Worthington offers riverfront living outside Ashland, Kentucky
Worthington, Kentucky, is a small Ohio River town, just 8 miles north of Ashland. On this tri-state stretch of the river between Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, most of the shoreline is occupied by shipping ports and industrial operations. However, in Worthington, residential waterfront can still be found. "All the communities here, like Worthington and Wurtland, are so close that they're not very different, but in Worthington, there's a lot closer to the river," says agent Alison Christie with Ross Real Estate Services, a lifelong Ashland-area resident who's been selling here for almost 25 years. Whether on the riverfront or the town's residential grid, Worthington's homes are within a short walk or drive of parks and schools. "People like this area as a nice, suburban place to settle down," Christie says. "It has good schools and great community."
Homes near and on the Ohio River
Worthington is one of the few communities around Ashland with riverfront access. In the heart of Worthington, on the east side of town, ranch-style homes near and on the riverfront range from $100,000 to $250,000. On the west side of Worthington, the Old Farm Estates community has larger bi-level waterfront homes between $270,000 and $350,000. Overall, Worthington's median home price is $175,000. Three-bedroom 1970s ranch-style homes and 1980s bi-level homes can be found for the median price throughout the town's residential grid. Small cottages, ranch-style homes and 1920s American Foursquares in need of some renovations are at the lower end of the range, between $80,000 and $150,000.
Riverfront green space at Worthington City Park
Residents can wave to their Ohio neighbors from Worthington City Park, the community's riverfront green space. The park's shady lawn overlooks the water and provides a gazebo and picnic shelter. It also has a small playground. On the opposite end of Worthington, the Raceland Worthington Sports Complex is the battleground for local Little League teams. It has multiple baseball and softball fields, and it's within a short walk of most homes.
Worthington shares a school district with Raceland
As the name suggests, the Raceland-Worthington Independent School District serves Worthington and Raceland and earns a B-plus grade from Niche. The district's three schools share a campus in Raceland, just a short drive across the tracks on Pond Run Road. The pipeline begins at Campbell Elementary, rated a B. Students continue to Raceland-Worthington Middle, given a B. They finish at B-plus-rated Raceland-Worthington High.
Local eateries bursting with Raceland High pride
Ram's Dairy Bar is Worthington's lone restaurant. This small burger joint on Scott Road is named after the Raceland-Worthington High Rams, and it's entirely Raceland High themed. Everything from the walls to the menus is covered in Rams insignia. They even have specialty items like the Ram Dog, and there are usually Raceland High students working the counter. The closest place for groceries is Pennington's Food Fair, 3 miles south in Flatwoods, but there's more shopping toward Ashland. The Russell Centre is 5 miles south on U.S. Route 23 and has a Kroger and Lowe's. Downtown Ashland is 8 miles south and has the area's broadest array of shops and eateries. Plus, Ashland Town Center — a retail mall outside downtown — has stores like Ulta and JCPenney.
CSX railyards and medical centers are major local industries
Worthington is surrounded by terminals that service the shipping industry on the Ohio River. The CSX Russell Yard on Worthington's south side is a major railroad junction for eastern Kentucky coal traveling to the East Coast, and there's a river port in Wurtland — Worthington's neighbor to the west. In more recent years, major medical centers have become big sources of employment for the Ashland area. The University of Kentucky's King's Daughters Medical Center is 8 miles south on U.S. Route 23, in downtown Ashland. It's one of eastern Kentucky's premier healthcare facilities. There's also Bellefonte Hospital and Recovery Center, which specializes in psychiatric care, just a few miles down U.S. Route 23.
Nearby freeways lead to cities in Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio
Everything in this area is focused along the Ohio River, including the highways. U.S. Route 52 runs parallel to U.S. Route 23 on the Ohio side of the river. It leads 22 miles southeast to Huntington, West Virginia — the area's largest city. U.S. Route 23 leads south and intersects Interstate 64. Drivers can follow I-64 to Charleston, West Virginia, over 70 miles east. West Virginia International Yeager Airport, in Charleston, is the closest commercial airport. Amtrak's Cardinal train can take travelers from Ashland to Huntington and Charleston. Lexington, Kentucky, is the nearest major city, over 120 miles west on I-64.
