Hazard, Kentucky
16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1891 and the latest in 1992. It stands in the Hazard census division. It lies in ZIP code area 41701. It stands on Messer Branch. The Survey maps it on the Hazard South quadrangle. 5,263 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 928 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Hazard
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
- Memorial Gymlisted 2024
Population over time
2 figuresHazard grew from 4,456 to 5,263 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,456 | |
| 2020 | 5,263 | +807 (+18%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
8 surveys from 16 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1891 USGS Hazard quadrangle1:125000, 5 printings
- 1916 USGS Cornettsville quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1954 USGS Hazard South quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Jenkins quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Jenkins quadrangle1:250000
- 1972 USGS Hazard South quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1977 USGS Hazard quadrangle1:100000
- 1992 USGS Hazard South quadrangle1:24000
Photographs
8 of 14 photographs shown, 1940 to 2020Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Wolcott, Marion Post, 1940. Library of Congress
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Highsmith, Carol M, 2020. Library of Congress
Every photograph of Perry County
Fires near this place
654 since 1993Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 654 fires within 5 miles of Hazard between 1993 and 2020, burning about 26,512 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 133 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 224 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 214 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 133 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 60 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 6 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 6 |
| Smoking | 6 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 4 |
| Natural | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2019 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | STIDHAM LN |
| 6 September 2007 | Debris and open burning | 12 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 6 September 2001 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 56 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 5 September 2007 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 4 September 2007 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 30 September 2017 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | SHERIFFS COURT |
| 29 September 2016 | Recreation and ceremony | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | JEFF |
| 29 September 2007 | Debris and open burning | 63 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
2 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Hazard: 2 prospects. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch Gap Clay | Clay | Prospect | ||
| Buffalo Divide Shale | Clay | Prospect |
Storms near this place
60 of 92 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Hazard in 92 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 59 thunderstorm wind, 20 hail, 8 heavy rain, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1996 | Flash Flood | Hazard | $150,000 | no account filed |
| May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $50,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts downed power lines in the communities of Acup, Stormking, Coal Harbor, Tiger Hill, and Scuddy. Three thousand people were without power throughout the county. |
| May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $35,000 | Numerous trees were reported downed in Hazard and areas south. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $30,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the Busy, Big Willard, and Briar Fork communities. |
| February 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $30,000 | The public reported numerous trees were blown down with power outages in Hazard. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $20,000 | Powerlines were blown down on Typo Road. |
| February 2018 | Flood | Hazard | $15,000 | A water rescue had to be performed in Bonnyman on Typo Road. Four individuals and pets were trapped inside a home after it had become surrounded by 4 feet of water after First Creek overtopped its banks. A water rescue also had to be performed on Cherokee Hills Road in Hazard after a man drove his car into the north fork of the swollen Kentucky River. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $15,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down in Hazard. |
| October 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $15,000 | Strong winds produced damage at the Hazard Technical College. Winds ripped a brick wall from one end of a building. An emptied truck trailer in the parking lot was also blown over and it slid into a bull dozer producing damage. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $10,000 | Numerous trees were blown down in the Hazard and Viper areas. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $10,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down near Glomawr. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $10,000 | Trees down near 1166 and Route 7 intersection. Also near Route 7 and Route 15 intersection. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $10,000 | Falling tree smashed a trailer. Numerous trees down in town. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $10,000 | Power poles, power lines, and trees were down. |
| February 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $8,000 | Both trees and powerlines were blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $7,000 | One tree and several power lines were blown down. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $7,000 | Several trees were blown down within a 4 mile radius around the water plant. |
| May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $5,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts blew down trees in Hazard. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $5,000 | Trees fell on a structure in Combs. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $5,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were down. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $4,000 | Numerous reports of trees and power lines down throughout Perry County, including within the city limits of Hazard. |
| January 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $4,000 | Trees were blown down onto Couchtown Road by wind gusts estimated at 61 mph. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $3,000 | Large branches were broken off of trees by thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $3,000 | Three trees were blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts on county roads just north of Hazard. |
| April 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $3,000 | no account filed |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Large limbs were blown down in the community of Diablock. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Two trees were blown down in the Big Creek area. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Large limbs down on Christopher Road. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Large tree limbs blown down onto power lines in multiple locations in and near Hazard. |
| August 2001 | Flash Flood | Hazard | $2,000 | Heavy rains brought flash flooding to the area. High water caused the closure of Buffalo Run Road near Highway 1096. Homes along Big Creek were being evacuated due to flooding. Homes along Highway 1096 from Buffalo Run Road to Highway 80 were affected. No injuries were reported. |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Trees were blown down onto power lines. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $2,000 | Trees and power lines down. |
| March 2015 | Flood | Hazard | $1,000 | A portion of Main Street in Hazard was flooded. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $1,000 | A tree was blown down along Hwy 451 west of Hazard. |
| February 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $1,000 | A tree was blown down on Brown Creek Road near Hwy 451 and the Hal Rogers Parkway at mile marker 56. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $1,000 | Dispatch reported that a tree was blown down along Combs Rd in Hazard. |
| September 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $1,000 | A tree was blown down on KY 2021 near Willard. |
| March 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $1,000 | A tree was blown down on Route 476 near Rowdy. |
| February 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | $100 | A Window was blown out of the Masonic Lodge in Hazard. Papers were sucked out of file cabinets. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | Perry County dispatch reported a tree down on KY-451 (Town Mountain Road), just before the intersection with Messer Branch Road on the southwest side of Hazard. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Hazard | - | Social media pictures show quarter sized hailstones in someone's hand and videos of small hail piles on Gormon Hallow in Hazard. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A tree was blown down onto Town Mountain Road, KY-452, just within the city limits of Hazard. |
| February 2019 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | Department of Highway officials reported a mudslide on North Main Street in Hazard. This caused trees and mud to cover the roadway as the hillside continued to give way. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A tree was blown down in Hazard. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | Trees were blown down. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A large tree limb was blown down and onto a vehicle in downtown Hazard. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A tree was blown down and onto a house near the old Hazard High School. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A tree was blown down just north of Hazard along Hwy 476 between mile markers 16 and 17. |
| February 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | Trees were blown down on roads on Raccoon Creek and Glomawr. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | A three foot diameter beech tree was twisted and its top was ripped off. The top was deposited 180 yards away. This occurred near the intersection of Hwy's 15 and 80. |
| August 2013 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | The twenty four hour rainfall total from was 2.2 inches. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | Trees were blown down at Chimney Rock. |
| August 2012 | Hail | Hazard | - | Hail lasted for about a half hour near Cardinal Chevrolet. |
| August 2012 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | Two and ninety seven hundredths of an inch of rain fell in Hazard between 6 and 8 pm. |
| August 2012 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | Two and eighteen hundredths of an inch of rain fell near Hazard between 6 and 8 pm. |
| February 2011 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | Heavy rain caused a landslide on Hwy 80 near the junction of Hwy 476 near Hazard. |
| June 2011 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | A volunteer weather observer reported that 3.05 inches of rain had fallen in Hazard since 7 am. |
| July 2009 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | This was an automated report. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain fell in Hazard. |
| September 2009 | Heavy Rain | Hazard | - | Heavy rain triggered a rock and mudslide on State Road 80 one mile east of the intersection of State Road 15. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hazard | - | Four to five large trees down 1 mile east of Grapevine. |
Newspapers printed here
5,299 digitised pages2 papers published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 826 issues, 5,299 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.
| Newspaper | Published |
|---|---|
| The Hazard Herald | 1911 to 1975 |
| The Hazard Leader | 192? to 19?? |
What the paper printed
17,801 wordsFront pages of the local paper, read from the Library of Congress scans: 8 issues spread across its run from 1911 to 1928, 17,801 words in total. Each is reproduced on its own page, exactly as the recogniser returned it.
These pages read less well than anything else here, and the number is worth stating: about three words in four come through cleanly, against nine in ten for the building records. An 1896 broadsheet sets eight-point type in seven columns on microfilm, which is the hardest thing in this archive to read by machine. We tested our own recognisers against the Library's and they were not better, so the Library's text is what appears, with the wholly unreadable columns removed. Read it as a guide to what the paper covered, and follow the link to the scan before quoting anything.
| Issue | Paper | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1911-06-29 | The Hazard Herald | 454 words |
| 1911-08-10 | The Hazard Herald | 2,767 words |
| 1911-09-21 | The Hazard Herald | 3,080 words |
| 1911-10-26 | The Hazard Herald | 1,931 words |
| 1911-12-21 | The Hazard Herald | 1,716 words |
| 1928-05-11 | The Hazard Herald | 1,488 words |
| 1921-07-07 | The Hazard Leader | 5,647 words |
| 1927-06-02 | The Hazard Leader | 718 words |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lothair | 0.8 miles | 16 | |
| Woodland Park | 0.8 miles | 16 | |
| Walkertown | 1.0 miles | 16 | |
| Allais | 1.3 miles | 16 | |
| Combs | 1.6 miles | 16 | |
| Christopher | 1.6 miles | 16 | |
| Hilton | 1.7 miles | 16 | |
| Diablock | 1.8 miles | 16 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Hazard | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1144366 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 512617. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.







