Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Kenton County, KY

Prices around Kenton County, KY run 4.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $80,548 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.

Kenton County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$80,548$6,712 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
Population171,288Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Kenton 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 income20.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,014At 30% of $80,548
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Kenton 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 Kenton County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$958$11,496$38,32014.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,051$12,612$42,04015.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,353$16,236$54,12020.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,785$21,420$71,40026.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,976$23,712$79,04029.4%

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

What a typical income covers in Kenton County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $80,548 a year ($6,712 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,356/moRent ($1,353 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,014/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,342/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $80,548 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$80,548
$30,000$165,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$80,548
Net 78%
Fed 11%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,794After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,233Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,415Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,891 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,702 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,162 / yr

Living in Kenton County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Kenton County, KY is $80,548 per year (approximately $6,712 per month).

What is the average rent in Kenton 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 Kenton 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 Kenton 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 67% of what the typical household in Kenton County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $80,548 ($6,712 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,356 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,014 for everything else and $1,342 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,353 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Kenton 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.