The City of Nicholasville

What The City of Nicholasville does

The City of Nicholasville is a municipal government entity operating under a commission-manager form of government in Jessamine County, Kentucky, serving approximately 32,500 residents — making it the 10th-largest city in the state and one of its fastest-growing (population up over 55% since 2000). The city delivers a comprehensive portfolio of municipal services through operating departments including Nicholasville Utilities (electric distribution to ~6,800 customers purchased wholesale from Kentucky Utilities, water treatment and distribution to ~14,500 retail customers at 7 MGD capacity, and wastewater treatment at 7 MGD capacity following a $21M 2022 expansion), Nicholasville Police Department (72 sworn officers in a new 26,000 sq ft facility opened 2022), Nicholasville Fire Department (multiple stations with a 107-ft Pierce Ascendant ladder truck), the jointly operated Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation system (466 acres), Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement, Tax Administration, and Maple Grove Cemetery. Additional offerings include fare-free Bluegrass RIDE public transit, the Entertainment Destination Center downtown program, the $500K ARPA-funded Small Business Property Incentive Grant Program, and the Jeannette Industrial Park.

The business model is fundamentally tax-and-fee funded rather than commercial: revenue derives from property taxes, occupational license fees (1% net profits / 1.5% payroll), insurance premium taxes (10%), transient room taxes (3%), and utility charges to residents and businesses within city limits. The city has no parent organization and is governed by an elected Mayor (Alex Carter, in office since January 2023) and four City Commissioners, with capital projects financed through 20-year municipal bonds (e.g., the $17M Municipal Center) supplemented by federal grants including approximately $8M in American Rescue Plan Act funding and $2M in HUD funding. Distribution to residents occurs through City Hall walk-in services, department offices (Police, Fire, Utilities, Code Enforcement, Parks, Planning/Zoning, Cemetery), an online utility payment portal (AuthorityPay), the service-request system, fare-free transit, and active digital outreach via the city website, social media, and the City Notes interview series on YouTube. Major capital programs underway include a $17M Municipal Center (groundbreaking November 2025, completion mid-2027), a $11M joint Community Recreation Center at John Preece Park, Fire Station 5 on the west side (land acquired late 2024), and a 91-acre Phase 3 expansion of the Jeannette Industrial Park.

Name

The City of Nicholasville

Legal name

The City of Nicholasville

Website

https://nicholasville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1834

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The City of Nicholasville is a Kentucky municipal government delivering utilities (electric, water, wastewater), public safety, parks and recreation, planning, and tax services to approximately 32,500 residents in Jessamine County, funded by taxes and utility fees rather than commercial revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Fire Protection (92216)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Local Transportation, Parking & Mobility Administration (BPAIACAM), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public utilities
• Public safety services
• Parks and recreation
• Urban planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Nicholasville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The City of Nicholasville is a municipal government that provides essential public services to its residents and businesses. Core offerings include utility services (electric distribution, water treatment and distribution, and wastewater treatment), public safety services (police and fire protection), parks and recreation programs, planning and zoning, code enforcement, tax collection, public transit, and cemetery management. The city also supports economic development through programs like the Small Business Property Incentive Grant Program and operates the Entertainment Destination Center for downtown hospitality.

Product overview

The City of Nicholasville provides a comprehensive suite of municipal services and infrastructure for its residents. The city's core offerings include utility services (electric distribution to 6,800 customers, water treatment serving 14,500 customers with 7 MGD capacity, and wastewater treatment with 7 MGD capacity), public safety through the Police Department (72 officers, new 26,000 sq ft facility) and Fire Department (multiple stations, 107ft ladder truck), and parks/recreation through the joint Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks & Recreation system (466 acres across multiple parks). Key infrastructure projects include the new 38,865 sq ft Municipal Center (completion summer 2027) and a 59,000 sq ft Community Recreation Center at John Preece Park ($11-12M joint city-county project). Additional services include fare-free public transit (Bluegrass RIDE), economic development (Jeannette Industrial Park), code enforcement, tax collection, stormwater management, and cemetery services. The city also operates special programs like the Entertainment Destination Center for downtown hospitality and Small Business Property Incentive Grants ($500K ARPA-funded).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nicholasville Utilities
• Electric Distribution Service
• Water Treatment and Distribution
• Wastewater Treatment System
• Nicholasville Police Department
• Nicholasville Fire Department
• Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation
• Community Recreation Center
• Bluegrass RIDE Public Transit
• City Tax Office
• Planning and Zoning Services
• Code Enforcement
• Streets and Stormwater Management
• Maple Grove Cemetery
• Entertainment Destination Center
• Small Business Property Incentive Grant Program
• Jeannette Industrial Park
• Nicholasville Utilities Outage Reporting System & Map
• City Notes Interview Series
• Nicholasville Municipal Center
• NFL Turf Field at John Preece Park Athletic Facility

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Brett ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 19 November 2025Brett Construction is the general contractor for the new Municipal Center project. They broke ground on the facility on November 19, 2025, with completion targeted for mid-2027.
• Jessamine County Fiscal CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNicholasville and Jessamine County Fiscal Court operate as close partners on major initiatives including the $11 million Community Recreation Center (split equally), parks and recreation programs, and the joint acquisition of Lone Oak Country Club and land for park expansion. The partnership has led to a 150% increase in public recreation space across the county.
• New Orleans SaintsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerThe New Orleans Saints NFL team donated the Caesars Superdome turf from the previous season to the community. This was the first time this donation was awarded to a Kentucky community. The turf was used to create football and soccer fields at John Preece Park Athletic Facility, with extra turf allocated for high school softball and youth baseball fields.
• Jessamine County Economic Development Authority (JEDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe city collaborates with the Jessamine County Joint Economic Development Authority (JEDA) to attract new business and industry, support existing companies, and assist entrepreneurs. JEDA manages the Jeanette Farm Industrial Park, and the city recently secured $2 million in federal HUD funding through Congressman Andy Barr for phase three acquisition of 91 acres adjacent to the industrial park.
• Norfolk Southern RailroadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorfolk Southern Railroad provided grant funding for the Nicholasville Police Department's drone program. The drone program provides aerial support during missing persons searches, drug investigations, and tactical operations.
• Kentucky UtilitiescoreTechnology or IntegrationNicholasville Utilities' electric department purchases wholesale power from Kentucky Utilities and distributes it to approximately 6,800 customers through the utility's transmission and distribution system.
• Brandstetter Carroll Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBrandstetter Carroll Inc. is the architect and designer of the new 38,865-square-foot Municipal Center. The firm worked with the city on design modifications to keep costs manageable while maximizing the facility's features.
• Jessamine County Tourism Commission (Visit Jessamine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe city partners with the Jessamine County Tourism Commission on initiatives including the Performance Park Concert Series, downtown events, murals, and the Entertainment Destination Center. The commission also supports the city's tourism and economic development goals.
• Anat RonenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned artist Anat Ronen completed large-scale murals in downtown Nicholasville including a river fish mural, butterfly mural, and horse mural. The project was commissioned by the Jessamine County Tourism Commission, Jessamine County Fiscal Court, and the City of Nicholasville.
• Turf AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurf Alliance, a sports construction company, facilitated the application for the New Orleans Saints Superdome turf donation for use at John Preece Park Athletic Facility, the first time this donation was awarded to a Kentucky community.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Richmond, Kentucky: Richmond is a Kentucky city of approximately 36,000 residents with a similar mid-size municipal structure including utility services, police/fire, and parks/recreation. Comparable in scale, demographics, and service mix to Nicholasville.
• City of Independence, Kentucky: Independence is a Northern Kentucky city with comparable population size and similar suburban-to-metro dynamic. Useful peer for benchmarking similar utility and public safety operations.
• City of Covington, Kentucky: Covington is a Kentucky city of comparable size offering similar municipal services with a focus on urban redevelopment. Relevant peer for parks/recreation programming and code enforcement comparison.
• City of Florence, Kentucky: Florence is a Northern Kentucky city of approximately 32,000 residents offering comparable municipal services. Similar population size and urban-suburban dynamic near a larger metro (Cincinnati) make it a strong scale peer.
• City of Georgetown, Kentucky: Georgetown is a similarly sized Bluegrass region city (~40,000 pop) experiencing rapid Toyota-driven growth, providing comparable full-suite municipal services including utilities, public safety, and parks. Highly relevant peer given overlapping geography and growth profile.
• City of Shelbyville, Kentucky: Shelbyville is a Kentucky city providing similar municipal services to a comparable population base. Relevant peer for utility operations and mid-size municipal service delivery comparison.

Others

• Kentucky League of Cities: Kentucky League of Cities is the statewide municipal association providing services, advocacy, and resources to Kentucky cities like Nicholasville. Acts as an enabling organization rather than a competitor, but is the central comparable entity for benchmarking municipal operations statewide.

Broad incumbents

• City of Bowling Green, Kentucky: Bowling Green is a larger Kentucky city with similar full-service municipal structure including its own utilities, parks, and public safety. Functions as a broader incumbent peer for service-mix comparison.
• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government: Lexington is the larger Kentucky metro whose urban county government provides all of the same municipal services at much greater scale. Operates as the broader incumbent whose growth spillover directly drives Nicholasville's expansion.

Regional players

• City of Versailles, Kentucky: Versailles is a smaller neighboring Bluegrass region city in Woodford County offering comparable municipal services but at a smaller scale. Useful as a regional adjacency peer given shared Bluegrass region dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofnich
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cityofnicholasville
• Facebookfacebook.com/NicholasvilleKY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-nicholasville
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofnicholasville

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The City of Nicholasville