Kentucky Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 120 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$771/mo
Average Home Value
$150,167
Average Owner Cost
$734/mo
▼34% below national average rentExplore on Map
At a Glance
Average Monthly Rent
$771/mo
34% below national median
Average Home Value
$150,167
47% below national median
Avg. Monthly Owner Cost
$734/mo
56% below national median
Affordability Rating
Affordable
Avg. rent under 30% of income
Housing Costs in Kentucky: An Overview
The median rent in Kentucky is $771 per month, which is 34% below the national median of $1,163. This makes the state relatively affordable compared to much of the country.
Within Kentucky, housing costs vary significantly by county. Boone County is the most expensive county with a median rent of $1,253 per month and a median home value of $253,200. At the other end of the spectrum, Elliott County offers the most affordable housing, with a median rent of $427 per month and homes valued at a median of $97,400.
The average home value across Kentucky counties is $150,167, 47% lower than the national median of $281,900. With a median household income of roughly $55,909, homeownership remains within reach for many households.
Before moving to Kentucky, it is worth understanding the local housing landscape. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties, so researching the specific county you plan to live in is essential. Use the county-level data below to compare rent, home values, and affordability ratings so you can budget accurately for your relocation.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in Kentucky
How median rents are spread across 120 counties
Top 5 Most Expensive Counties
Boone County
Kentucky
$1,253/mo
Home: $253,200
Rent/Income: 26.0%
Scott County
Kentucky
$1,181/mo
Home: $264,200
Rent/Income: 26.0%
Oldham County
Kentucky
$1,142/mo
Home: $375,000
Rent/Income: 25.0%
Fayette County
Kentucky
$1,101/mo
Home: $272,100
Rent/Income: 29.0%
Jefferson County
Kentucky
$1,097/mo
Home: $237,200
Rent/Income: 28.0%
Top 5 Most Affordable Counties
Elliott County
Kentucky
$427/mo
Home: $97,400
Rent/Income: 35.0%
Martin County
Kentucky
$441/mo
Home: $84,900
Rent/Income: 49.0%
Wolfe County
Kentucky
$507/mo
Home: $66,400
Rent/Income: 39.0%
Leslie County
Kentucky
$520/mo
Home: $74,100
Rent/Income: 31.0%
Fulton County
Kentucky
$542/mo
Home: $78,100
Rent/Income: 32.0%
All Kentucky Counties
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | Moderate$1,253/mo | $253,200 | $1,313/mo | 26.0% |
| Scott County | Moderate$1,181/mo | $264,200 | $1,314/mo | 26.0% |
| Oldham County | Moderate$1,142/mo | $375,000 | $1,665/mo | 25.0% |
| Fayette County | Moderate$1,101/mo | $272,100 | $1,255/mo | 29.0% |
| Jefferson County | Moderate$1,097/mo | $237,200 | $1,192/mo | 28.0% |
| Campbell County | Moderate$1,079/mo | $234,500 | $1,217/mo | 29.0% |
| Kenton County | Moderate$1,018/mo | $227,500 | $1,262/mo | 27.0% |
| Simpson County | Moderate$1,011/mo | $195,700 | $943/mo | 28.0% |
| Woodford County | Moderate$1,000/mo | $270,400 | $1,058/mo | 28.0% |
| Christian County | Affordable$999/mo | $149,200 | $853/mo | 29.0% |
| Shelby County | Affordable$998/mo | $277,500 | $1,272/mo | 24.0% |
| Jessamine County | Affordable$994/mo | $245,100 | $1,147/mo | 25.0% |
| Meade County | Affordable$976/mo | $195,000 | $893/mo | 24.0% |
| Bullitt County | Affordable$973/mo | $233,700 | $1,161/mo | 27.0% |
| Warren County | Affordable$963/mo | $242,600 | $1,094/mo | 28.0% |
| Spencer County | Affordable$954/mo | $297,600 | $1,410/mo | 27.0% |
| Hardin County | Affordable$947/mo | $205,900 | $988/mo | 23.0% |
| Franklin County | Affordable$946/mo | $198,700 | $982/mo | 26.0% |
| Trimble County | Affordable$935/mo | $172,700 | $712/mo | 20.0% |
| Nelson County | Affordable$932/mo | $224,100 | $944/mo | 26.0% |
| Livingston County | Affordable$912/mo | $116,300 | $591/mo | 28.0% |
| Daviess County | Affordable$906/mo | $185,800 | $964/mo | 26.0% |
| Clark County | Affordable$883/mo | $197,900 | $1,049/mo | 28.0% |
| Henry County | Affordable$871/mo | $181,300 | $1,001/mo | 32.0% |
| Anderson County | Affordable$870/mo | $213,200 | $954/mo | 32.0% |
| McCracken County | Affordable$861/mo | $182,900 | $851/mo | 27.0% |
| Gallatin County | Affordable$858/mo | $169,400 | $699/mo | 26.0% |
| Grant County | Affordable$855/mo | $185,500 | $750/mo | 24.0% |
| Carroll County | Affordable$853/mo | $129,800 | $690/mo | 23.0% |
| Madison County | Affordable$851/mo | $220,700 | $1,075/mo | 27.0% |
| Hopkins County | Affordable$841/mo | $128,800 | $693/mo | 25.0% |
| Todd County | Affordable$841/mo | $157,400 | $741/mo | 23.0% |
| Boyd County | Affordable$839/mo | $126,300 | $854/mo | 28.0% |
| Pike County | Affordable$837/mo | $104,200 | $540/mo | 34.0% |
| Greenup County | Affordable$836/mo | $135,300 | $690/mo | 25.0% |
| Pulaski County | Affordable$835/mo | $156,300 | $687/mo | 29.0% |
| Calloway County | Affordable$828/mo | $181,200 | $750/mo | 28.0% |
| Ballard County | Affordable$826/mo | $132,900 | $784/mo | 21.0% |
| Larue County | Affordable$816/mo | $177,500 | $918/mo | 23.0% |
| Rowan County | Affordable$815/mo | $155,900 | $707/mo | 28.0% |
| Lyon County | Affordable$809/mo | $183,600 | $762/mo | 22.0% |
| Mercer County | Affordable$802/mo | $189,700 | $848/mo | 23.0% |
| Trigg County | Affordable$802/mo | $192,000 | $777/mo | 26.0% |
| Pendleton County | Affordable$800/mo | $160,800 | $827/mo | 22.0% |
| Montgomery County | Affordable$796/mo | $163,800 | $846/mo | 22.0% |
| Perry County | Affordable$795/mo | $90,700 | $548/mo | 30.0% |
| Henderson County | Affordable$794/mo | $165,700 | $876/mo | 28.0% |
| Garrard County | Affordable$793/mo | $186,800 | $891/mo | 30.0% |
| Carlisle County | Affordable$792/mo | $104,700 | $678/mo | 26.0% |
| Laurel County | Affordable$789/mo | $143,400 | $647/mo | 27.0% |
| Union County | Affordable$787/mo | $109,000 | $644/mo | 23.0% |
| Barren County | Affordable$784/mo | $166,900 | $798/mo | 28.0% |
| Adair County | Affordable$775/mo | $134,800 | $550/mo | 28.0% |
| Owen County | Affordable$775/mo | $165,000 | $736/mo | 23.0% |
| Ohio County | Affordable$774/mo | $113,400 | $620/mo | 20.0% |
| Webster County | Affordable$774/mo | $97,600 | $577/mo | 17.0% |
| Marshall County | Affordable$773/mo | $173,700 | $804/mo | 31.0% |
| Boyle County | Affordable$770/mo | $200,700 | $880/mo | 27.0% |
| Jackson County | Affordable$758/mo | $107,000 | $514/mo | 25.0% |
| Lewis County | Affordable$757/mo | $86,100 | $493/mo | 25.0% |
| Harrison County | Affordable$755/mo | $188,900 | $807/mo | 26.0% |
| Hancock County | Affordable$752/mo | $137,600 | $726/mo | 26.0% |
| Allen County | Affordable$750/mo | $176,300 | $665/mo | 28.0% |
| Bracken County | Affordable$748/mo | $116,400 | $844/mo | 25.0% |
| Bourbon County | Affordable$745/mo | $211,600 | $985/mo | 27.0% |
| Powell County | Affordable$743/mo | $142,400 | $666/mo | 34.0% |
| Edmonson County | Affordable$739/mo | $136,600 | $516/mo | 23.0% |
| Knott County | Affordable$731/mo | $74,600 | $425/mo | 32.0% |
| Marion County | Affordable$731/mo | $158,700 | $741/mo | 28.0% |
| Breckinridge County | Affordable$730/mo | $141,400 | $623/mo | 24.0% |
| Lincoln County | Affordable$730/mo | $139,300 | $597/mo | 27.0% |
| Lawrence County | Affordable$729/mo | $108,100 | $526/mo | 30.0% |
| Caldwell County | Affordable$724/mo | $113,500 | $646/mo | 26.0% |
| Mason County | Affordable$724/mo | $157,500 | $712/mo | 24.0% |
| Whitley County | Affordable$720/mo | $120,600 | $539/mo | 26.0% |
| Logan County | Affordable$719/mo | $151,500 | $778/mo | 25.0% |
| Hickman County | Affordable$717/mo | $92,300 | $585/mo | 20.0% |
| Floyd County | Affordable$713/mo | $93,300 | $539/mo | 28.0% |
| Graves County | Affordable$713/mo | $139,000 | $741/mo | 29.0% |
| Muhlenberg County | Affordable$712/mo | $121,300 | $650/mo | 28.0% |
| Carter County | Affordable$701/mo | $126,100 | $559/mo | 27.0% |
| Clay County | Affordable$698/mo | $87,300 | $456/mo | 34.0% |
| Johnson County | Affordable$698/mo | $125,300 | $594/mo | 29.0% |
| Washington County | Affordable$696/mo | $168,300 | $803/mo | 30.0% |
| Hart County | Affordable$692/mo | $124,600 | $691/mo | 21.0% |
| Taylor County | Affordable$691/mo | $163,700 | $697/mo | 24.0% |
| Estill County | Affordable$689/mo | $111,900 | $607/mo | 25.0% |
| Butler County | Affordable$688/mo | $105,500 | $549/mo | 27.0% |
| Rockcastle County | Affordable$678/mo | $119,300 | $457/mo | 23.0% |
| Fleming County | Affordable$677/mo | $115,200 | $560/mo | 29.0% |
| Morgan County | Affordable$670/mo | $106,000 | $596/mo | 26.0% |
| Wayne County | Affordable$666/mo | $121,700 | $514/mo | 26.0% |
| Russell County | Affordable$660/mo | $148,200 | $562/mo | 29.0% |
| Nicholas County | Affordable$654/mo | $119,600 | $633/mo | 21.0% |
| Grayson County | Affordable$653/mo | $160,100 | $648/mo | 23.0% |
| Harlan County | Affordable$651/mo | $73,100 | $439/mo | 29.0% |
| Letcher County | Affordable$651/mo | $70,500 | $473/mo | 28.0% |
| Casey County | Affordable$645/mo | $135,700 | $468/mo | 32.0% |
| Menifee County | Affordable$634/mo | $111,500 | $464/mo | 28.0% |
| Magoffin County | Affordable$633/mo | $88,300 | $473/mo | 30.0% |
| Knox County | Affordable$631/mo | $109,200 | $492/mo | 28.0% |
| Clinton County | Affordable$629/mo | $114,000 | $508/mo | 24.0% |
| Monroe County | Affordable$629/mo | $116,300 | $623/mo | 26.0% |
| Crittenden County | Affordable$618/mo | $115,700 | $495/mo | 18.0% |
| Bell County | Affordable$617/mo | $83,000 | $391/mo | 32.0% |
| Green County | Affordable$612/mo | $118,900 | $559/mo | 26.0% |
| McLean County | Affordable$602/mo | $145,600 | $697/mo | 23.0% |
| Bath County | Affordable$600/mo | $111,800 | $804/mo | 21.0% |
| Lee County | Affordable$593/mo | $82,100 | $471/mo | 32.0% |
| McCreary County | Affordable$588/mo | $77,000 | $472/mo | 28.0% |
| Cumberland County | Affordable$553/mo | $128,600 | $485/mo | 23.0% |
| Owsley County | Affordable$551/mo | $79,900 | $409/mo | 27.0% |
| Metcalfe County | Affordable$549/mo | $103,100 | $558/mo | 23.0% |
| Breathitt County | Affordable$543/mo | $61,800 | $450/mo | 28.0% |
| Robertson County | Affordable$543/mo | $123,400 | $742/mo | 13.0% |
| Fulton County | Affordable$542/mo | $78,100 | $560/mo | 32.0% |
| Leslie County | Affordable$520/mo | $74,100 | $452/mo | 31.0% |
| Wolfe County | Affordable$507/mo | $66,400 | $391/mo | 39.0% |
| Martin County | Affordable$441/mo | $84,900 | $438/mo | 49.0% |
| Elliott County | Affordable$427/mo | $97,400 | $589/mo | 35.0% |
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
What is the most affordable county in Kentucky?
Elliott County is among the most affordable counties in Kentucky with a median rent of $427 per month.
What is the most expensive county to live in Kentucky?
Boone County is among the most expensive counties in Kentucky with a median rent of $1,253 per month and a median home value of $253,200.
How does Kentucky's cost of living compare to the national average?
Kentucky's average monthly rent of $771 is 34% below the national median of $1,163.
What is the average home value in Kentucky?
The average home value across all Kentucky counties is $150,167.
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.