Kentucky · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Simpson County, KY

Prices around Simpson County, KY run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kentucky). The typical household there earns $59,858 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,055 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $42,200 a year.

Simpson County, KY at a glance

Median household income

$59,858$4,988 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,055HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.2-9.8% · BEA, Kentucky
Electricity14.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential KY
Population19,972Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Simpson 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$1,055Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$42,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,496At 30% of $59,858
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Simpson County, KY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$754$9,048$30,16015.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$872$10,464$34,88017.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,055$12,660$42,20021.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,405$16,860$56,20028.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,473$17,676$58,92029.5%

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

What a typical income covers in Simpson County, KY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,858 a year ($4,988 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,494/moRent ($1,055 2-BR), utilities (~$128/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,496/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$998/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,858 leaves after Kentucky taxes

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

$59,858
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,858
Net 81%
Fed 8%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$48,298After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,025Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,858Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,003 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$1,977 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,579 / yr

Living in Simpson County, KY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Simpson County, KY is $59,858 per year (approximately $4,988 per month).

What is the average rent in Simpson County, KY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $754 for a studio, $872 for one bedroom, $1,055 for two, $1,405 for three and $1,473 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 Simpson 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 Simpson County, KY?

To keep a $1,055 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $42,200 a year, or $3,517 a month. That is 71% of what the typical household in Simpson County, KY earns.

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

On the local median income of $59,858 ($4,988 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,494 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,496 for everything else and $998 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,055 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Simpson 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.