Everyone has been racing to find the cheapest places to live in Kentucky.
While they have been jockeying for positions, you did the smart thing and came to us. We used Saturday Night Science to evaluate the latest Kentucky Census data on low home prices, cost of living, and favorable real estate conditions to find the most affordable places in the Bluegrass State.
With your newfound savings on rent, you can afford a ticket to the Kentucky Derby this year.
About 9.5 percent of Kentucky workers now work from home, the 41st-highest share in the country — our state-by-state commute breakdown shows what that flip did to carpooling.
$38,147 median income · $793 median rent · #6 home prices in Kentucky
Within the southeastern corner of Kentucky, Williamsburg shines as the most affordable gem in Kentucky. Powered by a $125,457 median home value, it’s 5% cheaper than the closest competitor.
In cost of living rankings, we have found that home prices and rent will be the most significant factors. Williamsburg is no different, and that extra money will free you up to visit the Kentucky Splash Waterpark or Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$47,411 median income · $762 median rent · #8 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Caldwell County, Kentucky
You won’t find anywhere cheaper to live in Kentucky than Princeton, a small city in western Kentucky. Homes here are nearly as cheap as a year’s tuition at the Ivy League version of Princeton, with a median price tag of $146,193. That’s the eighth lowest median home price in Kentucky. And with folks in Princeton earning a median income of $47,411, the city is the ninth easiest place to pay off your mortgage.
Not to mention that you’ll spend the 37th lowest proportion of your salary on an apartment statewide if you choose to rent instead of buy. With all that money you’re saving on housing, you’ll have plenty to splurge when the summertime Black Patch Heritage Festival rolls around.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$31,106 median income · $598 median rent · #2 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Bell County, Kentucky
Middlesbrough isn’t in the middle of the boroughs when it comes to affordability. The town ranks as the third most affordable city in Kentucky.
Middlesborough’s overall cost of living index of 83 is supported by low index values for utilities (93), services (95), and healthcare (46). According to Zillow, home prices are only $112,676, which is second cheapest in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$44,952 median income · $779 median rent · #11 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Wayne County, Kentucky
Monticello is located in central Kentucky about a three hour drive from each of Louisville, Nashville, and Knoxville in Wayne County. The town claims to be the “Houseboat Capital of the World” because of the various houseboat manufacturers with headquarters in town. People come to visit for local attractions around hiking, parks, and fishing in nearby Cumberland River.
In terms of affordability, the city ranks 11th lowest in home values at $158,807 and rent is only $779 per month. The overall cost of living in Monticello is about 20% lower than the Kentucky average and 30% lower than the national average. While real estate is considerably less expensive, basically every facet of live costs a little less in Monticello.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$34,704 median income · $775 median rent · #20 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Somerset is a home rule-class city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. The city population was 11,196 according to the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$44,347 median income · $621 median rent · #13 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Grayson County, Kentucky
Leitchfield is the county seat of Grayson County, Kentucky, United States. Leitchfield is a home rule-class city with a population of 6,699 as of the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,885 median income · $683 median rent · #3 home prices in Kentucky
Located between Bowling Green and Owensboro, Central City ranks as the seventh least expensive city in Kentucky.
You won’t be sacrificing safety for affordability if you choose to live in Central City, because it’s among the safest places in Kentucky. Homes in Central City go for about $120,968, the third cheapest price tag you’ll find in the state. And in terms of home price to income ratio, Central City is the fourth best statewide. Only a slightly less affordable market for renters keeps Central City from the #1 spot on this list.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$40,965 median income · $644 median rent · #10 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Graves County, Kentucky
Mayfield ranked eighth for affordability in Kentucky based on low living expenses. Located in Graves County, its housing market is particularly attractive, with the third lowest median rent statewide.
The overall cost of living index of 86 is supported by low index values for utilities (93), services (97), and healthcare (59). That saves money to spend for a weekend trip to Nashville or Saint Louis.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$45,484 median income · $738 median rent · #18 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Logan County, Kentucky
Named for Revolutionary War General William Russell, Russellville is located in the southern part of the state. It has a long history dating back to the 18th century that includes a famous bank robbery that may have involved Jesse James. These days, the town has another distinction: it ranks as the number 9 cheapest location in Kentucky.
It’s easy to find an affordable place to live in Russellville. The median home value comes in at $187,675, one of the lowest figures in the state. Even if you’re not in the housing market, you can find a good deal on an apartment. The median rent comes in at $738 per month.
Overall, the cost of living in town reaches 80% of the national average. The cheap housing makes up most of this value, though you’ll also save money on groceries and health care. These savings are important, because the area’s economy is tough. The median income hovers at $45,484, while the unemployment rate is 6.44%.
Russellville generally sits in a rural area. However, if the desire for big-city entertainment strikes you, it’s an hour-and-15-minute drive to Nashville, Tennessee. Or you can stay in town and enjoy the local Tobacco and Heritage Festival.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,647 median income · $770 median rent · #36 home prices in Kentucky
Located in
Harrison County, Kentucky
Cynthiana is a home rule-class city in Harrison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,402 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of its county.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Kentucky’s statewide median.
Kentucky statewide median: $231,894
Kentucky statewide median: $63,726
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in Kentucky
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Bluegrass State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Kentucky boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Kentucky using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Kentucky to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 78 places in Kentucky that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Kentucky with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Williamsburg.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Kentucky. The median Kentucky home is 43 years old — old enough that it pays to compare home warranty plans before something expensive breaks.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williamsburg | 5,270 | 81 | $38,147 | $125,457 | $793 |
| 2 | Princeton | 6,241 | 82 | $47,411 | $146,193 | $762 |
| 3 | Middlesborough | 9,123 | 83 | $31,106 | $112,676 | $598 |
| 4 | Monticello | 5,753 | 84 | $44,952 | $158,807 | $779 |
| 5 | Somerset | 12,216 | 85 | $34,704 | $191,314 | $775 |
| 6 | Leitchfield | 6,819 | 85 | $44,347 | $166,231 | $621 |
| 7 | Central City | 5,707 | 85 | $50,885 | $120,968 | $683 |
| 8 | Mayfield | 9,868 | 86 | $40,965 | $158,700 | $644 |
| 9 | Russellville | 7,316 | 86 | $45,484 | $187,675 | $738 |
| 10 | Cynthiana | 6,458 | 86 | $54,647 | $236,040 | $770 |
| 11 | Lebanon | 6,430 | 86 | $45,479 | $227,854 | $701 |
| 12 | Hopkinsville | 30,906 | 87 | $49,139 | $195,680 | $902 |
| 13 | Henderson | 27,852 | 87 | $48,186 | $198,772 | $771 |
| 14 | Ashland | 21,295 | 87 | $52,715 | $121,324 | $872 |
| 15 | Shively | 15,638 | 87 | $50,221 | $174,485 | $899 |
| 16 | Glasgow | 15,197 | 87 | $43,074 | $214,446 | $849 |
| 17 | Harrodsburg | 9,313 | 87 | $48,381 | $237,089 | $790 |
| 18 | Highland Heights | 6,444 | 87 | $53,275 | $205,650 | $1,144 |
| 19 | Covington | 41,110 | 88 | $61,166 | $221,429 | $1,006 |
| 20 | Radcliff | 22,864 | 88 | $58,559 | $209,910 | $971 |
| 21 | Corbin | 8,246 | 88 | $51,065 | $176,478 | $733 |
| 22 | Flatwoods | 7,269 | 88 | $59,972 | $142,236 | $940 |
| 23 | Owensboro | 60,302 | 89 | $56,357 | $209,852 | $905 |
| 24 | Paducah | 26,845 | 89 | $49,915 | $191,091 | $834 |
| 25 | Madisonville | 19,515 | 89 | $53,860 | $159,338 | $838 |
| 26 | Franklin | 10,360 | 89 | $59,052 | $247,589 | $1,010 |
| 27 | Paris | 10,160 | 89 | $55,839 | $256,361 | $832 |
| 28 | Maysville | 8,737 | 89 | $39,013 | $157,413 | $699 |
| 29 | London | 7,561 | 89 | $47,591 | $182,770 | $815 |
| 30 | Hazard | 5,008 | 89 | $51,016 | $102,374 | $720 |
| 31 | Winchester | 19,213 | 90 | $54,378 | $256,849 | $916 |
| 32 | Newport | 13,967 | 90 | $60,853 | $242,641 | $1,087 |
| 33 | Campbellsville | 11,622 | 90 | $49,644 | $209,817 | $685 |
| 34 | Mount Sterling | 7,551 | 90 | $55,827 | $218,631 | $699 |
| 35 | Dayton | 5,743 | 90 | $65,992 | $200,111 | $1,137 |
| 36 | Richmond | 37,111 | 91 | $50,870 | $297,033 | $917 |
| 37 | Nicholasville | 32,197 | 91 | $68,503 | $320,269 | $1,147 |
| 38 | Frankfort | 28,503 | 91 | $53,073 | $240,679 | $944 |
| 39 | Danville | 17,327 | 91 | $52,646 | $247,085 | $762 |
| 40 | Bardstown | 13,804 | 91 | $51,381 | $262,584 | $977 |
| 41 | Erlanger | 19,875 | 92 | $75,840 | $245,646 | $970 |
| 42 | Murray | 18,080 | 92 | $44,091 | $198,098 | $870 |
| 43 | Berea | 15,786 | 92 | $59,495 | $247,721 | $835 |
| 44 | Shepherdsville | 14,533 | 92 | $71,476 | $285,270 | $943 |
| 45 | Lawrenceburg | 11,943 | 92 | $66,486 | $261,326 | $954 |
| 46 | Elsmere | 9,205 | 92 | $60,503 | $222,955 | $1,351 |
| 47 | Oak Grove | 7,962 | 92 | $49,354 | $210,939 | $1,197 |
| 48 | Bellevue | 5,636 | 92 | $71,166 | $245,119 | $1,265 |
| 49 | Florence | 32,803 | 93 | $71,003 | $286,328 | $1,329 |
| 50 | Elizabethtown | 32,576 | 93 | $60,760 | $268,313 | $909 |
| 51 | Versailles | 10,492 | 93 | $62,368 | $348,651 | $1,160 |
| 52 | Morehead | 6,870 | 93 | $36,741 | $179,844 | $800 |
| 53 | Hillview | 8,797 | 94 | $68,111 | $224,675 | $1,316 |
| 54 | Taylor Mill | 6,937 | 94 | $88,546 | $276,590 | $1,139 |
| 55 | Bowling Green | 75,388 | 95 | $48,873 | $288,241 | $998 |
| 56 | Wilmore | 6,057 | 95 | $77,665 | $311,534 | $975 |
| 57 | Independence | 29,392 | 96 | $102,361 | $323,031 | $1,250 |
| 58 | Walton | 5,730 | 96 | $77,917 | $349,337 | $1,306 |
| 59 | Georgetown | 39,117 | 97 | $80,088 | $336,540 | $1,255 |
| 60 | Mount Washington | 18,480 | 97 | $96,239 | $325,406 | $1,008 |
| 61 | La Grange | 10,311 | 97 | $88,464 | $392,372 | $1,143 |
| 62 | Pikeville | 7,490 | 97 | $39,955 | $123,118 | $862 |
| 63 | Alexandria | 10,562 | 98 | $102,239 | $338,680 | $1,195 |
| 64 | Shelbyville | 17,668 | 99 | $75,610 | $305,922 | $1,033 |
| 65 | Villa Hills | 7,480 | 99 | $107,859 | $393,017 | $1,412 |
| 66 | Vine Grove | 6,830 | 99 | $72,560 | $269,116 | $1,334 |
| 67 | Cold Spring | 6,341 | 99 | $75,000 | $302,336 | $1,191 |
| 68 | Fort Wright | 5,887 | 100 | $105,024 | $334,172 | $1,142 |
| 69 | Jeffersontown | 29,199 | 101 | $81,506 | $282,762 | $1,320 |
| 70 | Edgewood | 8,447 | 101 | $119,028 | $361,115 | $1,073 |
| 71 | Fort Thomas | 17,169 | 103 | $104,350 | $368,293 | $1,126 |
| 72 | Lyndon | 11,030 | 103 | $65,679 | $312,200 | $1,246 |
| 73 | Fort Mitchell | 8,713 | 107 | $86,310 | $398,735 | $1,039 |
| 74 | Crestwood | 6,356 | 107 | $108,046 | $481,032 | $1,188 |
| 75 | Douglass Hills | 5,474 | 107 | $78,482 | $390,589 | $1,353 |
| 76 | St. Matthews | 17,577 | 108 | $82,412 | $381,227 | $1,369 |
| 77 | Middletown | 9,763 | 108 | $82,537 | $378,971 | $1,502 |
| 78 | Union | 7,642 | 116 | $136,712 | $449,093 | $1,657 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 78 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Kentucky Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Kentucky for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Kentucky.
The cheapest cities in Kentucky are Williamsburg, Princeton, Middlesborough, Monticello, Somerset, Leitchfield, Central City, Mayfield, Russellville, and Cynthiana. Not sold on Kentucky? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Affordable Places To Live In Kentucky FAQs
What is the cheapest place to live in Kentucky?
Williamsburg is the cheapest place to live in Kentucky for 2026. It posts the lowest Cost of Living Index of the 78 places we analyzed; Princeton and Middlesborough are next.
How cheap is housing in Williamsburg?
The median home value in Williamsburg is $125,457, versus $231,894 statewide, and the median rent is $793. Housing carries the biggest weight in our cost of living index, and it is the main reason Williamsburg takes the top spot.
What are the most affordable places to live in Kentucky?
The most affordable places to live in Kentucky are Williamsburg, Princeton, and Middlesborough. We ranked all 78 places with more than 5,000 residents on housing, transportation, services, groceries, healthcare, and utilities costs; the full top ten is in the table above.
What is the most expensive place to live in Kentucky?
Union is the most expensive place to live in Kentucky. It ranks last of the 78 places we scored on the Cost of Living Index, and the other priciest spots are listed next to the summary above.
How do you measure the cost of living in Kentucky?
We index cost of living data from the Census American Community Survey across housing, transportation, services, groceries, healthcare, and utilities, with housing weighted heaviest since it eats the biggest share of a budget. A score of 100 is the national average; anything under 100 counts as affordable.
