Leslie County, Kentucky · Hyden
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Leslie County averages 18 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to February, and 20% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 10.2 times a year here, most often in February. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Leslie County spike on heavy-rain days, about 10.2 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 79 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
24% of occupied homes in Leslie County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Kentucky county median of 12.6%.
About 43 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 10,079 people live in Leslie County, 401 square miles in southeast Kentucky, in roughly 4,925 homes. Hyden is the county seat. Half the homes here were built before 1984, half after.
37/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Leslie County ranks 99 of 120 Kentucky counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Leslie County ranks highest compared with other Kentucky counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Leslie County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 18 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 87 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 71st of 120 counties.
On February 20, 2015 the low fell to about -13°F, and in the stretch ending February 2015 the county went 5 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Most freezing nights fall from November to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 29 and end around Apr 16.
Leslie gets fewer downpours than most Kentucky counties, but they still fill basements. The county gets about 54.4 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 10.2 days of an inch or more (87th of 120). Those downpours cluster in February, July and December, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 3.93 inches on July 28, 2022. The worst three-day stretch dropped 6.69 inches, ending July 29, 2022, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 79 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
Kentucky's 120 counties range widely in housing age; Leslie ranks 59th, with 45% of its homes built before 1980.
Housing age is mixed: 20% of homes are pre-1960 and 21% are 2000 or newer. Ask any plumber which era your house is from and you'll know which failures to watch for.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 34% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Here 32% of housing is manufactured homes. Check the skirting and the heat tape on the main water line every fall, because that one exposed line is what freezes.
Beyond water
About 43 nights a year in Leslie County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (105th of 120 counties). July is the wettest month. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Leslie County it's 3% utility gas, 71% electric, 17% propane and 7% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than in most Kentucky counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Leslie County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Bell and Harlan get more pipe-freeze nights than Leslie. Harlan County has the oldest housing nearby, with 57% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Leslie | Kentucky median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 20% | 18% | 51 of 120 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 45% | 44% | 59 of 120 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 21% | 25% | 85 of 120 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 32% | 19% | 12 of 120 |
| Vacant homes | 14% | 13% | 50 of 120 |
| Wood or propane heat | 24% | 13% | 24 of 120 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 18/yr | 20/yr | 71 of 120 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 10/yr | 12/yr | 87 of 120 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 79/yr | 73/yr | 19 of 120 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 43/yr | 59/yr | 105 of 120 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Kentucky county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Leslie County: freezing from November to February, heavy rain in February, July and December.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology