CostBy County

Cost of Living in Hardin County, Kentucky

$971/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$225,800
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$971/mo
22% above state average
Median Home Value
$225,800
32% below national
Census GRAPI
23.9%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Hardin County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Hardin County$971/mo
Kentucky Average$793/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$971/mo
Median Gross Rent
$225,800
Median Home Value
$994/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
23.9%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Hardin County ranks #2,117 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 33%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Hardin County Median Gross Rent Reaches $971 in Census Snapshot

In Hardin County, the median gross rent was estimated at $971 per month, which is above the Kentucky unweighted county mean of $793. The official ACS B25071 median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 23.9%. This canonical rent-to-income percentage is 3.3 percentage points below the state unweighted county mean of 27.2%. The median home value in Hardin County was recorded at $225,800, and the median selected monthly owner cost for all owner-occupied units was $994. Median income for renter households was estimated at $50,353. These figures are based on the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates and provide a factual record for the stated period. This data should not be used for investment advice or market forecasting. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Hardin County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 23.9% of renter household income in Hardin County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $971 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $994. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $38,840 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Kentucky unweighted mean of county median rents is $793 per month. Hardin County's $971 median is 22.4% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Hardin County

$

Rent Burden

17.2%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,578

per month

Owner Cost Burden

17.6%

of gross income

The median home in Hardin County may be a stretch

Median home value is $225,800. Estimated monthly cost: $1,803 vs. your max of $1,578.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income17.2%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $67,647Needed: $38,840
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $67,647Needed: $42,600
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $67,647Needed: $52,550

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Hardin County, Kentucky?
Hardin County, Kentucky has a median monthly rent of $971/mo and a median home value of $225,800. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 23.9% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Hardin County?
The median gross rent in Hardin County is $971/mo. This is 22% above state average for Kentucky.
Is Hardin County affordable?
Hardin County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 23.9%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Hardin County's rent compare to the state average?
Hardin County's median rent of $971/mo is 22% above state average of $793/mo for Kentucky.
What is the median home value in Hardin County?
The median home value in Hardin County, Kentucky is $225,800. This is 32% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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