Before you decide to relocate to Kentucky, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Kentucky that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2020-2024 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 78 places in Kentucky with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Kentucky for 2026.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Kentucky For 2026
What’s the most expensive place to live in Kentucky? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Union is the most expensive place to live in Kentucky.
Williamsburg (the cheapest place to live in Kentucky) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Kentucky and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Kentucky For 2026
/10
Population: 7,642
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $136,712
Average Home Price: $449,092
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on Union: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Union is 116. The median income in Union comes in at $136,712 and the average home value is $449,092 for 2026.
/10
Population: 17,577
Cost Of Living Index: 108
Median Income: $82,412
Average Home Price: $381,227
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on St. Matthews: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in St. Matthews is 108. The median income in St. Matthews comes in at $82,412 and the average home value is $381,227 for 2026.
/10
Population: 9,763
Cost Of Living Index: 108
Median Income: $82,537
Average Home Price: $378,971
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Middletown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Middletown is 108. The median income in Middletown comes in at $82,537 and the average home value is $378,971 for 2026.
/10
Population: 8,713
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $86,310
Average Home Price: $398,734
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Fort Mitchell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fort Mitchell is 107. The median income in Fort Mitchell comes in at $86,310 and the average home value is $398,734 for 2026.
/10
Population: 6,356
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $108,046
Average Home Price: $481,031
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.5x
More on Crestwood: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Crestwood is 107. The median income in Crestwood comes in at $108,046 and the average home value is $481,031 for 2026.
/10
Population: 5,474
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $78,482
Average Home Price: $390,588
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.0x
More on Douglass Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Douglass Hills is 107. The median income in Douglass Hills comes in at $78,482 and the average home value is $390,588 for 2026.
/10
Population: 17,169
Cost Of Living Index: 103
Median Income: $104,350
Average Home Price: $368,292
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Fort Thomas: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fort Thomas is 103. The median income in Fort Thomas comes in at $104,350 and the average home value is $368,292 for 2026.
/10
Population: 11,030
Cost Of Living Index: 103
Median Income: $65,679
Average Home Price: $312,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.8x
More on Lyndon: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Lyndon is 103. The median income in Lyndon comes in at $65,679 and the average home value is $312,200 for 2026.
/10
Population: 29,199
Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $81,506
Average Home Price: $282,762
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Jeffersontown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Jeffersontown is 101. The median income in Jeffersontown comes in at $81,506 and the average home value is $282,762 for 2026.
/10
Population: 8,447
Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $119,028
Average Home Price: $361,114
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Edgewood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Edgewood is 101. The median income in Edgewood comes in at $119,028 and the average home value is $361,114 for 2026.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Bluegrass State For 2026
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Kentucky are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Kentucky to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 78 places in Kentucky that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Kentucky according to the data is Union. We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the most expensive places to live in Kentucky.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Kentucky For 2026
Well, there you have it, the places in Kentucky that have the highest cost of living, with Union ranking as the most expensive city in the Bluegrass State.
The most expensive cities in Kentucky are Union, St. Matthews, Middletown, Fort Mitchell, Crestwood, Douglass Hills, Fort Thomas, Lyndon, Jeffersontown, and Edgewood.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Kentucky according to the data:
- Williamsburg
- Princeton
- Middlesborough
For more Kentucky reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Kentucky
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky
- Most Dangerous Cities In Kentucky
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Kentucky
- Safest Places In Kentucky
- Worst Places To Live In Kentucky
Most Expensive Cities In Kentucky
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union | 116 | 7,642 | $136,712 | $449,092 | 3.3x |
| 2 | St. Matthews | 108 | 17,577 | $82,412 | $381,227 | 4.6x |
| 3 | Middletown | 108 | 9,763 | $82,537 | $378,971 | 4.6x |
| 4 | Fort Mitchell | 107 | 8,713 | $86,310 | $398,734 | 4.6x |
| 5 | Crestwood | 107 | 6,356 | $108,046 | $481,031 | 4.5x |
| 6 | Douglass Hills | 107 | 5,474 | $78,482 | $390,588 | 5.0x |
| 7 | Fort Thomas | 103 | 17,169 | $104,350 | $368,292 | 3.5x |
| 8 | Lyndon | 103 | 11,030 | $65,679 | $312,200 | 4.8x |
| 9 | Jeffersontown | 101 | 29,199 | $81,506 | $282,762 | 3.5x |
| 10 | Edgewood | 101 | 8,447 | $119,028 | $361,114 | 3.0x |
| 11 | Fort Wright | 100 | 5,887 | $105,024 | $334,171 | 3.2x |
| 12 | Shelbyville | 99 | 17,668 | $75,610 | $305,922 | 4.0x |
| 13 | Villa Hills | 99 | 7,480 | $107,859 | $393,017 | 3.6x |
| 14 | Vine Grove | 99 | 6,830 | $72,560 | $269,116 | 3.7x |
| 15 | Cold Spring | 99 | 6,341 | $75,000 | $302,336 | 4.0x |
| 16 | Alexandria | 98 | 10,562 | $102,239 | $338,680 | 3.3x |
| 17 | Georgetown | 97 | 39,117 | $80,088 | $336,540 | 4.2x |
| 18 | Mount Washington | 97 | 18,480 | $96,239 | $325,405 | 3.4x |
| 19 | La Grange | 97 | 10,311 | $88,464 | $392,371 | 4.4x |
| 20 | Pikeville | 97 | 7,490 | $39,955 | $123,118 | 3.1x |
| 21 | Independence | 96 | 29,392 | $102,361 | $323,030 | 3.2x |
| 22 | Walton | 96 | 5,730 | $77,917 | $349,337 | 4.5x |
| 23 | Bowling Green | 95 | 75,388 | $48,873 | $288,241 | 5.9x |
| 24 | Wilmore | 95 | 6,057 | $77,665 | $311,533 | 4.0x |
| 25 | Hillview | 94 | 8,797 | $68,111 | $224,674 | 3.3x |
| 26 | Taylor Mill | 94 | 6,937 | $88,546 | $276,590 | 3.1x |
| 27 | Florence | 93 | 32,803 | $71,003 | $286,328 | 4.0x |
| 28 | Elizabethtown | 93 | 32,576 | $60,760 | $268,312 | 4.4x |
| 29 | Versailles | 93 | 10,492 | $62,368 | $348,651 | 5.6x |
| 30 | Morehead | 93 | 6,870 | $36,741 | $179,843 | 4.9x |
| 31 | Erlanger | 92 | 19,875 | $75,840 | $245,646 | 3.2x |
| 32 | Murray | 92 | 18,080 | $44,091 | $198,097 | 4.5x |
| 33 | Berea | 92 | 15,786 | $59,495 | $247,721 | 4.2x |
| 34 | Shepherdsville | 92 | 14,533 | $71,476 | $285,269 | 4.0x |
| 35 | Lawrenceburg | 92 | 11,943 | $66,486 | $261,325 | 3.9x |
| 36 | Elsmere | 92 | 9,205 | $60,503 | $222,954 | 3.7x |
| 37 | Oak Grove | 92 | 7,962 | $49,354 | $210,938 | 4.3x |
| 38 | Bellevue | 92 | 5,636 | $71,166 | $245,118 | 3.4x |
| 39 | Richmond | 91 | 37,111 | $50,870 | $297,032 | 5.8x |
| 40 | Nicholasville | 91 | 32,197 | $68,503 | $320,269 | 4.7x |
| 41 | Frankfort | 91 | 28,503 | $53,073 | $240,679 | 4.5x |
| 42 | Danville | 91 | 17,327 | $52,646 | $247,084 | 4.7x |
| 43 | Bardstown | 91 | 13,804 | $51,381 | $262,583 | 5.1x |
| 44 | Winchester | 90 | 19,213 | $54,378 | $256,848 | 4.7x |
| 45 | Newport | 90 | 13,967 | $60,853 | $242,641 | 4.0x |
| 46 | Campbellsville | 90 | 11,622 | $49,644 | $209,816 | 4.2x |
| 47 | Mount Sterling | 90 | 7,551 | $55,827 | $218,630 | 3.9x |
| 48 | Dayton | 90 | 5,743 | $65,992 | $200,111 | 3.0x |
| 49 | Owensboro | 89 | 60,302 | $56,357 | $209,851 | 3.7x |
| 50 | Paducah | 89 | 26,845 | $49,915 | $191,091 | 3.8x |
| 51 | Madisonville | 89 | 19,515 | $53,860 | $159,337 | 3.0x |
| 52 | Franklin | 89 | 10,360 | $59,052 | $247,588 | 4.2x |
| 53 | Paris | 89 | 10,160 | $55,839 | $256,361 | 4.6x |
| 54 | Maysville | 89 | 8,737 | $39,013 | $157,413 | 4.0x |
| 55 | London | 89 | 7,561 | $47,591 | $182,770 | 3.8x |
| 56 | Hazard | 89 | 5,008 | $51,016 | $102,373 | 2.0x |
| 57 | Covington | 88 | 41,110 | $61,166 | $221,429 | 3.6x |
| 58 | Radcliff | 88 | 22,864 | $58,559 | $209,910 | 3.6x |
| 59 | Corbin | 88 | 8,246 | $51,065 | $176,478 | 3.5x |
| 60 | Flatwoods | 88 | 7,269 | $59,972 | $142,236 | 2.4x |
| 61 | Hopkinsville | 87 | 30,906 | $49,139 | $195,679 | 4.0x |
| 62 | Henderson | 87 | 27,852 | $48,186 | $198,771 | 4.1x |
| 63 | Ashland | 87 | 21,295 | $52,715 | $121,323 | 2.3x |
| 64 | Shively | 87 | 15,638 | $50,221 | $174,484 | 3.5x |
| 65 | Glasgow | 87 | 15,197 | $43,074 | $214,445 | 5.0x |
| 66 | Harrodsburg | 87 | 9,313 | $48,381 | $237,088 | 4.9x |
| 67 | Highland Heights | 87 | 6,444 | $53,275 | $205,650 | 3.9x |
| 68 | Mayfield | 86 | 9,868 | $40,965 | $158,700 | 3.9x |
| 69 | Russellville | 86 | 7,316 | $45,484 | $187,675 | 4.1x |
| 70 | Cynthiana | 86 | 6,458 | $54,647 | $236,039 | 4.3x |
| 71 | Lebanon | 86 | 6,430 | $45,479 | $227,854 | 5.0x |
| 72 | Somerset | 85 | 12,216 | $34,704 | $191,314 | 5.5x |
| 73 | Leitchfield | 85 | 6,819 | $44,347 | $166,230 | 3.7x |
| 74 | Central City | 85 | 5,707 | $50,885 | $120,967 | 2.4x |
| 75 | Monticello | 84 | 5,753 | $44,952 | $158,807 | 3.5x |
| 76 | Middlesborough | 83 | 9,123 | $31,106 | $112,676 | 3.6x |
| 77 | Princeton | 82 | 6,241 | $47,411 | $146,193 | 3.1x |
| 78 | Williamsburg | 81 | 5,270 | $38,147 | $125,457 | 3.3x |