The population of Middlesboro is about ten thousand as of the 2010 census. The city is located in Bell County, Kentucky, United States. Its main thoroughfare is U.S. 25E, which also connects to Cumberland Gap in Tennessee. The city has no water access, though Fern Lake, a small lake in the middle of the state, is nearby. Middlesboro is also home to the oldest golf course in the country.
The historic downtown district of Middlesboro is located around Cumberland Avenue. A non-profit organization known as Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc., has been responsible for revitalizing downtown since 2004. The organization has helped restore Fountain Square and a farmer's market, updated the city's signage, and obtained grants for new plantings. The city's streets are generally named after British peerages.
The median household income in Middlesboro is about $25,488, which is lower than the state median of $53,932. Residents are mainly employed in the service industry, though one-third report working in a blue-collar job. A high percentage of Middlesboro residents (62%) earned a bachelor's degree or higher. The median age for residents is twenty-five years old.
In 1888, Middlesboro was platted. The town was supposedly named after an English town, the hometown of the owners of the English Hotel. Its original development included the Middlesboro Country Club, which is the oldest continuously-played golf course in the United States. A claim to fame is that Middlesboro was the home of ragtime music. The city has an historic ragtime festival in August each year.