Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Boone County, KY

Prices around Boone County, KY run 4.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $99,414 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,353 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,120 a year.

Boone County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$99,414$8,285 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,353HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.4-4.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population139,841Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Boone 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$1,353Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,485At 30% of $99,414
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Boone County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$958$11,496$38,32011.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,051$12,612$42,04012.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,353$16,236$54,12016.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,785$21,420$71,40021.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,976$23,712$79,04023.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Boone County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $99,414 a year ($8,285 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$4,142/moRent ($1,353 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,485/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,657/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $99,414 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$99,414
$35,000$200,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$99,414
Net 76%
Fed 13%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$75,406After all taxes
Monthly deposit$6,284Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,900Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$13,041 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$3,362 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$7,605 / yr

Living in Boone County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Boone County, KY is $99,414 per year (approximately $8,285 per month).

What is the average rent in Boone County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $958 for a studio, $1,051 for one bedroom, $1,353 for two, $1,785 for three and $1,976 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 Boone County, KY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.4, 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 Boone County, KY?

To keep a $1,353 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,120 a year, or $4,510 a month. That is 54% of what the typical household in Boone County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $99,414 ($8,285 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $4,142 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,485 for everything else and $1,657 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,353 takes 33% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Boone 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.