Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Rowan County, KY

Prices around Rowan County, KY run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kentucky). The typical household there earns $54,321 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $911 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $36,440 a year.

Rowan County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$54,321$4,527 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$911HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.2-9.8% · BEA, Kentucky
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population24,578Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Rowan 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$911Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$36,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,358At 30% of $54,321
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Rowan County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$628$7,536$25,12013.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$735$8,820$29,40016.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$911$10,932$36,44020.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,156$13,872$46,24025.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,528$18,336$61,12033.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Rowan County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $54,321 a year ($4,527 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,263/moRent ($911 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,358/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$905/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $54,321 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$54,321
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$54,321
Net 81%
Fed 8%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$44,043After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,670Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,694Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,339 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,784 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,156 / yr

Living in Rowan County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Rowan County, KY is $54,321 per year (approximately $4,527 per month).

What is the average rent in Rowan County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $628 for a studio, $735 for one bedroom, $911 for two, $1,156 for three and $1,528 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 Rowan 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 Rowan County, KY?

To keep a $911 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $36,440 a year, or $3,037 a month. That is 67% of what the typical household in Rowan County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $54,321 ($4,527 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,263 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,358 for everything else and $905 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $911 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Rowan 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.