Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Ballard County, KY

Prices around Ballard County, KY run 13.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $66,164 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,072 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $42,880 a year.

Ballard County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$66,164$5,514 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,072HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.1-13.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population7,654Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Ballard County, KY?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,072Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$42,880To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,654At 30% of $66,164
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Ballard County, KY? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Ballard County, KY HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Ballard County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$800$9,600$32,00014.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$817$9,804$32,68014.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,072$12,864$42,88019.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,285$15,420$51,40023.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,640$19,680$65,60029.7%

Rent in Ballard County, KY, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Ballard County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $66,164 a year ($5,514 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,757/moRent ($1,072 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,654/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,103/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $66,164 leaves after Kentucky taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Kentucky tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$66,164
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$66,164
Net 80%
Fed 9%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$53,145After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,429Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,044Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,760 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,198 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,062 / yr

Living in Ballard County, KY: common questions

What is the median household income in Ballard County, KY?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Ballard County, KY is $66,164 per year (approximately $5,514 per month).

What is the average rent in Ballard County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $800 for a studio, $817 for one bedroom, $1,072 for two, $1,285 for three and $1,640 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Ballard County, KY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 86.1, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Ballard County, KY?

To keep a $1,072 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $42,880 a year, or $3,573 a month. That is 65% of what the typical household in Ballard County, KY earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Ballard County, KY?

On the local median income of $66,164 ($5,514 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,757 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,654 for everything else and $1,103 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,072 takes 39% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Ballard County, KY?

Homes in Kentucky paid 14.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $128. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.