Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Madison County, KY

Prices around Madison County, KY run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kentucky). The typical household there earns $63,351 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $904 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $36,160 a year.

Madison County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$63,351$5,279 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$904HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.2-9.8% · BEA, Kentucky
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population95,769Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Madison 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$904Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$36,160To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,584At 30% of $63,351
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Madison County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$666$7,992$26,64012.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$785$9,420$31,40014.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$904$10,848$36,16017.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,257$15,084$50,28023.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,416$16,992$56,64026.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Madison County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $63,351 a year ($5,279 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,640/moRent ($904 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,584/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,056/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $63,351 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$63,351
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$63,351
Net 80%
Fed 9%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,983After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,249Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,961Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,422 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,100 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,846 / yr

Living in Madison County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Madison County, KY is $63,351 per year (approximately $5,279 per month).

What is the average rent in Madison County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $666 for a studio, $785 for one bedroom, $904 for two, $1,257 for three and $1,416 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 Madison 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 Madison County, KY?

To keep a $904 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $36,160 a year, or $3,013 a month. That is 57% of what the typical household in Madison County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $63,351 ($5,279 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,640 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,584 for everything else and $1,056 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $904 takes 34% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Madison 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.