Karst topography creates rolling hills and sinkholes around this south-central Kentucky city of 72,000, where Mammoth Cave proximity attracts tourists to supplement the local economy. Four seasons unfold with Southern characteristics—mild winters averaging 32°F in January, humid summers reaching the upper 80s—and 50 inches of annual rainfall. Western Kentucky University's 17,000 students add college-town energy to this regional commercial center. The city sits along I-65 between Nashville and Louisville, making it a transportation and distribution hub.
