Carter County, Kentucky
8 ZIP codes · Avg score 67/100 · Grade C · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Carter County: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
For most households in Carter County, the 8 tracked ZIP codes show adequate but uneven water quality.
How Carter County Compares
How Carter County Compares
Carter County scores 2 points below the Kentucky state average (69/100) and 6 points below the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Carter County, Kentucky
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,604, driven primarily by flood
70.7% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
↑ Worsening trendEPA violation counts by year across Carter County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 9 violations. Past 5 years: 25 total (25 health-based). Health-based violations are rising versus the prior 2-year window - worth closer monitoring.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,604
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
12,400 housing units in Carter County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Carter County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Carter County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Water systems serving Carter County
7 community water systems serving Carter County.
- B
- C
- C
- B
- B
- B
Show all 7 water systems
- B
Systems with the most violations in Carter County
5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
- C
- B
- B
- B
- B
All ZIP Codes in Carter County
8 ZIP codes tracked in Carter County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41164 | Olive Hill | 80 | B | 7 (3 health) | $103K |
| 2 | 41132 | Denton | 62 | C | 7 (6 health) | $102K |
| 3 | 41143 | Grayson | 62 | C | 8 (6 health) | $141K |
| 4 | 41146 | Hitchins | 62 | C | 7 (6 health) | — |
| 5 | 41128 | Carter | — | — | — | |
| 6 | 41142 | Grahn | — | — | — | |
| 7 | 41173 | Soldier | — | — | — | |
| 8 | 41181 | Willard | — | — | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Carter County
While many sites publish identical guide lists across every county they cover, the selection here changes by location - driven by the EPA, NSF, FEMA, and CDC datasets that describe the actual conditions documented for this jurisdiction in the federal record.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 70.7% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Carter County, Kentucky
Overview
Carter County in Kentucky covers 8 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (67/100) across 4 scored records.
4 of 4 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 7 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to Kentucky Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.