Harlan County, Kentucky
40 ZIP codes · Avg score 60/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
Covering 40 ZIP codes, Harlan County falls in the average tier for tap water safety — violations appear in a meaningful share of areas, and the data suggests quality depends heavily on which specific part of the county a household sits in.
How Harlan County Compares
How Harlan County Compares
Harlan County scores 1 points below the Kentucky state average (61/100) and 8 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Harlan 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: $1,276, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.372% avg pipe failure probability, 32% of ZIPs at high risk
66% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2023–2025)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Harlan County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2025 with 10 violations. Past 5 years: 22 total (22 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,276
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
15,327 housing units in Harlan 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 Harlan County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Harlan 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 with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Harlan County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cumberland Municipal Water Works | 2,843 | 22 |
| 2 | Black Mtn Utility/kenvir | 1,396 | 16 |
| 3 | Benham Water Plant | 855 | 16 |
| 4 | Lynch Water Works | 1,078 | 12 |
| 5 | BLACK MTN UTILITY/DAYHOIT | 1,954 | 10 |
16 total water systems serve Harlan County.
All ZIP Codes in Harlan County
40 ZIP codes tracked in Harlan County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40855 | Lynch | 82 | B | 11 (1 health) | $56K |
| 2 | 40807 | Benham | 79 | B | 4 (1 health) | $56K |
| 3 | 40823 | Cumberland | 78 | B | 1 | $76K |
| 4 | 40828 | Evarts | 76 | B | 6 (2 health) | $54K |
| 5 | 40815 | Cawood | 74 | B | 3 (1 health) | $66K |
| 6 | 40831 | Harlan | 65 | C | 0 | $107K |
| 7 | 40801 | Ages Brookside | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 8 | 40810 | Bledsoe | 63 | C | 0 | $64K |
| 9 | 40819 | Coldiron | 63 | C | 0 | $92K |
| 10 | 40829 | Grays Knob | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 11 | 40830 | Gulston | 63 | C | 0 | $52K |
| 12 | 40845 | Hulen | 63 | C | 0 | $99K |
| 13 | 40847 | Kenvir | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 14 | 40849 | Lejunior | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 15 | 40862 | Partridge | 63 | C | 0 | $86K |
| 16 | 40865 | Putney | 63 | C | 0 | $69K |
| 17 | 40870 | Totz | 63 | C | 0 | $129K |
| 18 | 40964 | Mary Alice | 63 | C | 0 | — |
| 19 | 40988 | Stoney Fork | 63 | C | 0 | $60K |
| 20 | 40806 | Baxter | 60 | C | 10 | $112K |
| 21 | 40820 | Cranks | 55 | C | 0 | $22K |
| 22 | 40824 | Dayhoit | 55 | C | 0 | $45K |
| 23 | 40873 | Wallins Creek | 55 | C | 0 | $87K |
| 24 | 40803 | Asher | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 25 | 40808 | Big Laurel | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 26 | 40816 | Chappell | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 27 | 40818 | Coalgood | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 28 | 40840 | Helton | 53 | D | 0 | $72K |
| 29 | 40843 | Holmes Mill | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 30 | 40858 | Mozelle | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 31 | 40863 | Pathfork | 53 | D | 0 | $53K |
| 32 | 40874 | Warbranch | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 33 | 40913 | Beverly | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 34 | 40927 | Closplint | 53 | D | 0 | $63K |
| 35 | 41735 | Delphia | 53 | D | 0 | $65K |
| 36 | 41777 | Yeaddiss | 53 | D | 0 | $69K |
| 37 | 41819 | Gordon | 53 | D | 0 | $63K |
| 38 | 41821 | Hallie | 53 | D | 0 | $113K |
| 39 | 41833 | Linefork | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 40 | 40854 | Loyall | 50 | D | 0 | $75K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Harlan County
Independent picks. EPA-grounded. Matched here.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 66% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Harlan County, Kentucky
Overview
Harlan County in Kentucky covers 40 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (60/100).
6 of 40 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 5 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to Kentucky water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.