Cost of living index

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY

93.1 / 100

Living in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY is 6.9% cheaper than the US average — the #208 of 387 highest nationally.

Median rent: $1,064/mo

Median home value: $236,400

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider Louisville/Jefferson County, KY metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Seasonal weather

Winter

46° / 29°F

(8° / -2°C)

10.4 in precip

Spring

68° / 48°F

(20° / 9°C)

14.2 in precip

Summer

87° / 68°F

(31° / 20°C)

12.8 in precip

Fall

69° / 49°F

(21° / 9°C)

10.7 in precip

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from LOUISVILLE BOWMAN FLD, via NOAA.

What it costs to live in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY

The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY metro area has an overall price level of 93.1 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 6.9% lower than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 78.6 it is 21.4% below the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Cost breakdown

Overall#208 of 387

93.1

Goods#211 of 387

96.2

Housing rents#193 of 387

78.6

Utilities#345 of 387

75.0

Other services#285 of 387

96.8

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY is moved down the most by utilities, at 75.0 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is other services.

How Louisville/Jefferson County, KY compares

Other metros in Kentucky

Bowling Green, KY90.2 Elizabethtown, KY90.6 Lexington, KY92.9 Owensboro, KY88.6 Paducah, KY86.1

Browse Kentucky →See the cheapest and most expensive US metros →

Data source

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

Common questions

Is Louisville/Jefferson County, KY an expensive place to live?

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY has an overall cost-of-living index of 93.1, where 100 is the US average. That makes it about 6.9% cheaper than the country as a whole.

Is housing expensive in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY?

Housing rents in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY score 78.6 against a US average of 100 — roughly 21.4% below average. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

How does Louisville/Jefferson County, KY compare to the US average cost of living?

Overall prices in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY sit at 93.1 versus 100 for the US average, with housing at 78.6. Figures come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2024.