Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Scott County, KY

Prices around Scott County, KY run 7.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $85,158 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,272 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,880 a year.

Scott County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$85,158$7,097 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,272HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.9-7.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population59,536Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Scott 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$1,272Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,880To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,129At 30% of $85,158
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Scott County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$883$10,596$35,32012.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,079$12,948$43,16015.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,272$15,264$50,88017.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,743$20,916$69,72024.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,940$23,280$77,60027.3%

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

What a typical income covers in Scott County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $85,158 a year ($7,097 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,548/moRent ($1,272 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,129/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,419/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $85,158 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$85,158
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$85,158
Net 77%
Fed 12%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,876After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,490Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,534Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,905 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,863 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,515 / yr

Living in Scott County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Scott County, KY is $85,158 per year (approximately $7,097 per month).

What is the average rent in Scott County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $883 for a studio, $1,079 for one bedroom, $1,272 for two, $1,743 for three and $1,940 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 Scott County, KY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.9, 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 Scott County, KY?

To keep a $1,272 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,880 a year, or $4,240 a month. That is 60% of what the typical household in Scott County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $85,158 ($7,097 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,548 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,129 for everything else and $1,419 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,272 takes 36% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Scott 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.