Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in McLean County, KY

Prices around McLean County, KY run 11.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $65,596 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,110 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $44,400 a year.

McLean County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$65,596$5,466 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,110HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.6-11.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population9,114Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in McLean 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$1,110Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$44,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,640At 30% of $65,596
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in McLean County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$840$10,080$33,60015.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$846$10,152$33,84015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,110$13,320$44,40020.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,466$17,592$58,64026.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,470$17,640$58,80026.9%

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

What a typical income covers in McLean County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $65,596 a year ($5,466 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,733/moRent ($1,110 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,640/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,093/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $65,596 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$65,596
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$65,596
Net 80%
Fed 9%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$52,708After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,392Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,027Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,692 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,178 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,018 / yr

Living in McLean County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in McLean County, KY is $65,596 per year (approximately $5,466 per month).

What is the average rent in McLean County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $840 for a studio, $846 for one bedroom, $1,110 for two, $1,466 for three and $1,470 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 McLean County, KY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.6, 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 McLean County, KY?

To keep a $1,110 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $44,400 a year, or $3,700 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in McLean County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $65,596 ($5,466 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,733 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,640 for everything else and $1,093 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,110 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in McLean 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.