CostBy County

Cost of Living in Owsley County, Kentucky

$448/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$80,100
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$448/mo
44% below state average
Median Home Value
$80,100
76% below national
Census GRAPI
28.7%
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 Owsley County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Owsley County$448/mo
Kentucky Average$793/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$448/mo
Median Gross Rent
$80,100
Median Home Value
$346/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
28.7%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Owsley County ranks #1 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 0%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Owsley County Median Gross Rent Estimated at $448 Monthly

In Owsley County, median gross rent was estimated at $448 per month, which is $345 below the state unweighted county mean of $793. The official GRAPI is 28.7%, which is 1.5 percentage points above the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 27.2%. This percentage is the official ACS B25071 estimate and represents the canonical rentToIncomePct. The median home value in the county was estimated at $80,100, while median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $346. Median renter-household income for the county was $14,848. All data is derived from the ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Owsley County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 28.7% of renter household income in Owsley 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 $448 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $346. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $17,920 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. Owsley County's $448 median is 43.5% below that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Owsley County

$

Rent Burden

24.2%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$518

per month

Owner Cost Burden

18.7%

of gross income

The median home in Owsley County may be a stretch

Median home value is $80,100. Estimated monthly cost: $639 vs. your max of $518.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income24.2%
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: $22,188Needed: $17,920
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $22,188Needed: $14,829
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $22,188Needed: $18,641

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 Owsley County, Kentucky?
Owsley County, Kentucky has a median monthly rent of $448/mo and a median home value of $80,100. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 28.7% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Owsley County?
The median gross rent in Owsley County is $448/mo. This is 44% below state average for Kentucky.
Is Owsley County affordable?
Owsley County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 28.7%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Owsley County's rent compare to the state average?
Owsley County's median rent of $448/mo is 44% below state average of $793/mo for Kentucky.
What is the median home value in Owsley County?
The median home value in Owsley County, Kentucky is $80,100. This is 76% below the national median home value of $332,700.

Counties with Similar Housing Costs

Sponsored

Planning a Move?

Researching the cost of living in Owsley County, Kentucky? Compare moving quotes from top providers and save on your relocation.

Compare Moving Quotes
Sponsored

Compare Mortgage Rates in Owsley County

Whether you're buying in Owsley County, Kentucky, or refinancing, compare rates from top lenders using the terms each lender provides.

See Today's Rates
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.

CostByCounty participates in affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you use our links, at no extra cost to you.