Kentucky Area Profiles
2 published city profiles across Kentucky, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.
Statewide signals
Opportunity40th of 51 states39
Growth28th of 51 states51
Housing affordabilityTop 22% of 51 states97
ClimateTop 30% of 51 states70
Physical resilience32nd of 51 states46
Access31st of 51 states65
Economic stability44th of 51 states21
Cities
| City | Population | Opportunity | Growth | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | 631,818 | — | — | — |
| Lexington-Fayette urban county | 323,725 | 62 | 62 | 68 |
Strongest opportunity
Fastest development
Statewide physical risk
TornadoModerate
EarthquakeModerate
Inland floodingModerate
Ice stormModerate
HailModerate
Low or minimal exposure: strong wind, winter weather, lightning, cold wave, heat wave, landslide, hurricane, wildfire, drought, avalanche.
Population-weighted across every county in Kentucky, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.
Statewide data
| Metric | Value | Compared with peers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average household size ±0.01 | 2.43 | Bottom 35% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Households ±5,224 | 1,814,469 | Top 47% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age ±0.1 | 39.1 | Bottom 49% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population | 4,534,824 | Top 49% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 115/sq mi | Top 49% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Home price to income | 3.23 | Bottom 22% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% | Top 37% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units ±474 | 2,023,116 | Top 49% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent ±$5 | $967 | Bottom 12% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value ±$1,096 | $205,600 | Bottom 10% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Rent as a share of income | 18.2% | Bottom 27% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Vacancy rate | 10.3% | Bottom 49% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income ±$429 | $63,726 | Bottom 10% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income ±$245 | $35,821 | Bottom 12% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | Top 10% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | Bottom 37% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | Bottom 8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Employment | 2,021,438 | Top 50% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (3 years) | 3.1% | Top 8% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | Top 16% | July 2026 |
| Labor force | 2,131,177 | Top 50% | July 2026 |
| Labor force participation | 59.7% | Bottom 14% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment change (year over year) | -0.2% | Bottom 48% | July 2026 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | Top 16% | July 2026 |