Kentucky by the numbers
A decision-oriented profile: what it costs to live here, what the job market looks like, and how it stacks up against where you are now. Every figure identifies its source and vintage.
Compare Kentucky with where you live now
See how far your income would go here versus your current state, adjusted for local prices.
Compare your income in Kentucky →The bottom line on Kentucky
The cost-of-living picture
Overall prices in Kentucky run at 90.2 on the BEA index, where 100 is the US average — among the most affordable states in the country. That puts it 10% below the national level, the 12th-cheapest state of 51. The component furthest from the national level is housing rents, at 64.3 — 36% below the national norm.
Housing
The typical renter pays $967 a month — 32% below the national median of $1,413, the 46th-highest rent in the country. Buying is a bigger gap: the median home is worth $205,600, 38% below the national median. 68.3% of homes are owner-occupied, making it an ownership-heavy state. The statewide median gross-rent-to-income ratio is 28.1%, below the commonly used 30% cost-burden threshold. Owner-occupied homes report median real estate taxes of $1,544 a year; that figure is context for owners, not a household-specific tax quote.
Do paychecks keep up with prices?
Median household income is $63,726, the 47th-highest of 51 states. But income only matters relative to prices: adjusted for local costs, that is worth $70,650 in national-average terms. Its rank barely moves after adjusting for costs, so pay and prices here are broadly in step.
The tax trade-off
Income is taxed through a single flat rate, topping out at 3.50%. Combined sales tax averages 6.00%. These headline rates do not by themselves measure a household's total tax burden. (Tax figures are hand-verified from the Tax Foundation and dated on the page below.)
The job market
Unemployment stands at 4.7% (July 2026), 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 4.1%. That is a looser labor market than the national picture. It is also the one figure here that refreshes monthly, rather than annually.
Every figure above is drawn from the published data on this page. Missing values are never modeled or filled in.
What it costs to live here
Price level by component, 100 = US average. Higher means more expensive than the national average.
| Component | Kentucky | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.2 | −9.8% |
| Housing rents | 64.3 | −35.7% |
| Goods | 96.0 | −4.0% |
| Utilities | 75.3 | −24.7% |
| Other services | 97.3 | −2.7% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Housing & income (ACS)
| Median gross rent | $967/mo ±$5 |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $205,600 ±$1,096 |
| Median household income | $63,726/yr ±$429 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% |
| Median rent as % of income | 28.1% ±0.3% |
| Median owner costs as % of income | 15.5% ±0.2% |
| Median real estate taxes paid | $1,544/yr ±$10 |
| Median taxes ÷ median home value | 0.75% US 0.94% |
| Median home value ÷ median household income | 3.2× US 4.1× |
The ± values are Census 90% margins of error. Property-tax figures cover owner-occupied homes and are not estimates for a particular property. The two ratio rows divide one statewide median by another: a quick screen of the tax and price burden, not a rate any household pays.
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
Everyday costs in dollars
The price index above is relative. These are the actual dollar figures behind it: rent by home size, energy bills, and what residents spend per person each year.
Rent by number of bedrooms
| Home size | Kentucky | US | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $732/mo ±$31 | $1,248/mo | −41.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $799/mo ±$11 | $1,235/mo | −35.3% |
| 2 bedrooms | $968/mo ±$7 | $1,407/mo | −31.2% |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,112/mo ±$11 | $1,584/mo | −29.8% |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,314/mo ±$35 | $1,957/mo | −32.9% |
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (summary file) · ACS5 · 2020–2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
Home energy bills
Residential customers, 2024. The bill reflects both the price and how much electricity homes use, which depends heavily on climate and heating fuel. In Kentucky, 55% of homes heat mainly with electricity, 35% with piped gas. Why bills differ by state →
EIA residential electricity (Table 5A) and natural gas prices · EIA-861 · 2024 · rel. October 7, 2025 · Official data
What residents spend per person
| Category | Kentucky | US | vs US | Since 2019 (current dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All consumer spending | $51,641 | $61,062 | −15.4% | +40.6% |
| Housing and utilities | $8,086 | $11,159 | −27.5% | +36.6% |
| Health care services | $10,804 | $10,442 | +3.5% | +50.3% |
| Groceries | $4,487 | $4,459 | +0.6% | +31.7% |
| Restaurants and hotels | $3,479 | $4,377 | −20.5% | +47.4% |
| Financial services and insurance | $3,456 | $4,825 | −28.4% | +31.2% |
| Vehicles and parts | $2,188 | $2,240 | −2.3% | +36.5% |
| Gasoline and other energy goods | $1,424 | $1,225 | +16.2% | +17.8% |
| Transportation services | $1,246 | $2,058 | −39.5% | +44.5% |
| Recreation services | $1,766 | $2,354 | −25.0% | +49.2% |
| Clothing and footwear | $1,266 | $1,638 | −22.7% | +36.0% |
Annual spending per resident, 2025, in current dollars. Higher spending can reflect higher prices, higher incomes, or both. Housing includes the rent BEA estimates owners would pay; health care covers services, not prescriptions.
BEA Personal Consumption Expenditures by State · SAPCE2 · 2025 · rel. September 30, 2026 · Official data
What salary you need in Kentucky
Pre-tax salary in Kentucky with the same purchasing power as an income earned at US-average prices. Calculated as income × 0.902 (the state's price level as a decimal).
| Income at US-average prices | Equivalent in Kentucky | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,080 | −$3,920 |
| $60,000 | $54,120 | −$5,880 |
| $80,000 | $72,160 | −$7,840 |
| $100,000 | $90,200 | −$9,800 |
| $150,000 | $135,300 | −$14,700 |
| $200,000 | $180,400 | −$19,600 |
Rent check: paying the median rent of $967/mo at no more than 30% of income takes about $38,680 a year — less than the statewide median household income of $63,726.
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Have a specific offer? Compare it against your current state →
What common jobs pay in Kentucky
Median annual wage (May 2025) for 10 occupations, and the same wage restated at national-average prices. The rank compares that cost-adjusted wage across every state with a published estimate.
| Occupation | Median wage | vs US median | Cost-adjusted | Real-pay rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $81,040 | −16.9% | $89,845 | 37 of 51 |
| Software Developers | $109,010 | −19.8% | $120,854 | 43 of 50 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,610 | −5.3% | $67,195 | 26 of 51 |
| Electricians | $59,720 | −5.5% | $66,208 | 35 of 51 |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,340 | −3.9% | $62,461 | 12 of 51 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,270 | −10.1% | $83,448 | 28 of 51 |
| Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $60,490 | −20.6% | $67,062 | 39 of 51 |
| Pharmacists | $136,530 | −3.1% | $151,364 | 19 of 51 |
| Dental Hygienists | $78,830 | −19.6% | $87,395 | 44 of 50 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers | $51,470 | −4.2% | $57,062 | 26 of 51 |
Green means the Kentucky median pays more than the national median for that job. Medians cover all industries and experience levels.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · OEWS · May 2025 · rel. May 15, 2026 · Official data
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
The job market
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in Kentucky is 4.7% as of July 2026 (preliminary). This is the one figure here that updates monthly.
Minimum wage: $7.25 an hour (the federal minimum applies), about $15,080 for a full-time year of 2,080 hours. State rate equals the federal rate (adopted by reference). Can it pay the rent? →
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics · LAUS · July 2026 · rel. Aug. 21, 2026 · Official data
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — State Minimum Wage Laws / Consolidated State Minimum Wage Update Table · Min. wage · 2026 · rel. DOL table effective 2026-07-01 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-10-24
Who lives in Kentucky, and who is moving
Kentucky had 4,606,864 residents on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since July 1, 2020 (+98,593 people) against 3.1% for the US. That is the 29th-fastest growth of 51.
Data table
| Year | Kentucky |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.51M |
| 2021 | 4.51M |
| 2022 | 4.52M |
| 2023 | 4.55M |
| 2024 | 4.58M |
| 2025 | 4.61M |
Net migration counts July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2025. Census attributes a small residual to no component, so the three parts may not add exactly to the change.
US Census Bureau Population Estimates · PEP · Vintage 2025 · rel. January 27, 2026 · Official data
Where movers come from and go (2024)
Moved here from
- Ohio 14,376 ±3,608
- Tennessee 14,181 ±4,150
- Indiana 7,756 ±1,564
- Florida 7,326 ±1,925
- California 6,856 ±2,902
In 2024, about 95,793 people living in Kentucky had lived in another state a year earlier, and about 25,455 had lived abroad. Survey estimates; ± values are 90% margins of error.
Census Bureau State-to-State Migration Flows · Migration · 2024 · rel. January 21, 2026 · Official data
Where Americans are moving, and what they trade →
Who lives here
| Measure | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 yrs | 38.9 yrs |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 35.7% |
| Per capita income | $35,821 | $44,673 |
| Below the poverty line | 16.1% | 12.5% |
| No health insurance | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Households with broadband | 88.6% | 91.0% |
| Workers who work from home | 10.2% | 15.1% |
| Average commute (one way) | 24.0 min | 26.4 min |
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (summary file) · ACS5 · 2020–2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
How much prices vary within Kentucky
BEA metro price levels for metropolitan areas that include part of Kentucky. Cross-state metros may appear in more than one state.
Show all 9 metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Housing rents | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah, KY-IL | 86.1 | 48.8 | −13.9% |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 88.4 | 51.3 | −11.6% |
| Owensboro, KY | 88.6 | 55.7 | −11.4% |
| Bowling Green, KY | 90.2 | 63.4 | −9.8% |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 90.6 | 66.7 | −9.4% |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 90.9 | 73.8 | −9.1% |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 92.9 | 77.1 | −7.1% |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 93.1 | 78.6 | −6.9% |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 95.4 | 87.6 | −4.6% |
BEA Regional Price Parities by metro area · MARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
How the statewide price level has changed
BEA Regional Price Parity over time. This shows prices relative to the US average in each year; it is not a consumer-price inflation series.
Data table
| Year | Kentucky |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 89.8 |
| 2009 | 88.5 |
| 2010 | 90.4 |
| 2011 | 90.5 |
| 2012 | 90.7 |
| 2013 | 90.9 |
| 2014 | 91.1 |
| 2015 | 90.7 |
| 2016 | 90.7 |
| 2017 | 90.0 |
| 2018 | 89.1 |
| 2019 | 89.6 |
| 2020 | 89.1 |
| 2021 | 89.2 |
| 2022 | 89.4 |
| 2023 | 89.9 |
| 2024 | 90.2 |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Housing and jobs over complete calendar years
Home prices (FHFA index) · +51.4% since 2020
Home prices in Kentucky are up 108% since 2005 (FHFA index). That outpaces the national 95% — home values here have grown faster than the country as a whole.
Data table
| Year | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 276 | 362 |
| 2006 | 284 | 379 |
| 2007 | 290 | 375 |
| 2008 | 288 | 348 |
| 2009 | 285 | 330 |
| 2010 | 285 | 324 |
| 2011 | 282 | 313 |
| 2012 | 284 | 315 |
| 2013 | 283 | 328 |
| 2014 | 290 | 345 |
| 2015 | 301 | 362 |
| 2016 | 313 | 382 |
| 2017 | 327 | 403 |
| 2018 | 340 | 422 |
| 2019 | 357 | 443 |
| 2020 | 379 | 471 |
| 2021 | 437 | 556 |
| 2022 | 485 | 616 |
| 2023 | 515 | 648 |
| 2024 | 548 | 683 |
| 2025 | 574 | 707 |
Unemployment rate
The annual unemployment rate peaked at 10.6% in 2009; the latest complete-year average is 4.8% for 2024 — a long recovery from that high.
Data table
| Year | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| 2007 | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| 2009 | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| 2011 | 9.4% | 8.9% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | 7.4% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | 6.2% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | 4.9% |
| 2017 | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | 3.9% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | 3.7% |
| 2020 | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 4.5% | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 4% | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | 4% |
FRED (FHFA House Price Index & state unemployment) · FRED · home prices through 2025, unemployment through 2024 · rel. continuously updated · Official data
What the weather is like
Statewide averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA. They average mountains, coasts, and cities together, so a particular city can run noticeably warmer or cooler.
NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance (statewide) · nClimDiv · 1991–2020 average · rel. monthly · Official data
Crime in Kentucky
Kentucky recorded an estimated 212.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 35% below the national rate of 327.6. That is the 9th-lowest rate of 51. In 2020, the rate was 259.1.
FBI estimates for the whole state population, including areas whose police agencies did not report every month. Agencies serving 100.0% of residents submitted data in 2025. Violent crime counts murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault; property crime counts burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Rates vary widely between cities and neighborhoods.
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting estimates (Crime Data Explorer) · CIUS · 2025 · rel. August 2026 · Official data
What you'd pay in tax
| Individual income tax | 3.50% top rate (flat) |
|---|---|
| Sales tax (state) | 6.00% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 6.00% |
Tax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets · Income · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 · Sales · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Kentucky vs neighboring states
Every state that borders Kentucky, sorted by overall price level. Real income is median household income divided by the price level.
| State | Price level | Median rent | Median home | Real income | Unemployment | Top income tax | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 101.1 | $1,579 | $383,700 | $92,156 | 3.7% | 5.75% | vs → |
| Illinois | 100.0 | $1,274 | $263,300 | $83,390 | 4.9% | 4.95% | vs → |
| Indiana | 93.3 | $1,062 | $218,200 | $77,124 | 3.3% | 2.95% | vs → |
| Ohio | 92.8 | $1,034 | $214,800 | $76,928 | 3.4% | 2.75% | vs → |
| Tennessee | 91.9 | $1,189 | $286,700 | $75,729 | 3.4% | None | vs → |
| Missouri | 90.8 | $1,033 | $230,300 | $77,866 | 3.6% | 4.70% | vs → |
| Kentucky | 90.2 | $967 | $205,600 | $70,650 | 4.7% | 3.50% | |
| West Virginia | 89.5 | $872 | $162,600 | $66,601 | 4.1% | 4.82% | vs → |
Sources: BEA RPP 2024, Census ACS 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, Tax Foundation 2026.
Where Kentucky ranks
Kentucky cost of living: common questions
Is Kentucky expensive to live in?
Kentucky's overall price level is 90.2 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US = 100), 9.8% below the national average. It ranks 40 of 51 from most to least expensive. Housing rents sit at 64.3, which is usually what separates expensive states from cheap ones.
What salary in Kentucky equals $100,000 at national-average prices?
About $90,200. Multiply a national-average income by Kentucky's price level as a decimal (0.902) to get the salary with the same pre-tax purchasing power. That figure ignores taxes and your own housing situation, which can move the answer either way.
How much income do you need to afford the median rent in Kentucky?
Median gross rent in Kentucky is $967 a month. Keeping rent at or below the common 30% guideline takes an annual income of about $38,680, compared with a statewide median household income of $63,726. Rents in the metro you are targeting may be higher or lower than the statewide median.
Does Kentucky have a state income tax?
Kentucky has a flat income tax with a top rate of 3.50% for tax year 2026. The combined state-and-local sales tax averages 6.00%, of which the statewide rate is 6.00%. Owners report median real estate taxes of $1,544 a year.
Is Kentucky's population growing?
Kentucky had 4,606,864 residents on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% from July 1, 2020 (US: +3.1%). Over that period, net moves from other states added about 34,789 people and net international migration added about 81,670, according to Census population estimates.
How much is the average electric bill in Kentucky?
Residential customers in Kentucky paid an average of $134 a month for electricity in 2024, against $142 nationally. They used about 1,047 kWh a month at 12.79¢ per kWh (US: 863 kWh at 16.48¢), according to the EIA.
What is the minimum wage in Kentucky?
Kentucky follows the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour, about $15,080 for a full-time year. State rate equals the federal rate (adopted by reference). Some cities and counties set higher local minimums.
What is the weather like in Kentucky?
Averaged across the state for 1991–2020, Kentucky's July high is 87.0°F and its January low is 25.4°F, with an annual mean of 56.3°F and 50.4 inches of precipitation a year. The 2016–2025 average was 57.5°F. Statewide averages blend regions, so check the specific city.
How does crime in Kentucky compare with other states?
The FBI estimates 212.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in Kentucky for 2025 (US: 327.6), the 9th-lowest rate of 51, and 1,261.7 property crimes per 100,000 (US: 1,534.8). Crime is concentrated in particular places, so city and neighborhood figures matter more than the statewide rate.
How fast have home prices risen in Kentucky?
The FHFA house price index for Kentucky rose 51.4% from 2020 to 2025, compared with 50.1% for the United States. The index follows repeated sales and refinance appraisals of the same single-family homes, so it measures price change rather than the price of a typical home.
Sources for every figure on this page
BEA Regional Price Parities ·
SARPP· 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official dataBEA Regional Price Parities by metro area ·
MARPP· 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official dataBLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics ·
LAUS· July 2026 · rel. Aug. 21, 2026 · Official dataUS Census ACS 5-Year Estimates ·
ACS5· 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official dataFRED (FHFA House Price Index & state unemployment) ·
FRED· home prices through 2025, unemployment through 2024 · rel. continuously updated · Official dataUS Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (summary file) ·
ACS5· 2020–2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official dataUS Census Bureau Population Estimates ·
PEP· Vintage 2025 · rel. January 27, 2026 · Official dataCensus Bureau State-to-State Migration Flows ·
Migration· 2024 · rel. January 21, 2026 · Official dataBEA Personal Consumption Expenditures by State ·
SAPCE2· 2025 · rel. September 30, 2026 · Official dataEIA residential electricity (Table 5A) and natural gas prices ·
EIA-861· 2024 · rel. October 7, 2025 · Official dataNOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance (statewide) ·
nClimDiv· 1991–2020 average · rel. monthly · Official dataU.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — State Minimum Wage Laws / Consolidated State Minimum Wage Update Table ·
Min. wage· 2026 · rel. DOL table effective 2026-07-01 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-10-24FBI Uniform Crime Reporting estimates (Crime Data Explorer) ·
CIUS· 2025 · rel. August 2026 · Official dataTax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets ·
Income· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 ·
Sales· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Occupation wages are available for selected roles in the salary comparison. See the methodology →