Best places to live in Kentucky (2026)

All 5 ranked places in Kentucky, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Covington, KYSuburb · 3-bed $231k · moderate crime61
2. 2Lexington, KYMid-size city · 3-bed $312k · safe55
3. 3Louisville, KYBig city · 3-bed $276k · higher crime50
4. 4Owensboro, KYSmall city · 3-bed $214k · safe46
5. 5Bowling Green, KYSmall city · 3-bed $263k · safe37

Cheapest places to live in Kentucky

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Owensboro, KYSmall city · rent $1,470/mo · cost of living 89$214k
2. 2Covington, KYSuburb · rent $1,790/mo · cost of living 95$231k
3. 3Bowling Green, KYSmall city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 90$263k
4. 4Louisville, KYBig city · rent $1,630/mo · cost of living 93$276k
5. 5Lexington, KYMid-size city · rent $1,740/mo · cost of living 93$312k

Safest places to live in Kentucky

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Owensboro, KYSmall city · violent crime 0.6× the US rate225 per 100k
2. 2Bowling Green, KYSmall city · violent crime 0.8× the US rate292 per 100k
3. 3Lexington, KYMid-size city · violent crime 0.8× the US rate297 per 100k
4. 4Covington, KYSuburb · violent crime 1.2× the US rate466 per 100k
5. 5Louisville, KYBig city · violent crime 1.8× the US rate687 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Kentucky

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Lexington, KY8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes71
2. 2Covington, KY6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes71
3. 3Louisville, KY12 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes64
4. 4Bowling Green, KY9 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hail61
5. 5Owensboro, KY10 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes56

Best places to live for families in Kentucky

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Covington, KYSuburb · kids average · safety average · 3-bed $231k64
2. 2Lexington, KYMid-size city · kids poor · safety good · 3-bed $312k59
3. 3Owensboro, KYSmall city · kids below average · safety good · 3-bed $214k52
4. 4Louisville, KYBig city · kids poor · safety average · 3-bed $276k46
5. 5Bowling Green, KYSmall city · kids poor · safety good · 3-bed $263k46

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.