County housing intelligence
Kentucky Housing Market by County
Kentucky is not one housing market. Across 120 counties, the median county home value is $148,150 and the median county rent is $773/mo. The useful question is not whether Kentucky is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$148,150
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$773/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
120
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Kentucky Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Oldham County, Spencer County, Shelby County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Letcher County, Leslie County, Breathitt County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Boone County, Scott County, Oldham County lead on rent, while Elliott County, Owsley County, Martin County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Letcher County, Union County, Harlan County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Letcher County
$67,400
- 2. Leslie County
$69,000
- 3. Breathitt County
$70,300
- 4. Harlan County
$73,700
- 5. Wolfe County
$75,800
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Letcher County
1.6x home-value-to-income
- 2. Union County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 3. Harlan County
1.8x home-value-to-income
- 4. Knott County
1.8x home-value-to-income
- 5. Bracken County
1.9x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Elliott County
$432/mo
- 2. Owsley County
$448/mo
- 3. Martin County
$450/mo
- 4. Wolfe County
$501/mo
- 5. Cumberland County
$523/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Robertson County
16.4% rent burden
- 2. Crittenden County
17.4% rent burden
- 3. Webster County
17.5% rent burden
- 4. Trimble County
18.4% rent burden
- 5. Ohio County
19.2% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Rockcastle County
0.48% effective tax rate
- 2. Carter County
0.49% effective tax rate
- 3. Menifee County
0.51% effective tax rate
- 4. Clinton County
0.52% effective tax rate
- 5. Cumberland County
0.54% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Knott County
$305/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Pike County
$297/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Livingston County
$276/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Magoffin County
$269/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Clay County
$254/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Oldham County
$122,497 income, 3.2x value-to-income
- 2. Boone County
$99,414 income, 2.8x value-to-income
- 3. Union County
$60,327 income, 1.7x value-to-income
- 4. Bracken County
$66,319 income, 1.9x value-to-income
- 5. Carlisle County
$62,439 income, 1.9x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Letcher County $67,400 home value, $41,793 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Campbell County $252,000 home value, 1.01% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Martin County $450/mo rent, 41.10% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Oldham County $393,100 home value, $122,497 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Kentucky County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County | $67,400 | $669/mo | $41,793 | 1.6x | 0.96% |
| Union County | $104,500 | $790/mo | $60,327 | 1.7x | 0.89% |
| Harlan County | $73,700 | $678/mo | $41,693 | 1.8x | 0.99% |
| Knott County | $77,000 | $756/mo | $41,761 | 1.8x | 0.74% |
| Bracken County | $125,000 | $756/mo | $66,319 | 1.9x | 0.92% |
| Carlisle County | $120,400 | $792/mo | $62,439 | 1.9x | 0.78% |
| Hickman County | $115,700 | $718/mo | $60,867 | 1.9x | 0.67% |
| Leslie County | $69,000 | $585/mo | $35,934 | 1.9x | 0.82% |
| Webster County | $112,900 | $783/mo | $59,628 | 1.9x | 0.88% |
| Breathitt County | $70,300 | $548/mo | $34,808 | 2.0x | 0.73% |
| Butler County | $111,100 | $679/mo | $56,092 | 2.0x | 0.58% |
| Caldwell County | $118,500 | $767/mo | $59,583 | 2.0x | 0.54% |
| Lewis County | $96,000 | $751/mo | $46,838 | 2.0x | 0.64% |
| Boyd County | $130,700 | $849/mo | $61,118 | 2.1x | 0.88% |
| Fulton County | $79,100 | $570/mo | $38,217 | 2.1x | 0.80% |
| Livingston County | $125,600 | $926/mo | $58,984 | 2.1x | 0.61% |
| Metcalfe County | $110,200 | $582/mo | $51,473 | 2.1x | 0.67% |
| Nicholas County | $123,000 | $728/mo | $59,531 | 2.1x | 0.59% |
| Ohio County | $121,400 | $739/mo | $57,798 | 2.1x | 0.62% |
| Ballard County | $145,800 | $817/mo | $66,164 | 2.2x | 0.73% |
| Clay County | $90,700 | $724/mo | $40,900 | 2.2x | 0.70% |
| Greenup County | $134,000 | $860/mo | $60,751 | 2.2x | 0.87% |
| Hancock County | $141,200 | $740/mo | $65,464 | 2.2x | 0.66% |
| Lee County | $83,900 | $603/mo | $37,568 | 2.2x | 0.84% |
| Perry County | $91,800 | $798/mo | $42,181 | 2.2x | 0.70% |
| Bath County | $129,800 | $659/mo | $56,541 | 2.3x | 0.65% |
| Martin County | $86,900 | $450/mo | $37,042 | 2.3x | 0.82% |
| McLean County | $148,500 | $641/mo | $65,596 | 2.3x | 0.64% |
| Monroe County | $115,900 | $657/mo | $51,280 | 2.3x | 0.77% |
| Floyd County | $98,700 | $672/mo | $41,279 | 2.4x | 0.76% |
| Lawrence County | $111,700 | $760/mo | $46,772 | 2.4x | 0.71% |
| Carroll County | $140,900 | $910/mo | $56,466 | 2.5x | 0.76% |
| Hopkins County | $142,800 | $837/mo | $56,815 | 2.5x | 0.77% |
| McCreary County | $85,300 | $577/mo | $33,750 | 2.5x | 0.65% |
| Morgan County | $118,200 | $663/mo | $47,913 | 2.5x | 0.66% |
| Muhlenberg County | $127,400 | $718/mo | $51,927 | 2.5x | 0.62% |
| Pendleton County | $159,800 | $793/mo | $64,669 | 2.5x | 0.80% |
| Pike County | $112,000 | $858/mo | $44,312 | 2.5x | 0.69% |
| Rockcastle County | $123,600 | $676/mo | $48,862 | 2.5x | 0.48% |
| Wolfe County | $75,800 | $501/mo | $30,417 | 2.5x | 0.55% |
| Carter County | $132,800 | $740/mo | $51,235 | 2.6x | 0.49% |
| Estill County | $119,500 | $711/mo | $46,051 | 2.6x | 0.67% |
| Marshall County | $173,800 | $798/mo | $65,831 | 2.6x | 0.72% |
| Trimble County | $172,000 | $863/mo | $66,027 | 2.6x | 0.66% |
| Clinton County | $122,200 | $617/mo | $44,844 | 2.7x | 0.52% |
| Crittenden County | $127,300 | $714/mo | $46,656 | 2.7x | 0.57% |
| Elliott County | $123,500 | $432/mo | $45,776 | 2.7x | 0.61% |
| Fleming County | $134,700 | $715/mo | $49,307 | 2.7x | 0.64% |
| Green County | $125,000 | $610/mo | $46,798 | 2.7x | 0.65% |
| Johnson County | $120,200 | $708/mo | $44,904 | 2.7x | 0.66% |
| Larue County | $183,500 | $860/mo | $67,067 | 2.7x | 0.60% |
| Logan County | $164,900 | $751/mo | $60,382 | 2.7x | 0.61% |
| Magoffin County | $89,000 | $730/mo | $33,080 | 2.7x | 0.78% |
| Todd County | $166,700 | $851/mo | $61,103 | 2.7x | 0.55% |
| Adair County | $150,800 | $771/mo | $53,553 | 2.8x | 0.64% |
| Bell County | $89,000 | $592/mo | $31,354 | 2.8x | 0.81% |
| Boone County | $277,300 | $1,373/mo | $99,414 | 2.8x | 0.86% |
| Breckinridge County | $156,700 | $733/mo | $55,843 | 2.8x | 0.58% |
| Gallatin County | $178,200 | $832/mo | $63,346 | 2.8x | 0.83% |
| Hart County | $146,000 | $693/mo | $52,285 | 2.8x | 0.66% |
| Jackson County | $111,500 | $665/mo | $40,000 | 2.8x | 0.62% |
| Laurel County | $159,500 | $813/mo | $57,771 | 2.8x | 0.57% |
| Lincoln County | $147,300 | $698/mo | $52,440 | 2.8x | 0.72% |
| Marion County | $168,100 | $726/mo | $59,627 | 2.8x | 0.69% |
| Meade County | $207,900 | $1,026/mo | $74,355 | 2.8x | 0.68% |
| Menifee County | $125,800 | $675/mo | $45,096 | 2.8x | 0.51% |
| Owen County | $168,700 | $830/mo | $61,134 | 2.8x | 0.72% |
| Daviess County | $199,900 | $918/mo | $68,214 | 2.9x | 0.84% |
| Edmonson County | $160,300 | $778/mo | $54,937 | 2.9x | 0.55% |
| Graves County | $147,800 | $775/mo | $50,772 | 2.9x | 0.66% |
| Henderson County | $171,900 | $777/mo | $58,851 | 2.9x | 0.90% |
| Lyon County | $189,500 | $747/mo | $65,066 | 2.9x | 0.63% |
| McCracken County | $188,100 | $898/mo | $64,373 | 2.9x | 0.75% |
| Taylor County | $174,200 | $718/mo | $60,456 | 2.9x | 0.69% |
| Washington County | $179,200 | $744/mo | $61,616 | 2.9x | 0.66% |
| Anderson County | $225,100 | $927/mo | $74,488 | 3.0x | 0.75% |
| Casey County | $136,300 | $670/mo | $45,510 | 3.0x | 0.60% |
| Grant County | $209,500 | $862/mo | $69,178 | 3.0x | 0.68% |
| Harrison County | $202,100 | $765/mo | $66,442 | 3.0x | 0.66% |
| Kenton County | $244,400 | $1,069/mo | $80,548 | 3.0x | 0.98% |
| Rowan County | $161,800 | $825/mo | $54,321 | 3.0x | 0.55% |
| Wayne County | $135,700 | $727/mo | $45,739 | 3.0x | 0.56% |
| Whitley County | $131,800 | $798/mo | $44,615 | 3.0x | 0.64% |
| Allen County | $192,300 | $844/mo | $61,403 | 3.1x | 0.54% |
| Bullitt County | $247,200 | $987/mo | $80,558 | 3.1x | 0.83% |
| Christian County | $173,600 | $1,040/mo | $55,494 | 3.1x | 0.65% |
| Henry County | $197,900 | $895/mo | $63,347 | 3.1x | 0.81% |
| Mason County | $161,500 | $727/mo | $52,178 | 3.1x | 0.65% |
| Mercer County | $202,300 | $831/mo | $64,824 | 3.1x | 0.83% |
| Montgomery County | $172,200 | $830/mo | $56,396 | 3.1x | 0.73% |
| Campbell County | $252,000 | $1,145/mo | $77,567 | 3.2x | 1.01% |
| Clark County | $205,800 | $938/mo | $64,348 | 3.2x | 0.71% |
| Garrard County | $204,900 | $794/mo | $63,087 | 3.2x | 0.69% |
| Grayson County | $164,600 | $658/mo | $50,757 | 3.2x | 0.56% |
| Oldham County | $393,100 | $1,219/mo | $122,497 | 3.2x | 0.90% |
| Pulaski County | $166,900 | $803/mo | $51,898 | 3.2x | 0.63% |
| Robertson County | $165,100 | $548/mo | $51,830 | 3.2x | 0.54% |
| Spencer County | $330,000 | $987/mo | $102,618 | 3.2x | 0.66% |
| Franklin County | $216,600 | $967/mo | $65,298 | 3.3x | 0.79% |
| Hardin County | $225,800 | $971/mo | $67,647 | 3.3x | 0.66% |
| Boyle County | $209,900 | $778/mo | $61,159 | 3.4x | 0.82% |
| Nelson County | $238,000 | $1,008/mo | $69,562 | 3.4x | 0.79% |
| Scott County | $288,500 | $1,247/mo | $85,158 | 3.4x | 0.66% |
| Barren County | $178,000 | $796/mo | $50,628 | 3.5x | 0.68% |
| Calloway County | $183,200 | $870/mo | $52,706 | 3.5x | 0.65% |
| Cumberland County | $141,100 | $523/mo | $40,000 | 3.5x | 0.54% |
| Powell County | $141,100 | $747/mo | $40,309 | 3.5x | 0.62% |
| Trigg County | $207,700 | $803/mo | $59,857 | 3.5x | 0.56% |
| Jefferson County | $248,400 | $1,149/mo | $69,866 | 3.6x | 0.86% |
| Jessamine County | $268,100 | $1,124/mo | $74,576 | 3.6x | 0.73% |
| Knox County | $118,700 | $681/mo | $32,527 | 3.6x | 0.66% |
| Owsley County | $80,100 | $448/mo | $22,188 | 3.6x | 0.71% |
| Russell County | $163,200 | $681/mo | $44,738 | 3.6x | 0.57% |
| Woodford County | $299,700 | $1,138/mo | $83,788 | 3.6x | 0.70% |
| Bourbon County | $229,300 | $822/mo | $61,354 | 3.7x | 0.71% |
| Madison County | $232,000 | $889/mo | $63,351 | 3.7x | 0.73% |
| Shelby County | $304,800 | $1,033/mo | $82,604 | 3.7x | 0.77% |
| Simpson County | $229,400 | $1,012/mo | $59,858 | 3.8x | 0.60% |
| Warren County | $258,000 | $1,002/mo | $65,794 | 3.9x | 0.65% |
| Fayette County | $293,500 | $1,164/mo | $69,479 | 4.2x | 0.87% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Kentucky by county?
What is the typical rent in Kentucky by county?
Which Kentucky counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.