalachian Apparel Company and Hazard Coffee Company. National chains, such as Food City, are near Kentucky Highway 15. The Hazard Village shopping center on Hal Rogers Parkway includes a Tractor Supply Co. and Big Blue Smokehouse, a barbecue restaurant. “If you want home cooking like what your momma made, you want Your Place Restaurant near Vicco or Circle T Restaurant here in Hazard. Those two are your home-cooked, handmade meals,” Shepherd says. “There are many food options, but nothing is better than [an invite like,] ‘You’re coming over to my house and I’m cooking dinner for you.’ That happens a lot. People here love to host, so they’ll host you over for dinner or lunch.”
Hillside homes, many priced less than those in Lexington
Residential areas branch off Main Street and are packed with homes varying from Colonial Revival to bungalows. “We’re eclectic here with homes. If your dream is a single-wide trailer on a hill, I've got you. At the same time, if your dream is a barn on a hill, I've got you,” Shepherd says. “There are so many different styles and types. The thing you can’t get past is that you will either be living on top of a hill or at the bottom. There’s not very much flat land.” The median single-family home price is nearly $150,000, almost half the median single-family home price in Lexington, according to data from the National Association of Realtors.
Being prepared for the weather in Hazard
Natural disasters are a growing concern across Kentucky. “Anytime you’re buying a house now, you always have to check for flood insurance. Almost everybody’s a part of some flood zone,” Shepherd says, regarding how even residences away from the river and streams may be in a zone or in an area where mudslides can occur. “In the wintertime, you most definitely want a four-wheel drive, because from mid-November until the end of February, our weather is so unpredictable that today it may be sunny and 75, and tomorrow we may have 6 inches of snow on the ground, and you’re stuck at home,” she says. “We’re the type that all the bread and milk get taken first at the store when there’s talk of snow because we know there’s a possibility of us getting stuck at home.”
Parks on the Kentucky River, putt putt and pools
City Hall has a boat ramp on the Kentucky River. “Most people start there and end at the Perry County Park, then there are little boat docks you can just paddle to and get on and off your kayak,” Shepherd says. Perry County Park includes over 6 miles of hiking trails, a dog park and a putt putt course. A playground and the Perry County Pool are on one end of the park, opposite the mountain biking trails, baseball fields and skatepark. Hazard Pavilion offers indoor recreation with tennis and racquetball courts, a weight room and a 25-meter pool. Jim Rose Courts, a park with basketball courts, is on the river at the corner of Memorial Drive and Main Street.
Hazard Independent and Perry County schools
Homes in Hazard’s central region are within the attendance boundary for the Hazard Independent Schools, for which Niche gives an A-minus grade overall. The remainder of Hazard spans the C-graded Perry County Schools District. Perry County Central High School, a ninth through 12th-grade institution in the district, offers career and technical education courses in pathways such as health sciences.
Train tracks and highways provide transportation across Hazard
Natural resources were shipped on the river until 1912, when the railroad arrived and began transporting them. Over a century later, the train tracks remain, and today, CSX freight trains use them. The tracks cross some local roads, so traffic and noise may be noticeable in these areas. Kentucky Highway 15 connects the city to nearby communities, such as Vicco, around 12 miles away. Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center is near Hal Rogers Parkway in the region. Lexington, including Blue Grass Airport, is nearly a 120-mile drive.
