Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Caldwell County, KY

Prices around Caldwell County, KY run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kentucky). The typical household there earns $59,583 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $866 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $34,640 a year.

Caldwell County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$59,583$4,965 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$866HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.2-9.8% · BEA, Kentucky
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population12,618Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Caldwell 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$866Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$34,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,490At 30% of $59,583
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Caldwell County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$619$7,428$24,76012.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$714$8,568$28,56014.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$866$10,392$34,64017.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,038$12,456$41,52020.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,209$14,508$48,36024.3%

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

What a typical income covers in Caldwell County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,583 a year ($4,965 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,483/moRent ($866 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,490/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$993/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,583 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$59,583
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,583
Net 81%
Fed 8%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$48,087After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,007Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,850Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,970 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,968 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,558 / yr

Living in Caldwell County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Caldwell County, KY is $59,583 per year (approximately $4,965 per month).

What is the average rent in Caldwell County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $619 for a studio, $714 for one bedroom, $866 for two, $1,038 for three and $1,209 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 Caldwell County, KY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Kentucky is 90.2, 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 Caldwell County, KY?

To keep a $866 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $34,640 a year, or $2,887 a month. That is 58% of what the typical household in Caldwell County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $59,583 ($4,965 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,483 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,490 for everything else and $993 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $866 takes 35% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Caldwell 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.