The 10 Best Counties To Live In Kentucky For 2022


Using science and data, we can tell you which counties in Kentucky have the most for people looking to make the move to Kentucky.

Chris Kolmar, About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: April 4, 2022

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 places 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 helping people find the best places to live in America for years.

So, 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.

After the analytic dust settled, we identified the 10 best counties to live in Bluegrass State for 2022.

Spencer County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Kentucky. And you might want to avoid Knott County if you can — at least according to the data.

So if you’re thinking of making the move Kentucky, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading for a detailed methodology.

Or, check out the best places to live in Kentucky and the cheapest places to live in Kentucky.

The Best Counties To Live In Kentucky For 2022

1. Spencer County

Biggest Place: Elk Creek

Population: 18,945
Median Income: $85,488.0 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $227,000.0 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (35th best)
More on Spencer County: Data

2. Oldham County

La Grange, KY

Source: Wikipedia User NearEMPTiness | CC BY-SA 4.0

Biggest Place: La Grange

Population: 66,508
Median Income: $103,761.0 (best)
Median Home Price: $299,300.0 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (15th best)
More on Oldham County: Photos | Data

3. Meade County

Brandenburg, KY

Source: Wikipedia User W.marsh | GFDL

Biggest Place: Fort Knox

Population: 28,379
Median Income: $61,500.0 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $154,200.0 (20th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.2% (50th best)
More on Meade County: Photos | Data

4. Lyon County

Biggest Place: Eddyville

Population: 8,226
Median Income: $49,286.0 (46th best)
Median Home Price: $149,100.0 (23rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (5th best)
More on Lyon County: Photos | Data

5. Scott County

Georgetown, KY

Source: Wikipedia User FloNight (Sydney Poore) a | GFDL

Biggest Place: Georgetown

Population: 55,961
Median Income: $71,750.0 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $197,900.0 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (6th best)
More on Scott County: Photos | Data

6. Anderson County

Lawrenceburg, KY

Source: Wikipedia User Michael Howard | FAL

Biggest Place: Lawrenceburg

Population: 22,580
Median Income: $54,413.0 (28th best)
Median Home Price: $158,100.0 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.1% (76th best)
More on Anderson County: Photos | Data

7. Nelson County

Bardstown, KY

Source: Flickr User KellyReeves | CC BY-ND 2.0

Biggest Place: Bardstown

Population: 45,915
Median Income: $63,032.0 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $164,200.0 (14th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (8th best)
More on Nelson County: Photos | Data

8. Grant County

Crittenden, KY

Source: Wikipedia User Dwight Burdette | CC BY 3.0

Biggest Place: Williamstown

Population: 25,107
Median Income: $56,746.0 (20th best)
Median Home Price: $141,600.0 (3best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (39th best)
More on Grant County: Photos | Data

9. Boone County

Union, KY

Source: Public domain

Biggest Place: Florence

Population: 132,368
Median Income: $82,838.0 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $194,700.0 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (13th best)
More on Boone County: Photos | Data

10. Campbell County

Alexandria, KY

Source: Wikipedia User W.marsh | GFDL

Biggest Place: Fort Thomas

Population: 93,608
Median Income: $63,152.0 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $173,400.0 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (26th best)
More on Campbell County: Photos | Data

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 need to make some assumptions about what’s a “best county” and what isn’t. And, for reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, don’t take this analysis to court.

With that in mind, we went to two of the best sources of data on the internet; the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent time 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
Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky

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, quiet, and best counties to raise a family in the Bluegrass State.

Read on to see why Spencer County is the best county, while Knott County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Kentucky.

Summary: The Best Counties In Kentucky To Call Home For 2018

It turns out living in Kentucky can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?

But now you the know the really good parts and the parts to avoid and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day. And for that, you are welcome.

Here’s a look at the worst counties in Kentucky according to the data:

  1. Knott County
  2. Casey County
  3. Wolfe County

For more Kentucky reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Kentucky

County Rank Population Median Income Median Home Price
Spencer County 1 18,945 $85,488.0 $227,000.0
Oldham County 2 66,508 $103,761.0 $299,300.0
Meade County 3 28,379 $61,500.0 $154,200.0
Lyon County 4 8,226 $49,286.0 $149,100.0
Scott County 5 55,961 $71,750.0 $197,900.0
Anderson County 6 22,580 $54,413.0 $158,100.0
Nelson County 7 45,915 $63,032.0 $164,200.0
Grant County 8 25,107 $56,746.0 $141,600.0
Boone County 9 132,368 $82,838.0 $194,700.0
Campbell County 10 93,608 $63,152.0 $173,400.0
Hancock County 11 8,748 $56,265.0 $113,600.0
Woodford County 12 26,486 $66,442.0 $212,100.0
Shelby County 13 48,100 $72,564.0 $202,000.0
Marshall County 14 31,225 $57,348.0 $138,000.0
Fayette County 15 322,200 $58,954.0 $200,900.0
Larue County 16 14,269 $48,495.0 $125,100.0
Bullitt County 17 80,921 $65,531.0 $171,300.0
Kenton County 18 166,552 $66,541.0 $167,100.0
Greenup County 19 35,359 $52,337.0 $114,900.0
Jessamine County 20 53,476 $64,855.0 $186,400.0
Union County 21 14,582 $49,812.0 $90,900.0
Hardin County 22 109,627 $57,101.0 $157,700.0
Ballard County 23 7,914 $45,517.0 $103,800.0
Boyle County 24 30,090 $51,562.0 $144,000.0
Washington County 25 12,044 $55,321.0 $123,600.0
Mclean County 26 9,202 $54,181.0 $111,800.0
Bourbon County 27 19,998 $47,024.0 $155,300.0
Daviess County 28 101,001 $54,881.0 $143,500.0
Livingston County 29 9,172 $52,795.0 $90,600.0
Bracken County 30 8,308 $60,053.0 $102,700.0
Taylor County 31 25,572 $50,266.0 $122,800.0
Jefferson County 32 768,419 $58,196.0 $178,100.0
Mercer County 33 21,690 $52,312.0 $148,900.0
Pendleton County 34 14,587 $56,000.0 $130,100.0
Owen County 35 10,847 $50,553.0 $116,300.0
Franklin County 36 50,744 $59,056.0 $149,900.0
Henderson County 37 45,550 $50,471.0 $133,200.0
Trigg County 38 14,569 $50,980.0 $156,000.0
Clark County 39 36,152 $54,871.0 $151,300.0
Mccracken County 40 65,485 $47,011.0 $145,200.0
Harrison County 41 18,763 $50,270.0 $146,800.0
Warren County 42 130,836 $54,325.0 $180,000.0
Muhlenberg County 43 30,815 $45,937.0 $96,000.0
Calloway County 44 38,991 $41,841.0 $141,200.0
Madison County 45 92,090 $51,649.0 $161,400.0
Ohio County 46 24,081 $45,773.0 $90,400.0
Rowan County 47 24,534 $42,754.0 $126,900.0
Crittenden County 48 8,940 $46,354.0 $97,200.0
Garrard County 49 17,554 $55,369.0 $144,900.0
Nicholas County 50 7,189 $47,665.0 $86,500.0
Simpson County 51 18,319 $50,159.0 $141,400.0
Gallatin County 52 8,760 $55,113.0 $135,100.0
Metcalfe County 53 10,062 $40,391.0 $76,900.0
Webster County 54 13,021 $44,540.0 $76,200.0
Breckinridge County 55 20,283 $47,236.0 $104,500.0
Mason County 56 17,122 $46,241.0 $144,200.0
Logan County 57 27,049 $48,912.0 $108,900.0
Hopkins County 58 45,044 $47,014.0 $107,100.0
Marion County 59 19,257 $43,587.0 $112,900.0
Trimble County 60 8,528 $57,589.0 $129,700.0
Hickman County 61 4,461 $44,063.0 $85,000.0
Cumberland County 62 6,660 $35,030.0 $110,000.0
Adair County 63 19,366 $43,026.0 $105,400.0
Boyd County 64 47,361 $51,019.0 $110,000.0
Bath County 65 12,421 $44,893.0 $83,900.0
Johnson County 66 22,427 $38,333.0 $115,800.0
Henry County 67 15,999 $52,550.0 $134,100.0
Grayson County 68 26,313 $38,262.0 $118,100.0
Butler County 69 12,756 $45,955.0 $92,000.0
Montgomery County 70 28,042 $46,998.0 $124,600.0
Powell County 71 12,283 $41,071.0 $105,000.0
Morgan County 72 13,270 $37,399.0 $79,900.0
Caldwell County 73 12,679 $48,281.0 $89,600.0
Carlisle County 74 4,738 $41,222.0 $83,200.0
Todd County 75 12,334 $47,229.0 $112,500.0
Hart County 76 18,833 $39,834.0 $93,000.0
Laurel County 77 60,631 $43,745.0 $116,300.0
Jackson County 78 13,368 $31,515.0 $83,100.0
Monroe County 79 10,616 $35,078.0 $97,000.0
Russell County 80 17,846 $41,731.0 $99,000.0
Graves County 81 37,125 $45,614.0 $109,000.0
Pulaski County 82 64,789 $40,658.0 $113,900.0
Allen County 83 21,065 $44,180.0 $123,300.0
Whitley County 84 36,252 $39,258.0 $104,200.0
Fleming County 85 14,519 $42,087.0 $91,100.0
Menifee County 86 6,463 $46,746.0 $83,200.0
Lincoln County 87 24,493 $42,231.0 $106,100.0
Carroll County 88 10,691 $41,014.0 $105,800.0
Christian County 89 71,470 $44,279.0 $121,000.0
Carter County 90 26,976 $39,492.0 $109,500.0
Green County 91 11,000 $33,846.0 $80,600.0
Lee County 92 7,088 $24,699.0 $65,800.0
Martin County 93 11,421 $42,894.0 $78,100.0
Rockcastle County 94 16,795 $38,744.0 $88,500.0
Robertson County 95 2,139 $53,074.0 $101,900.0
Perry County 96 26,266 $39,594.0 $78,900.0
Barren County 97 44,026 $41,674.0 $127,100.0
Floyd County 98 35,931 $35,096.0 $74,000.0
Estill County 99 14,187 $32,800.0 $78,200.0
Edmonson County 100 12,195 $44,229.0 $91,900.0
Download The Entire Kentucky Ranking Data
Editor’s Note: We updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the best counties to live in Kentucky.

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Counties, Rankings