Kentucky Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 120 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$793/mo
Average Home Value
$160,835
Average Owner Cost
$753/mo
County cost atlas
Kentucky housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
120
Avg rent
$793/mo
Owner cost
$753/mo
Avg score
67.6
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in Kentucky: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in Kentucky is $793 per month, which is 44% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within Kentucky, housing costs vary significantly by county. Boone County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,373 per month and a median home value of $277,300. Elliott County has the lowest reported median rent at $432 per month and a median home value of $123,500.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in Kentucky is $160,835, 52% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $56,863; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in Kentucky, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in Kentucky
How median rents are spread across 120 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All Kentucky Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | $1,000–$1,500$1,373/mo | $277,300 | $1,343/mo | 12.6 | 26.1% |
| Scott County | $1,000–$1,500$1,247/mo | $288,500 | $1,376/mo | 14.4 | 27.3% |
| Oldham County | $1,000–$1,500$1,219/mo | $393,100 | $1,696/mo | 11.3 | 27.7% |
| Fayette County | $1,000–$1,500$1,164/mo | $293,500 | $1,292/mo | 17.8 | 29.9% |
| Jefferson County | $1,000–$1,500$1,149/mo | $248,400 | $1,209/mo | 19.8 | 28.8% |
| Campbell County | $1,000–$1,500$1,145/mo | $252,000 | $1,256/mo | 18.9 | 29.6% |
| Woodford County | $1,000–$1,500$1,138/mo | $299,700 | $1,090/mo | 23.6 | 29.3% |
| Jessamine County | $1,000–$1,500$1,124/mo | $268,100 | $1,171/mo | 21.3 | 25.6% |
| Kenton County | $1,000–$1,500$1,069/mo | $244,400 | $1,288/mo | 20.9 | 27.3% |
| Christian County | $1,000–$1,500$1,040/mo | $173,600 | $859/mo | 38.9 | 28.3% |
| Shelby County | $1,000–$1,500$1,033/mo | $304,800 | $1,254/mo | 23.1 | 25.9% |
| Meade County | $1,000–$1,500$1,026/mo | $207,900 | $921/mo | 35.5 | 24.0% |
| Simpson County | $1,000–$1,500$1,012/mo | $229,400 | $961/mo | 34.0 | 27.1% |
| Nelson County | $1,000–$1,500$1,008/mo | $238,000 | $954/mo | 34.6 | 30.6% |
| Warren County | $1,000–$1,500$1,002/mo | $258,000 | $1,116/mo | 28.3 | 29.1% |
| Bullitt County | Under $1,000$987/mo | $247,200 | $1,177/mo | 27.2 | 27.3% |
| Spencer County | Under $1,000$987/mo | $330,000 | $1,506/mo | 21.6 | 28.8% |
| Hardin County | Under $1,000$971/mo | $225,800 | $994/mo | 34.6 | 23.9% |
| Franklin County | Under $1,000$967/mo | $216,600 | $992/mo | 35.0 | 27.3% |
| Clark County | Under $1,000$938/mo | $205,800 | $1,062/mo | 34.1 | 30.5% |
| Anderson County | Under $1,000$927/mo | $225,100 | $1,005/mo | 37.3 | 28.0% |
| Livingston County | Under $1,000$926/mo | $125,600 | $650/mo | 60.5 | 29.7% |
| Daviess County | Under $1,000$918/mo | $199,900 | $989/mo | 38.8 | 26.6% |
| Carroll County | Under $1,000$910/mo | $140,900 | $686/mo | 59.3 | 25.4% |
| McCracken County | Under $1,000$898/mo | $188,100 | $854/mo | 48.3 | 27.5% |
| Henry County | Under $1,000$895/mo | $197,900 | $966/mo | 42.0 | 34.2% |
| Madison County | Under $1,000$889/mo | $232,000 | $1,077/mo | 37.8 | 27.9% |
| Calloway County | Under $1,000$870/mo | $183,200 | $732/mo | 59.6 | 26.7% |
| Trimble County | Under $1,000$863/mo | $172,000 | $678/mo | 64.3 | 18.4% |
| Grant County | Under $1,000$862/mo | $209,500 | $823/mo | 53.7 | 23.7% |
| Greenup County | Under $1,000$860/mo | $134,000 | $735/mo | 60.4 | 26.4% |
| Larue County | Under $1,000$860/mo | $183,500 | $866/mo | 51.2 | 24.9% |
| Pike County | Under $1,000$858/mo | $112,000 | $561/mo | 72.4 | 28.8% |
| Todd County | Under $1,000$851/mo | $166,700 | $793/mo | 57.1 | 24.5% |
| Boyd County | Under $1,000$849/mo | $130,700 | $828/mo | 54.8 | 29.0% |
| Allen County | Under $1,000$844/mo | $192,300 | $708/mo | 64.4 | 27.6% |
| Hopkins County | Under $1,000$837/mo | $142,800 | $701/mo | 65.6 | 28.8% |
| Gallatin County | Under $1,000$832/mo | $178,200 | $783/mo | 60.1 | 23.1% |
| Mercer County | Under $1,000$831/mo | $202,300 | $935/mo | 50.1 | 23.3% |
| Montgomery County | Under $1,000$830/mo | $172,200 | $858/mo | 55.1 | 23.3% |
| Owen County | Under $1,000$830/mo | $168,700 | $744/mo | 63.1 | 25.8% |
| Rowan County | Under $1,000$825/mo | $161,800 | $707/mo | 66.5 | 27.7% |
| Bourbon County | Under $1,000$822/mo | $229,300 | $954/mo | 50.2 | 24.7% |
| Ballard County | Under $1,000$817/mo | $145,800 | $792/mo | 61.2 | 22.3% |
| Laurel County | Under $1,000$813/mo | $159,500 | $667/mo | 70.7 | 26.2% |
| Pulaski County | Under $1,000$803/mo | $166,900 | $674/mo | 71.3 | 30.0% |
| Trigg County | Under $1,000$803/mo | $207,700 | $843/mo | 59.1 | 29.0% |
| Marshall County | Under $1,000$798/mo | $173,800 | $818/mo | 61.2 | 30.6% |
| Perry County | Under $1,000$798/mo | $91,800 | $553/mo | 79.6 | 32.6% |
| Whitley County | Under $1,000$798/mo | $131,800 | $564/mo | 79.0 | 28.3% |
| Barren County | Under $1,000$796/mo | $178,000 | $810/mo | 62.1 | 28.6% |
| Garrard County | Under $1,000$794/mo | $204,900 | $895/mo | 56.6 | 29.3% |
| Pendleton County | Under $1,000$793/mo | $159,800 | $800/mo | 63.3 | 22.2% |
| Carlisle County | Under $1,000$792/mo | $120,400 | $641/mo | 75.0 | 23.1% |
| Union County | Under $1,000$790/mo | $104,500 | $665/mo | 73.6 | 23.1% |
| Webster County | Under $1,000$783/mo | $112,900 | $604/mo | 78.2 | 17.5% |
| Boyle County | Under $1,000$778/mo | $209,900 | $885/mo | 59.5 | 29.3% |
| Edmonson County | Under $1,000$778/mo | $160,300 | $530/mo | 83.3 | 22.7% |
| Henderson County | Under $1,000$777/mo | $171,900 | $890/mo | 59.2 | 28.0% |
| Graves County | Under $1,000$775/mo | $147,800 | $777/mo | 67.3 | 28.9% |
| Adair County | Under $1,000$771/mo | $150,800 | $577/mo | 81.7 | 29.2% |
| Caldwell County | Under $1,000$767/mo | $118,500 | $668/mo | 76.3 | 26.3% |
| Harrison County | Under $1,000$765/mo | $202,100 | $860/mo | 62.8 | 26.7% |
| Lawrence County | Under $1,000$760/mo | $111,700 | $572/mo | 83.3 | 29.0% |
| Bracken County | Under $1,000$756/mo | $125,000 | $852/mo | 64.3 | 22.9% |
| Knott County | Under $1,000$756/mo | $77,000 | $451/mo | 88.2 | 28.5% |
| Lewis County | Under $1,000$751/mo | $96,000 | $531/mo | 86.3 | 21.8% |
| Logan County | Under $1,000$751/mo | $164,900 | $828/mo | 66.3 | 26.8% |
| Lyon County | Under $1,000$747/mo | $189,500 | $885/mo | 62.8 | 24.1% |
| Powell County | Under $1,000$747/mo | $141,100 | $699/mo | 76.1 | 35.9% |
| Washington County | Under $1,000$744/mo | $179,200 | $787/mo | 69.9 | 30.8% |
| Carter County | Under $1,000$740/mo | $132,800 | $601/mo | 83.0 | 29.5% |
| Hancock County | Under $1,000$740/mo | $141,200 | $741/mo | 73.5 | 24.9% |
| Ohio County | Under $1,000$739/mo | $121,400 | $638/mo | 81.1 | 19.2% |
| Breckinridge County | Under $1,000$733/mo | $156,700 | $664/mo | 80.0 | 27.6% |
| Magoffin County | Under $1,000$730/mo | $89,000 | $461/mo | 90.2 | 36.2% |
| Nicholas County | Under $1,000$728/mo | $123,000 | $617/mo | 83.4 | 24.8% |
| Mason County | Under $1,000$727/mo | $161,500 | $723/mo | 76.3 | 26.2% |
| Wayne County | Under $1,000$727/mo | $135,700 | $519/mo | 88.8 | 25.2% |
| Marion County | Under $1,000$726/mo | $168,100 | $811/mo | 69.7 | 26.0% |
| Clay County | Under $1,000$724/mo | $90,700 | $470/mo | 90.5 | 37.7% |
| Hickman County | Under $1,000$718/mo | $115,700 | $584/mo | 86.3 | 20.9% |
| Muhlenberg County | Under $1,000$718/mo | $127,400 | $607/mo | 84.7 | 26.6% |
| Taylor County | Under $1,000$718/mo | $174,200 | $749/mo | 75.0 | 26.9% |
| Fleming County | Under $1,000$715/mo | $134,700 | $593/mo | 85.9 | 33.1% |
| Crittenden County | Under $1,000$714/mo | $127,300 | $528/mo | 89.7 | 17.4% |
| Estill County | Under $1,000$711/mo | $119,500 | $616/mo | 84.9 | 25.0% |
| Johnson County | Under $1,000$708/mo | $120,200 | $575/mo | 87.8 | 27.1% |
| Lincoln County | Under $1,000$698/mo | $147,300 | $652/mo | 83.3 | 27.0% |
| Hart County | Under $1,000$693/mo | $146,000 | $665/mo | 82.8 | 21.4% |
| Knox County | Under $1,000$681/mo | $118,700 | $477/mo | 93.6 | 28.8% |
| Russell County | Under $1,000$681/mo | $163,200 | $558/mo | 90.6 | 27.9% |
| Butler County | Under $1,000$679/mo | $111,100 | $583/mo | 89.1 | 25.8% |
| Harlan County | Under $1,000$678/mo | $73,700 | $460/mo | 94.2 | 29.4% |
| Rockcastle County | Under $1,000$676/mo | $123,600 | $478/mo | 93.8 | 24.9% |
| Menifee County | Under $1,000$675/mo | $125,800 | $452/mo | 94.5 | 29.1% |
| Floyd County | Under $1,000$672/mo | $98,700 | $543/mo | 91.9 | 26.4% |
| Casey County | Under $1,000$670/mo | $136,300 | $490/mo | 93.9 | 35.7% |
| Letcher County | Under $1,000$669/mo | $67,400 | $479/mo | 94.3 | 29.3% |
| Jackson County | Under $1,000$665/mo | $111,500 | $566/mo | 91.1 | 27.2% |
| Morgan County | Under $1,000$663/mo | $118,200 | $630/mo | 87.3 | 25.8% |
| Bath County | Under $1,000$659/mo | $129,800 | $805/mo | 74.8 | 23.1% |
| Grayson County | Under $1,000$658/mo | $164,600 | $646/mo | 86.3 | 22.4% |
| Monroe County | Under $1,000$657/mo | $115,900 | $634/mo | 87.3 | 26.2% |
| McLean County | Under $1,000$641/mo | $148,500 | $682/mo | 84.7 | 24.7% |
| Clinton County | Under $1,000$617/mo | $122,200 | $538/mo | 94.5 | 27.4% |
| Green County | Under $1,000$610/mo | $125,000 | $560/mo | 93.7 | 27.5% |
| Lee County | Under $1,000$603/mo | $83,900 | $479/mo | 97.0 | 33.9% |
| Bell County | Under $1,000$592/mo | $89,000 | $401/mo | 98.3 | 32.0% |
| Leslie County | Under $1,000$585/mo | $69,000 | $477/mo | 97.3 | 31.3% |
| Metcalfe County | Under $1,000$582/mo | $110,200 | $570/mo | 93.8 | 26.1% |
| McCreary County | Under $1,000$577/mo | $85,300 | $527/mo | 96.0 | 29.1% |
| Fulton County | Under $1,000$570/mo | $79,100 | $638/mo | 89.7 | 32.9% |
| Breathitt County | Under $1,000$548/mo | $70,300 | $436/mo | 98.6 | 30.0% |
| Robertson County | Under $1,000$548/mo | $165,100 | $754/mo | 81.5 | 16.4% |
| Cumberland County | Under $1,000$523/mo | $141,100 | $483/mo | 98.0 | 22.9% |
| Wolfe County | Under $1,000$501/mo | $75,800 | $424/mo | 99.3 | 38.1% |
| Martin County | Under $1,000$450/mo | $86,900 | $459/mo | 98.8 | 41.1% |
| Owsley County | Under $1,000$448/mo | $80,100 | $346/mo | 99.8 | 28.7% |
| Elliott County | Under $1,000$432/mo | $123,500 | $686/mo | 87.2 | 25.8% |
Compare Kentucky to Other States
See how Kentucky counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About Kentucky Housing Costs
Which Kentucky county has the lowest median rent?
Which Kentucky county has the highest median rent?
How does Kentucky's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in Kentucky?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.