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Living in Kentucky · 2026

Is $31,000 enough to live in Kentucky?

Single adult · KY · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Manageable

Monthly take-home

$2,148

Avg monthly expenses

$1,879

Avg monthly surplus

$269

Savings potential

~13%

After-tax take-home in Kentucky

Gross salary$31,000
Federal income tax− $1,614
State income tax− $1,240
Social Security− $1,922
Medicare− $450
Annual take-home$25,774
Effective tax rate16.86%

How $31,000 feels in Kentucky cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Louisville

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,150
Food
$405
Transport
$166
Utilities
$157
Healthcare
$190
Total: $2,068/mo
Surplus: $80/mo
Rent burden: 53.5% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Louisville analysis →

Lexington

COL index: 0.93× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,100
Food
$409
Transport
$163
Utilities
$153
Healthcare
$186
Total: $2,011/mo
Surplus: $137/mo
Rent burden: 51.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Lexington analysis →

Bowling Green

COL index: 0.85× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$950
Food
$387
Transport
$149
Utilities
$140
Healthcare
$170
Total: $1,796/mo
Surplus: $352/mo
Rent burden: 44.2% — High (35–50%)
Full Bowling Green analysis →

Owensboro

COL index: 0.82× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$880
Food
$378
Transport
$144
Utilities
$135
Healthcare
$164
Total: $1,701/mo
Surplus: $447/mo
Rent burden: 41.0% — High (35–50%)
Full Owensboro analysis →

Covington

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,000
Food
$405
Transport
$154
Utilities
$145
Healthcare
$176
Total: $1,880/mo
Surplus: $268/mo
Rent burden: 46.6% — High (35–50%)
Full Covington analysis →

Richmond

COL index: 0.87× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$900
Food
$449
Transport
$152
Utilities
$144
Healthcare
$174
Total: $1,819/mo
Surplus: $329/mo
Rent burden: 41.9% — High (35–50%)
Full Richmond analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,148 ($25,776/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$1,074

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$644

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$430

per month

  • ›Emergency fund
  • ›401(k) / IRA
  • ›Investments
  • ›Down payment fund
  • ›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$12,888

Wants / year

$7,733

Savings / year

$5,155

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Louisville

Rent alone would take 54% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $46,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.9/10 (Challenging)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $31,000 salary can cover essential living costs for a single adult in Louisville, Kentucky, but leaves little room for savings (~4% of take-home). Lifestyle is rated challenging, with careful budgeting required to avoid month-to-month shortfalls.

Purchasing Power

Louisville is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 0.95). $31,000 here is roughly equivalent to $60,368 in San Francisco or $28,716 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$31,000 is 12% below the Kentucky individual median of $35,100. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$35,100

-12%

State household median

$60,183

-48%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$31,000 vs. Kentucky income benchmarks

Individual median (Kentucky)

$35,100

-12% vs. this salary

Household median (Kentucky)

$60,183

-48% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Kentucky

$40,000$60,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$300,000
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.