Kentucky real estate markets
Compare 99 Kentucky counties by rent, home prices and property tax, using public government data. Among counties of 50,000 people or more, the median rent-to-price is 0.53% in Kentucky and 0.52% nationwide.
Where the numbers stand out
99 counties · Swipe the table to see every column
| Market | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.35% | — | — | $67,400 | $909 | 0.96% | 20,808 |
| Leslie County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.32% | — | — | $69,000 | $909 | 0.82% | 10,079 |
| Breathitt County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.29% | — | — | $70,300 | $909 | 0.73% | 13,276 |
| Knott County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.28% | — | — | $77,000 | $983 | 0.74% | 13,830 |
| Harlan County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.23% | — | — | $73,700 | $909 | 0.99% | 25,772 |
| Perry County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.10% | +2.3% | +6.1% | $91,800 | $1,010 | 0.70% | 27,499 |
| McCreary County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.07% | — | — | $85,300 | $909 | 0.65% | 16,867 |
| Martin County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.05% | — | — | $86,900 | $909 | 0.82% | 11,027 |
| Bell County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.02% | +8.5% | +8.8% | $89,000 | $909 | 0.81% | 23,509 |
| Magoffin County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.02% | — | — | $89,000 | $909 | 0.78% | 11,348 |
| Clay County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 1.00% | -4.1% | +8.6% | $90,700 | $909 | 0.70% | 19,921 |
| Pike County, KYPikeville rents · Run a deal | 0.98% | +2.0% | +4.8% | $112,000 | $1,095 | 0.69% | 56,727 |
| Lewis County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.95% | +1.1% | +7.3% | $96,000 | $909 | 0.64% | 12,965 |
| Floyd County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.94% | -1.2% | +5.0% | $98,700 | $925 | 0.76% | 35,224 |
| Union County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.93% | +10.3% | +8.9% | $104,500 | $971 | 0.89% | 13,260 |
| Pendleton County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.90% | +10.6% | +11.4% | $159,800 | $1,442 | 0.80% | 14,723 |
| Lawrence County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.87% | +0.1% | +4.7% | $111,700 | $971 | 0.71% | 16,077 |
| Jackson County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.82% | — | — | $111,500 | $909 | 0.62% | 13,086 |
| Butler County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.82% | +4.1% | +12.3% | $111,100 | $909 | 0.58% | 12,393 |
| Metcalfe County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.82% | +6.1% | +10.2% | $110,200 | $909 | 0.67% | 10,425 |
| Webster County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.81% | +22.1% | +9.0% | $112,900 | $909 | 0.88% | 12,842 |
| Monroe County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.78% | +5.5% | +10.6% | $115,900 | $909 | 0.77% | 11,269 |
| Boyd County, KYAshland rents · Run a deal | 0.77% | +5.8% | +6.7% | $130,700 | $1,006 | 0.88% | 47,911 |
| Knox County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.77% | +3.1% | +9.8% | $118,700 | $909 | 0.66% | 29,865 |
| Morgan County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.77% | — | — | $118,200 | $909 | 0.66% | 14,053 |
| Caldwell County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.77% | +1.7% | +9.8% | $118,500 | $909 | 0.54% | 12,618 |
| Johnson County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.76% | +7.1% | +6.0% | $120,200 | $909 | 0.66% | 22,334 |
| Estill County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.76% | -0.6% | +8.2% | $119,500 | $909 | 0.67% | 14,035 |
| Carroll County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.76% | +15.7% | +9.9% | $140,900 | $1,072 | 0.76% | 10,954 |
| Christian County, KYHopkinsville rents · Run a deal | 0.75% | +6.4% | +10.6% | $173,600 | $1,307 | 0.65% | 72,069 |
| Greenup County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.75% | +1.8% | +6.6% | $134,000 | $1,006 | 0.87% | 35,501 |
| Ohio County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.75% | +9.3% | +8.6% | $121,400 | $909 | 0.62% | 23,735 |
| Edmonson County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.75% | +15.8% | +11.3% | $160,300 | $1,199 | 0.55% | 12,355 |
| Rockcastle County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.74% | +13.2% | +9.0% | $123,600 | $909 | 0.48% | 16,163 |
| Green County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.73% | — | — | $125,000 | $909 | 0.65% | 11,369 |
| Muhlenberg County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.71% | +11.1% | +10.0% | $127,400 | $909 | 0.62% | 30,591 |
| Bath County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.70% | — | — | $129,800 | $909 | 0.65% | 12,851 |
| Clark County, KYWinchester rents · Run a deal | 0.69% | +6.5% | +9.2% | $205,800 | $1,416 | 0.71% | 37,192 |
| Whitley County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.69% | +3.1% | +8.4% | $131,800 | $909 | 0.64% | 36,920 |
| Carter County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.68% | +0.4% | +5.6% | $132,800 | $909 | 0.49% | 26,341 |
| Hopkins County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.67% | +5.9% | +9.4% | $142,800 | $959 | 0.77% | 45,119 |
| Wayne County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.67% | +6.5% | +10.8% | $135,700 | $909 | 0.56% | 19,602 |
| Casey County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.67% | +1.7% | +7.9% | $136,300 | $909 | 0.60% | 15,914 |
| Fleming County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.67% | +5.7% | +9.8% | $134,700 | $909 | 0.64% | 15,323 |
| Henry County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.64% | +5.3% | +8.8% | $197,900 | $1,276 | 0.81% | 15,856 |
| Powell County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.64% | +10.5% | +9.5% | $141,100 | $909 | 0.62% | 13,038 |
| Calloway County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.63% | +4.6% | +8.9% | $183,200 | $1,155 | 0.65% | 38,224 |
| Trigg County, KYCadiz rents · Run a deal | 0.63% | +2.6% | +9.1% | $207,700 | $1,307 | 0.56% | 14,315 |
| Todd County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.63% | -2.5% | +9.5% | $166,700 | $1,054 | 0.55% | 12,469 |
| Graves County, KYKentucky rents · Run a deal | 0.62% | +7.3% | +8.1% | $147,800 | $909 | 0.66% | 36,630 |
Home prices
Home prices in Kentucky rose 46% over the 5 years to Q2 2026.
- 1 year
- +5%
- 5 years
- +46%
- 10 years
- +91%
From the FHFA House Price Index for Kentucky (state level), updated Mar 31, 2026. It tracks repeat sales and refinance appraisals of the same homes, so it shows the area's trend, not what any one home is worth. See what local prices suggest your rental is worth.
Keep looking
How to read this
Use this to shortlist, not to decide. These are county-wide figures, and a single county can hold very different neighborhoods. Check a real deal with the rental cash flow calculator.
Rent-to-price is the 2-bedroom rent as a percent of the median home value. It's a rough comparison between counties. The two figures describe different homes, and the home value lags current prices, so it can look better than today's market in places where prices rose quickly.
2-bed rent is HUD's Fair Market Rent (fiscal year from Oct 1, 2026): the 40th percentile for recent movers, including utilities. HUD often uses one figure across a whole metro area, so neighboring counties can match.
Home value and population are Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates through 2024. Home values are what owners report. Counties under 10,000 people aren't listed.
Prices are the FHFA House Price Index through 2025: the latest year's change, and the average yearly change over five years. FHFA calls its county index developmental, and it doesn't cover every county.
Property tax is median taxes paid divided by median home value, from the Census. It reflects what current owners pay. An investor buying today can pay more where assessments are capped for homeowners, as in Florida and California.
People and jobs: income, vacant homes (seasonal homes count as vacant, which can look high in vacation areas) and renters are Census 5-year estimates. Population growth compares two Census releases five years apart. Rent ÷ income is a year of the 2-bedroom rent as a percent of median household income. Unemployment is the Bureau of Labor Statistics yearly average for 2025.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Kentucky county has the highest rent-to-price ratio?
- Letcher County, at 1.35%: a 2-bedroom rent of $909 against a median home value of $67,400. It's a rough comparison, and a high ratio can come with slower growth or weaker demand, so check the other columns too.
- Where have Kentucky home prices grown fastest?
- Butler County, at an average of +12.3% a year over five years, on the FHFA House Price Index. Past growth doesn't predict future growth.
- Which Kentucky county has the lowest property tax?
- Rockcastle County, at about 0.48% of home value, based on what current owners pay. An investor buying today can pay more where assessments are capped for homeowners.
- Where is the Kentucky population growing fastest?
- Simpson County, at +1.9% a year, comparing two Census releases five years apart. These are estimates, and they're less exact for small places.
- How does Kentucky compare with the rest of the US?
- Among counties of 50,000 people or more, the median rent-to-price is 0.53% in Kentucky and 0.52% nationwide. The ratio is the 2-bedroom rent as a percent of the median home value.
- Are home prices going up in Kentucky?
- Home prices in Kentucky rose 46% over the 5 years to Q2 2026. In the latest year (to Q2 2026) they rose 5%. These figures come from the FHFA House Price Index for Kentucky (state level), which tracks repeat sales and refinance appraisals of the same homes. It shows the trend for the area, not what any one home is worth.