Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Perry County, KY

Prices around Perry County, KY run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kentucky). The typical household there earns $42,181 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $959 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,360 a year.

Perry County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$42,181$3,515 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$959HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.2-9.8% · BEA, Kentucky
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population27,499Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Perry 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$959Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,360To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,055At 30% of $42,181
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Perry County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$685$8,220$27,40019.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$731$8,772$29,24020.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$959$11,508$38,36027.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,150$13,800$46,00032.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,270$15,240$50,80036.1%

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

What a typical income covers in Perry County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $42,181 a year ($3,515 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,758/moRent ($959 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,055/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$703/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $42,181 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$42,181
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$42,181
Net 82%
Fed 7%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$34,714After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,893Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,335Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,882 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,359 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,227 / yr

Living in Perry County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Perry County, KY is $42,181 per year (approximately $3,515 per month).

What is the average rent in Perry County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $685 for a studio, $731 for one bedroom, $959 for two, $1,150 for three and $1,270 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 Perry 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 Perry County, KY?

To keep a $959 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,360 a year, or $3,197 a month. That is 91% of what the typical household in Perry County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $42,181 ($3,515 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,758 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,055 for everything else and $703 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $959 takes 55% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Perry 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.