Kentucky
Ranked #11 of 51 for housing affordability
Median Home Price
🏠$212K
3.47x income
Median Rent
🔑$929
28.5% rent-burdened
Median Income
💰$61K
Population: 4,512,310
Homeownership
🏡69.0%
3,621 experiencing homelessness
Housing Shortage
📉40,000
units needed
Building Permits (2024)
🔨16,264
Price-to-Income
📊3.47x
Severe Rent Burden
⚠️13.5%
paying >50% of income
Rent Burden Breakdown
vs. National Average
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI · Base = 100 (1980s)
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Maximum rent HUD considers fair for Section 8 voucher holders
FMR ($1105) is above the state median rent ($929) — vouchers cover typical rents.
Metros in Kentucky
| Metro | Score | Home Price | Rent | Income | Rent Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | 83 | $254K | $1,083 | $69K | 21.9% |
| Louisville | 62 | $255K | $1,050 | $58K | 29.5% |
| Lexington | 58 | $289K | $1,117 | $70K | 30.0% |
| Bowling Green | 80 | $241K | $923 | $61K | 23.9% |
| Elizabethtown | 84 | $232K | $916 | $65K | 22.6% |
| Owensboro | 88 | $196K | $883 | $62K | 14.5% |
| Paducah | 95 | $158K | $754 | $62K | 14.3% |
Market Trends
Homeownership Rate
69.0%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
18.0%
of gross income spent on rent
Total Households
1,853,603
Owner-Occupied
1,274,521
Renter-Occupied
579,082
Homelessness
Latest Count (2024)
5,231
1-Year Change
+9.8%
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
+15.3%
4,538 → 5,231
Housing Policies
Construction Activity
Total Permits (2024)
16,264
1.2% of national total
Single-Family
8,919
55% of state permits
Multi-Family
7,345
45% of state permits
Mortgage Access
National HMDA data — mortgage denial rates by race/ethnicity
Denial Rates by Race
Top Denial Reasons
Housing Shortage
State Shortage
40,000
units needed
National Shortage
7,300,000
0.5% of national total
Affordable Units per 100 ELI Renters
35
nationally (NLIHC)
National Shortage by Unit Type
45%
Single-Family
18%
Small Multi (2-4)
22%
Medium Multi (5-49)
15%
Large Multi (50+)
Rent Burden Detail
Kentucky burden rates with national demographic breakdown
Cost-Burdened Renters
28.5%
paying >30% of income
Severely Burdened
13.5%
paying >50% of income
Households >30% Burden
122,458
Households >35% Burden
64,341