Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Kentucky a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Kentucky.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Bluegrass State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Kentucky, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 120 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Kentucky For 2025
- Oldham County
- Boone County
- Woodford County
- Anderson County
- Scott County
- Kenton County
- Campbell County
- Bullitt County
- Nelson County
- Spencer County
Oldham County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Kentucky. And you should avoid Bell County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Kentucky. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Kentucky and the cheapest places to live in Kentucky.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Kentucky For 2025
1. Oldham County
Biggest Place: La Grange
Population: 68,600
Median Income: $121,491 (best)
Median Home Price: $375,000 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (15th best)
More on Oldham County:
2. Boone County
Biggest Place: Florence
Population: 137,676
Median Income: $94,752 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $253,200 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (5th best)
More on Boone County:
3. Woodford County
Biggest Place: Versailles
Population: 27,017
Median Income: $80,006 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $270,400 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (19th best)
More on Woodford County:
4. Anderson County
Biggest Place: Lawrenceburg
Population: 24,098
Median Income: $71,747 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $213,200 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.6% (3rd best)
More on Anderson County:
5. Scott County
Biggest Place: Georgetown
Population: 58,269
Median Income: $83,660 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $264,200 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.0% (30th best)
More on Scott County:
6. Kenton County
Biggest Place: Covington
Population: 169,817
Median Income: $79,421 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $227,500 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.8% (25th best)
More on Kenton County:
7. Campbell County
Biggest Place: Fort Thomas
Population: 93,193
Median Income: $77,271 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $234,500 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (22nd best)
More on Campbell County:
8. Bullitt County
Biggest Place: Mount Washington
Population: 83,209
Median Income: $77,640 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $233,700 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (36th best)
More on Bullitt County:
9. Nelson County
Biggest Place: Bardstown
Population: 47,102
Median Income: $67,888 (15th best)
Median Home Price: $224,100 (14th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1% (12th best)
More on Nelson County:
10. Spencer County
Biggest Place: Elk Creek
Population: 19,875
Median Income: $98,333 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $297,600 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.9% (80th best)
More on Spencer County:
Methodology: How do you determine which Kentucky county is the best?
To give you the best county in Kentucky, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Kentucky across each of the criteria from one to 120, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Kentucky.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Bluegrass State.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Kentucky.
Read on to see why Oldham County is the best county, while Bell County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Kentucky.
Summary: The Best Counties In Kentucky To Call Home For 2025
Living in Kentucky can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Kentucky are Oldham County, Boone County, Woodford County, Anderson County, Scott County, Kenton County, Campbell County, Bullitt County, Nelson County, and Spencer County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Kentucky according to the data:
- Bell County
- Owsley County
- Knox County
For more Kentucky reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Kentucky
- Safest Places In Kentucky
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky
- Best Counties To Live In Kentucky
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Kentucky
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oldham County | 68,600 | $121,491 | $375,000 |
| 2 | Boone County | 137,676 | $94,752 | $253,200 |
| 3 | Woodford County | 27,017 | $80,006 | $270,400 |
| 4 | Anderson County | 24,098 | $71,747 | $213,200 |
| 5 | Scott County | 58,269 | $83,660 | $264,200 |
| 6 | Kenton County | 169,817 | $79,421 | $227,500 |
| 7 | Campbell County | 93,193 | $77,271 | $234,500 |
| 8 | Bullitt County | 83,209 | $77,640 | $233,700 |
| 9 | Nelson County | 47,102 | $67,888 | $224,100 |
| 10 | Spencer County | 19,875 | $98,333 | $297,600 |
| 11 | Meade County | 30,032 | $70,163 | $195,000 |
| 12 | Shelby County | 48,599 | $82,671 | $277,500 |
| 13 | Mercer County | 22,824 | $63,115 | $189,700 |
| 14 | Jessamine County | 53,792 | $74,886 | $245,100 |
| 15 | Harrison County | 18,971 | $63,205 | $188,900 |
| 16 | Lyon County | 8,831 | $64,464 | $183,600 |
| 17 | Clark County | 37,004 | $67,824 | $197,900 |
| 18 | Mccracken County | 67,584 | $62,385 | $182,900 |
| 19 | Jefferson County | 777,392 | $67,849 | $237,200 |
| 20 | Ballard County | 7,678 | $64,740 | $132,900 |
| 21 | Mclean County | 9,127 | $70,549 | $145,600 |
| 22 | Grant County | 25,238 | $67,940 | $185,500 |
| 23 | Bourbon County | 20,174 | $56,322 | $211,600 |
| 24 | Marshall County | 31,728 | $63,611 | $173,700 |
| 25 | Hardin County | 111,452 | $67,608 | $205,900 |
| 26 | Henderson County | 44,493 | $58,239 | $165,700 |
| 27 | Daviess County | 103,195 | $65,323 | $185,800 |
| 28 | Larue County | 15,028 | $67,770 | $177,500 |
| 29 | Hancock County | 9,032 | $66,836 | $137,600 |
| 30 | Fayette County | 321,122 | $67,631 | $272,100 |
| 31 | Franklin County | 51,563 | $66,470 | $198,700 |
| 32 | Taylor County | 26,205 | $61,871 | $163,700 |
| 33 | Warren County | 137,549 | $64,801 | $242,600 |
| 34 | Madison County | 94,064 | $62,407 | $220,700 |
| 35 | Boyle County | 30,708 | $61,635 | $200,700 |
| 36 | Union County | 13,379 | $60,989 | $109,000 |
| 37 | Pendleton County | 14,683 | $66,601 | $160,800 |
| 38 | Simpson County | 19,786 | $57,392 | $195,700 |
| 39 | Henry County | 15,774 | $60,736 | $181,300 |
| 40 | Washington County | 12,091 | $59,762 | $168,300 |
| 41 | Greenup County | 35,639 | $59,613 | $135,300 |
| 42 | Trimble County | 8,531 | $67,813 | $172,700 |
| 43 | Livingston County | 8,941 | $59,713 | $116,300 |
| 44 | Calloway County | 37,882 | $51,854 | $181,200 |
| 45 | Carlisle County | 4,763 | $62,019 | $104,700 |
| 46 | Gallatin County | 8,749 | $62,247 | $169,400 |
| 47 | Caldwell County | 12,631 | $57,618 | $113,500 |
| 48 | Marion County | 19,680 | $55,404 | $158,700 |
| 49 | Montgomery County | 28,271 | $57,468 | $163,800 |
| 50 | Logan County | 27,731 | $61,535 | $151,500 |
| 51 | Boyd County | 48,043 | $60,659 | $126,300 |
| 52 | Muhlenberg County | 30,712 | $52,672 | $121,300 |
| 53 | Garrard County | 17,346 | $62,572 | $186,800 |
| 54 | Bracken County | 8,427 | $59,521 | $116,400 |
| 55 | Hopkins County | 45,143 | $57,610 | $128,800 |
| 56 | Ohio County | 23,704 | $54,369 | $113,400 |
| 57 | Webster County | 12,873 | $58,786 | $97,600 |
| 58 | Trigg County | 14,211 | $54,630 | $192,000 |
| 59 | Rowan County | 24,525 | $53,657 | $155,900 |
| 60 | Owen County | 11,270 | $59,706 | $165,000 |
| 61 | Mason County | 16,995 | $51,473 | $157,500 |
| 62 | Graves County | 36,612 | $50,576 | $139,000 |
| 63 | Hickman County | 4,470 | $63,750 | $92,300 |
| 64 | Breckinridge County | 20,722 | $53,673 | $141,400 |
| 65 | Laurel County | 62,731 | $56,999 | $143,400 |
| 66 | Allen County | 21,029 | $59,029 | $176,300 |
| 67 | Pulaski County | 65,503 | $50,943 | $156,300 |
| 68 | Barren County | 44,670 | $49,171 | $166,900 |
| 69 | Todd County | 12,330 | $57,759 | $157,400 |
| 70 | Edmonson County | 12,243 | $54,512 | $136,600 |
| 71 | Grayson County | 26,586 | $49,893 | $160,100 |
| 72 | Christian County | 72,599 | $54,190 | $149,200 |
| 73 | Nicholas County | 7,655 | $53,616 | $119,600 |
| 74 | Monroe County | 11,318 | $49,430 | $116,300 |
| 75 | Crittenden County | 8,972 | $47,003 | $115,700 |
| 76 | Lincoln County | 24,415 | $50,862 | $139,300 |
| 77 | Robertson County | 2,239 | $52,337 | $123,400 |
| 78 | Carter County | 26,515 | $50,389 | $126,100 |
| 79 | Adair County | 19,016 | $50,316 | $134,800 |
| 80 | Powell County | 13,057 | $39,811 | $142,400 |
| 81 | Bath County | 12,812 | $54,128 | $111,800 |
| 82 | Butler County | 12,373 | $52,003 | $105,500 |
| 83 | Rockcastle County | 16,144 | $48,367 | $119,300 |
| 84 | Johnson County | 22,464 | $43,014 | $125,300 |
| 85 | Morgan County | 13,938 | $47,493 | $106,000 |
| 86 | Carroll County | 10,878 | $57,753 | $129,800 |
| 87 | Russell County | 18,117 | $50,520 | $148,200 |
| 88 | Perry County | 27,847 | $45,261 | $90,700 |
| 89 | Clinton County | 9,240 | $42,168 | $114,000 |
| 90 | Whitley County | 36,755 | $41,719 | $120,600 |
| 91 | Wayne County | 19,592 | $41,933 | $121,700 |
| 92 | Hart County | 19,470 | $49,653 | $124,600 |
| 93 | Cumberland County | 5,948 | $39,662 | $128,600 |
| 94 | Menifee County | 6,203 | $44,672 | $111,500 |
| 95 | Martin County | 11,181 | $46,185 | $84,900 |
| 96 | Pike County | 57,466 | $42,179 | $104,200 |
| 97 | Metcalfe County | 10,372 | $48,572 | $103,100 |
| 98 | Letcher County | 21,146 | $40,501 | $70,500 |
| 99 | Lawrence County | 16,171 | $45,584 | $108,100 |
| 100 | Fleming County | 15,221 | $49,663 | $115,200 |