Cost of living in Kentucky: prices 9.8% below the U.S. average.
The official BEA price level for Kentucky, what makes it up, what a salary is worth here at U.S.-average prices, and how local jobs pay once regional prices are taken into account.
$100,000 in Kentucky ≈ $110,915 at U.S.-average prices.
BEA's Regional Price Parity shows that overall price levels in Kentucky are approximately 9.8% below the U.S. average (RPP 90.2 for 2024, U.S. = 100; rank 40 of 51, most expensive first). It measures average prices of goods and services for the average consumer, not a household budget, rent alone or taxes. Rents are tracked separately: 64.3 here against 100.6 nationally.
Regional Price Parities (BEA) compare average price levels of goods and services across states and metro areas in one year, with the U.S. = 100. An RPP of 90.2 means prices about 9.8% below the national level.
A household budget, rent alone, taxes, disposable income, home affordability, lifestyle, savings, or any individual's actual spending.
- Price level (all items)
- 90.2
- U.S. 100 · BEA 2024
- Rents (tenant housing)
- 64.3
- U.S. 100.6 · shown separately
- $100,000 here equals
- $110,915
- at U.S.-average prices
- To match $100,000 (U.S. prices)
- $90,159
- needed here
Price levels by category
Data BEA RPP components for 2024. Rents cover tenant-occupied housing only. Each U.S. value is BEA's national figure for that category.
What the largest occupations in Kentucky pay
Data BLS median wage (May 2025), the same wage at U.S.-average prices (TryHired calculation with BEA RPP), and the occupation's U.S. median.
| Occupation | Local median | At U.S.-average prices | U.S. median | Employed here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Handler | $42,770 | $47,438 | $40,240 | 57,930 |
| Operations Manager | $79,370 | $88,033 | $105,770 | 52,100 |
| Sales Associate | $29,650 | $32,886 | $35,410 | 51,250 |
| Registered Nurse | $81,040 | $89,886 | $97,550 | 50,300 |
| Stocker | $36,810 | $40,828 | $37,330 | 47,730 |
| Cashier | $28,590 | $31,711 | $32,880 | 44,550 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,130 | $30,091 | $31,200 | 41,860 |
| Customer Service Representative | $38,700 | $42,924 | $44,770 | 38,630 |
| Truck Driver | $56,340 | $62,490 | $58,640 | 31,760 |
| Office Clerks, General | $37,870 | $42,004 | $45,010 | 29,750 |
| Server | $29,660 | $32,897 | $35,230 | 27,150 |
| Medical Secretary | $38,750 | $42,980 | $45,930 | 26,430 |
Where Kentucky pay stretches furthest against the U.S.
Data Local median at U.S.-average prices compared with the occupation's U.S. median; occupations with at least 500 people employed here.
Price levels across Kentucky metro areas
Data BEA 2024 all-items RPP for each metropolitan area in the state; differences of 3 points or less are within year-to-year movement.
Places with the closest price levels
Data Differences of 3 points or less are within year-to-year movement, so treat them as ties.
Common questions
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How this page is built
BEA Regional Price Parities measure differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for one year, relative to the U.S. (= 100), for the goods and services bought by the average consumer. Salary at U.S.-average prices = salary ÷ (RPP ÷ 100). Equivalent salary in place B for a salary in place A = salary × RPP(B) ÷ RPP(A). BEA uses the same division to price-adjust income; its further steps (a small national rebalancing factor and conversion to constant dollars) are for time series and are not applied. Metro areas use the OMB 2023 delineations, the same codes BLS uses. Searches this page answers include “cost of living in kentucky”, “kentucky cost of living”, “average cost of living in kentucky” (Ahrefs, U.S.).
- Anyone's personal cost of living or household budget: RPPs are average price levels for the average consumer.
- Taxes, take-home pay, home prices, household size, commuting or lifestyle.
- Exact prices: RPPs are indexes, and BEA notes place-to-place price comparisons can be volatile where survey samples are small.
- Year match: 2024 price levels are applied to May 2025 wages.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area, 2024 (released Feb 19, 2026; SARPP and MARPP tables; retrieved Oct 25, 2026). Methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).