Housing decision brief
Bourbon County, KY Housing Market
Bourbon County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
104th lowest home value out of 120 Kentucky counties with data | 56th lowest rent out of 120
Median home value
$211,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$745/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$985/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$240/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$745/mo is 1% below Kentucky county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Health context
Health score is 42.8 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Bourbon County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $211,600 | $138,300 | $281,900 | 53% pressure53% above Kentucky county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $745 | $756 | $1,163 | Near state median1% below Kentucky county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $985 | $691 | $1,672 | 43% pressure43% above Kentucky county median |
Median household income | $56,322 | $55,017 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Kentucky county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.74% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 26% favorable26% below Kentucky county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 27.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$26,522
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$14,108
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Bourbon County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $745/month representing approximately 15.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 27.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Bourbon County pay $745/month on average, compared to $985/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 24%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $42,214/year. With a median household income of $56,322, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Bourbon County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Montgomery County where rent averages $796/month, Bourbon County is approximately 6% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyle County, KY | $200,700 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $200,700 home value and $770/mo rent. |
| Trigg County, KY | $192,000 | $802/mo | Same-state comparison near $192,000 home value and $802/mo rent. |
| Allen County, KY | $176,300 | $750/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,300 home value and $750/mo rent. |
| Harrison County, KY | $188,900 | $755/mo | Same-state comparison near $188,900 home value and $755/mo rent. |
| Madison County, KY | $220,700 | $851/mo | Same-state comparison near $220,700 home value and $851/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Bourbon County
Is Bourbon County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Bourbon County?
How much income do you need for housing in Bourbon County?
What should I double-check before moving to Bourbon County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.