Cost of Living in Louisville, KY
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Louisville, KY to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Louisville, KY?
With a price level of 93.1 (U.S. average = 100), Louisville, KY is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 21% below average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 25% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 3% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Louisville, KY vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.1 | −6.9% |
| Housing | 78.6 | −21.4% |
| Goods | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Utilities | 75.0 | −25.0% |
| Other services | 96.8 | −3.2% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Louisville, KY
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $951 | $38,040/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,026 | $41,040/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,248 | $49,920/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,596 | $63,840/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,861 | $74,440/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Louisville, KY
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Louisville, KY | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $37,200 | $30,886 |
| $60,000 | $55,800 | $45,180 |
| $80,000 | $74,500 | $58,751 |
| $100,000 | $93,100 | $71,185 |
| $150,000 | $139,600 | $101,914 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Kentucky 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Louisville, KY's median wage of $48,370 takes home about $3,289 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,026, which is 31% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,263 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Louisville, KY
- Federal income tax$3,624
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,999
- Medicare (1.45%)$701
- Kentucky income tax$1,575
- Take-home pay$39,470
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state
Highest-paying jobs in Louisville, KY
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Kentucky cities
Half of Kentucky’s 2,000,360 workers earn less than $46,920 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,410–$66,760 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Paducah, KY stretches a paycheck furthest, while Clarksville, TN is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | $50,170 | 95.4 | $1,043 | 31% | $2,361 | $42,837 |
| Louisville, KY | $48,370 | 93.1 | $1,026 | 31% | $2,263 | $42,407 |
| Lexington, KY | $48,620 | 92.9 | $1,079 | 33% | $2,226 | $42,698 |
| Huntington, WV | $44,600 | 88.4 | $829 | 27% | $2,219 | $41,362 |
| Clarksville, TN | $44,860 | 90.9 | $1,082 | 35% | $1,982 | $40,433 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $45,040 | 90.2 | $937 | 30% | $2,139 | $40,931 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $46,810 | 90.6 | $846 | 27% | $2,343 | $42,255 |
| Paducah, KY | $45,860 | 86.1 | $843 | 27% | $2,285 | $43,610 |
| Owensboro, KY | $44,960 | 88.6 | $846 | 28% | $2,225 | $41,586 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Louisville, KY vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 93.1 | $1,026 | $48,370 | 685,190 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 90.4 | $1,002 | $47,230 | 677,680 |
| Richmond, VA | 97.9 | $1,505 | $51,460 | 660,350 |
| Providence, RI | 101.8 | $1,423 | $53,680 | 714,120 |
| Raleigh, NC | 98.2 | $1,596 | $51,990 | 743,120 |
| Memphis, TN | 92.2 | $1,137 | $46,890 | 611,670 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 97.9 | $1,508 | $49,430 | 763,060 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Louisville, KY expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area are 93.1% of the U.S. average, with housing at 78.6%. It is the #207 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Louisville, KY?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $55,844 in Louisville, KY (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $48,370.
Can you afford Louisville, KY on the median wage?
A single worker on the $48,370 median wage takes home about $3,289 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,026 would take 31% of that.
How much is rent in Louisville, KY?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Louisville, KY are $951 for a studio, $1,026 for one bedroom, $1,248 for two bedrooms and $1,596 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Louisville, KY
Management Occupations
- Sales Manager — $137,880
- Financial Manager — $136,970
- Medical and Health Services Manager — $112,070
- General and Operations Manager — $89,140
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Project Management Specialist — $82,660
- Accountant and Auditor — $76,320
- Human Resources Specialist — $71,880
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $110,270
- Computer User Support Specialist — $57,620
Community and Social Service Occupations
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $74,040
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $61,610
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $61,610
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $36,250
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $34,360
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $84,850
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $64,460
- Pharmacy Technician — $42,880
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Medical Assistant — $44,450
- Nursing Assistant — $42,220
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $35,860
Protective Service Occupations
- Security Guard — $36,420
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,800
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,370
- Cooks, Restaurant — $35,950
- Waiter and Waitress — $30,180
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,640
- Bartender — $29,120
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,690
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,990
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $37,820
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $35,000
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $33,100
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $70,800
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $55,190
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $46,550
- Retail Salesperson — $30,660
- Cashier — $30,560
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $67,450
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $47,990
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $47,090
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $46,690
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $44,430
- Customer Service Representative — $41,600
- Office Clerks, General — $41,290
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $34,520
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $79,190
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $74,680
- Electrician — $62,440
- Carpenter — $56,520
- Construction Laborer — $47,420
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $78,510
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $62,590
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $48,970
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $47,440
Production Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,010
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $60,230
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender — $48,590
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $48,440
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $48,000
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,440
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $59,000
- Light Truck Driver — $47,150
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $46,830
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,190
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,610