State rankings

Best Counties to Live in Kentucky

Compare counties in Kentucky by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in KY

Oldham County

77.6

Overall score

Open county report

#2 in KY

Spencer County

74.6

Overall score

Open county report

#3 in KY

Woodford County

73.6

Overall score

Open county report

#4 in KY

Caldwell County

73.1

Overall score

Open county report

#5 in KY

McLean County

72.7

Overall score

Open county report

Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

Oldham County

Overall score 77.6

Most affordable

Leslie County

Affordability 93.4

Best schools

Oldham County

Schools 97.2

Safest

Oldham County

Safety 100

Lowest taxes

Wolfe County

Taxes 88.2

Best peace & quiet

Washington County

Peace & Quiet 90.6

All Kentucky counties

Showing 120 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	Oldham County FIPS 21185	77.6	76.4	60.8	97.2	100	56	65.2	$441,311	$122,497
2	Spencer County FIPS 21215	74.6	69	62.9	80.7	97.2	70	78.8	$369,356	$102,618
3	Woodford County FIPS 21239	73.6	65.6	55	88.4	99.8	66.7	82	$343,458	$83,788
4	Caldwell County FIPS 21033	73.1	46	81.9	70.6	95.7	83.5	85	$148,729	$59,583
5	McLean County FIPS 21149	72.7	45.1	89.8	72.9	86.8	72.5	81.7	$153,568	$65,596
6	Boone County FIPS 21015	71.4	67.6	64.4	83.9	84.6	63.8	51.3	$342,671	$99,414
7	Meade County FIPS 21163	71.1	61.1	59.4	82.3	87.4	75.7	77.2	$282,335	$74,355
8	Scott County FIPS 21209	70.9	65.5	55.6	79.2	91.8	70.7	79.4	$338,690	$85,158
9	Monroe County FIPS 21171	70.7	37.7	77.3	78.9	98.9	71.2	84.5	$144,851	$51,280
10	Anderson County FIPS 21005	70.6	55.5	68.3	71.7	98.4	65.8	79.2	$256,240	$74,488
11	Larue County FIPS 21123	70	42.4	72	77.8	92.9	77.2	84.5	$221,880	$67,067
12	Lyon County FIPS 21143	69.8	47.1	77.5	78.5	82.3	67.8	75.8	$177,159	$65,066
13	Calloway County FIPS 21035	69.6	35	71.1	94.6	90.1	63	86.4	$165,374	$52,706
14	Muhlenberg County FIPS 21177	69.4	27	88.7	76.8	90.9	72.3	84	$127,980	$51,927
15	Henderson County FIPS 21101	69.2	45.2	67.3	89.5	86.7	58.6	85.8	$200,774	$58,851
16	Hancock County FIPS 21091	69.1	41.7	75	68.7	91.5	80.4	88.2	$203,527	$65,464
17	Graves County FIPS 21083	69	43.2	71.5	84.4	79.7	71.8	87.1	$167,100	$50,772
18	Morgan County FIPS 21175	68.8	31.6	81.4	71.4	97.6	73.8	84.1	$136,292	$47,913
19	Whitley County FIPS 21235	68.3	32.8	70.2	89.1	88.7	72.5	83.2	$150,377	$44,615
20	Boyle County FIPS 21021	68	43.9	58.9	90.1	94.7	60	82.1	$241,155	$61,159
21	Casey County FIPS 21045	68	32	73.1	79.8	93.8	75	83.4	$153,838	$45,510
22	Daviess County FIPS 21059	68	45	70.5	78.5	89.8	59.3	80.3	$215,146	$68,214
23	Ballard County FIPS 21007	67.6	46	92.9	53.6	77.6	62.3	85.5	$130,038	$66,164
24	Marshall County FIPS 21157	67.6	41.5	74.1	76.6	82.9	69.7	79.2	$200,096	$65,831
25	Hickman County FIPS 21105	67.5	45.2	86.7	42.9	95.3	72.8	87.5	$122,762	$60,867
26	Russell County FIPS 21207	67.2	44.4	66.9	71.4	94	69.2	81.9	$150,972	$44,738
27	Johnson County FIPS 21115	67	20.5	74.1	88.5	93.8	73.7	83.4	$141,663	$44,904
28	McCracken County FIPS 21145	67	50.9	70.9	72.5	79.9	63.1	74.7	$193,182	$64,373
29	Pulaski County FIPS 21199	66.5	34.2	70.7	82.8	84.8	69.4	81	$172,253	$51,898
30	Adair County FIPS 21001	66.3	41.1	74.4	55.3	99.3	72.8	84.5	$170,019	$53,553
31	Laurel County FIPS 21125	66.3	30.9	73	84.7	77.2	77.5	81.6	$180,308	$57,771
32	Union County FIPS 21225	66.3	40.4	86.1	45.7	94.7	68.6	89.4	$133,741	$60,327
33	Bullitt County FIPS 21029	66.2	58.9	66.6	57.6	90.2	62.8	69.3	$295,711	$80,558
34	Floyd County FIPS 21071	66.1	13.3	88.1	80.5	96.2	61.9	79.8	$93,194	$41,279
35	Shelby County FIPS 21211	66.1	66.9	59.1	56.3	88.5	59.8	81.6	$323,519	$82,604
36	Allen County FIPS 21003	65.9	47.1	69.4	58.4	88.7	76.8	82.5	$209,422	$61,403
37	Hopkins County FIPS 21107	65.9	34.1	81.9	62.2	91.3	64.2	86.2	$149,499	$56,815
38	Pike County FIPS 21195	65.6	16.8	88.9	69.1	99	64.1	82.2	$100,849	$44,312
39	Kenton County FIPS 21117	65.3	60.1	63.3	65.1	100	53.1	21.8	$282,910	$80,548
40	Marion County FIPS 21155	65.3	39	61.2	71.9	92.2	75.8	88.8	$235,197	$59,627
41	Clark County FIPS 21049	65.1	48.9	57.2	69	90.6	70.8	81.3	$259,293	$64,348
42	Washington County FIPS 21229	65	54.7	60.8	54.5	86.7	77	90.6	$250,389	$61,616
43	Crittenden County FIPS 21055	64.9	30.4	82.9	54.8	93.1	73.9	84.9	$126,163	$46,656
44	Rockcastle County FIPS 21203	64.8	26.5	78.6	61	91	84.1	85	$147,046	$48,862
45	Greenup County FIPS 21089	64.7	28.9	86.5	54.6	96.5	62.6	84.2	$151,274	$60,751
46	Breckinridge County FIPS 21027	64.6	30.2	75.5	72.7	82.8	74.8	74.8	$166,095	$55,843
47	Livingston County FIPS 21139	64.6	39.6	84.6	42.2	89.4	77.5	79.5	$144,381	$58,984
48	Carlisle County FIPS 21039	64.5	41.9	88.3	39.7	86.1	68.9	83.5	$136,908	$62,439
49	Logan County FIPS 21141	64.5	37.2	72	63.4	84.9	76.1	83.6	$194,783	$60,382
50	Ohio County FIPS 21183	64.5	30.4	82.3	60	81.3	78.8	84.7	$148,738	$57,798
51	Trigg County FIPS 21221	64.5	40.5	84.7	48.7	88	60.8	83.6	$143,558	$59,857
52	Edmonson County FIPS 21061	63.8	33.7	68	64.3	91.5	79.3	76.4	$191,973	$54,937
53	Carter County FIPS 21043	63.5	24.7	78.3	62.7	85.1	83.7	80.7	$159,697	$51,235
54	Jessamine County FIPS 21113	63.5	61	50.2	59.4	91.6	66.2	70	$320,971	$74,576
55	Webster County FIPS 21233	63.4	40	80.7	38.7	97	68.1	83	$144,024	$59,628
56	Madison County FIPS 21151	63.1	50.8	48.2	69.1	94.5	66.3	74.9	$281,530	$63,351
57	Mercer County FIPS 21167	63.1	53.7	64.4	43.7	97.3	62.3	81	$238,831	$64,824
58	Owen County FIPS 21187	63	43.7	78.4	40.7	93.3	65.7	76.1	$174,606	$61,134
59	Warren County FIPS 21227	62.8	56.6	46.3	64.3	90	68.8	76	$294,047	$65,794
60	Boyd County FIPS 21019	62.1	31.3	88.7	46	90.6	57.5	70.9	$130,494	$61,118
61	Harrison County FIPS 21097	62.1	51.1	63.1	44.4	88.8	72.1	83.1	$235,480	$66,442
62	Bourbon County FIPS 21017	62	54.2	56.4	47.8	94.6	64	84.5	$248,557	$61,354
63	Hart County FIPS 21099	62	38.6	65	55.9	89.1	75	80.7	$185,516	$52,285
64	Campbell County FIPS 21037	61.8	58.6	59.9	79.7	58.7	49.8	49.1	$291,569	$77,567
65	Todd County FIPS 21219	61.8	47	67.2	34.6	92.5	82.2	84.9	$221,369	$61,103
66	Nelson County FIPS 21179	61.4	56.1	63.1	39.8	89.1	61	83	$266,251	$69,562
67	Grayson County FIPS 21085	61.3	30.9	70.6	56	90.5	72.9	77.7	$163,925	$50,757
68	Hardin County FIPS 21093	61.3	46.1	61.8	46.2	94.5	69.1	80.9	$245,407	$67,647
69	Perry County FIPS 21193	61.1	23.6	86.6	48.1	85.5	70.2	81.9	$97,333	$42,181
70	Harlan County FIPS 21095	61	17.4	91.1	49.2	96.9	53.1	84	$73,455	$41,693
71	Green County FIPS 21087	60.9	31.1	61	55.6	97.6	79.7	82.9	$188,888	$46,798
72	Nicholas County FIPS 21181	60.8	45.6	68.7	24.3	99.2	85.9	77.5	$199,884	$59,531
73	Cumberland County FIPS 21057	60.7	38.7	67.2	40	95.7	74.6	87.5	$145,668	$40,000
74	Fleming County FIPS 21069	60.7	27	66.5	54.5	98.5	77.2	79.4	$178,561	$49,307
75	McCreary County FIPS 21147	60.7	17.6	79	55.3	93.1	75.4	79.6	$103,144	$33,750
76	Montgomery County FIPS 21173	60.7	38.5	56.9	72.7	74.6	70.9	79.6	$226,507	$56,396
77	Knott County FIPS 21119	60.4	17.2	91.7	43.5	93.8	62.3	82.7	$67,253	$41,761
78	Leslie County FIPS 21131	60.4	14.1	93.4	42.7	94.2	68.2	79.9	$80,556	$35,934
79	Letcher County FIPS 21133	60.4	19.8	91.3	39.6	99	59.4	79	$72,925	$41,793
80	Pendleton County FIPS 21191	60.4	40.4	61.7	49.4	91.4	73.8	78	$239,967	$64,669
81	Taylor County FIPS 21217	60.3	39.3	67.8	50.9	79.5	71.3	85.7	$207,412	$60,456
82	Franklin County FIPS 21073	60	52.9	62.4	42.3	84.3	61.2	78.2	$239,680	$65,298
83	Trimble County FIPS 21223	59.9	54.4	66.1	16	97.4	77.6	83.3	$237,024	$66,027
84	Mason County FIPS 21161	59.7	26	70.3	54.9	90.6	68.7	82.7	$166,856	$52,178
85	Barren County FIPS 21009	59.6	31.3	55.2	70.1	85.3	69.4	84.4	$212,440	$50,628
86	Rowan County FIPS 21205	59.4	26.1	67.3	51.9	90.9	77.6	84.6	$179,763	$54,321
87	Grant County FIPS 21081	59.3	53.2	56.8	34.8	88.5	74.4	81.9	$283,036	$69,178
88	Henry County FIPS 21103	59.2	52.6	61	26.9	98.2	65.2	83	$250,392	$63,347
89	Butler County FIPS 21031	59.1	32.7	71	30.5	94.3	87.3	83.7	$187,635	$56,092
90	Bath County FIPS 21011	59	21.4	73.6	46.5	93.9	78.4	81.2	$173,428	$56,541
91	Metcalfe County FIPS 21169	59	32.5	73.3	31.1	92.8	81.3	85.6	$170,421	$51,473
92	Clinton County FIPS 21053	58.4	36.3	67.7	27.2	95.8	82.9	85.7	$157,826	$44,844
93	Powell County FIPS 21197	58.4	34.1	65.5	37.3	99	70.6	81.6	$152,341	$40,309
94	Gallatin County FIPS 21077	58.2	48.7	67.1	24	94.2	63.9	78.6	$211,484	$63,346
95	Simpson County FIPS 21213	58.2	37.3	55.6	45.5	95.2	71.4	88.7	$253,149	$59,858
96	Lincoln County FIPS 21137	57.9	34.3	70.4	33.2	93.2	70.6	79.9	$180,736	$52,440
97	Lee County FIPS 21129	57.7	18.5	75.5	46.2	93.3	71.3	76.5	$118,735	$37,568
98	Magoffin County FIPS 21153	57.6	16.6	70.1	52.8	94.4	70.8	81.7	$120,071	$33,080
99	Jackson County FIPS 21109	56.8	21	83.7	33.8	85.4	71.1	78.6	$110,809	$40,000
100	Breathitt County FIPS 21025	56.6	18.4	85.3	36.2	78.8	75	82.9	$90,007	$34,808
101	Fulton County FIPS 21075	55.9	24.5	83.3	17.3	97	65.8	87.1	$85,860	$38,217
102	Lewis County FIPS 21135	55.9	17.9	86.1	20.2	94.3	78	78.3	$118,172	$46,838
103	Fayette County FIPS 21067	55.8	55.3	41.1	84.3	-	52.6	23.7	$328,843	$69,479
104	Clay County FIPS 21051	55.6	15.4	80.3	41.5	77.5	76.4	81.6	$120,534	$40,900
105	Bracken County FIPS 21023	55.5	33.9	73.6	24.1	83.3	73.4	79.2	$202,626	$66,319
106	Estill County FIPS 21065	55.5	23.5	80.7	22.2	93.7	70.8	78.2	$128,200	$46,051
107	Lawrence County FIPS 21127	55.2	24.6	74	28.4	88.2	75.9	80.7	$152,920	$46,772
108	Martin County FIPS 21159	55.2	16.2	82.1	29.5	93.6	68.1	76.6	$109,373	$37,042
109	Robertson County FIPS 21201	54.2	31.6	58.7	25.5	96.5	79.6	81.1	$204,774	$51,830
110	Carroll County FIPS 21041	53.7	34.2	67.3	24.7	79.1	72.7	85.1	$190,251	$56,466
111	Menifee County FIPS 21165	53.5	15.9	79.7	18.2	96.3	76.8	76.9	$120,456	$45,096
112	Garrard County FIPS 21079	53.4	51.3	52.6	40.2	-	74.2	79.6	$291,731	$63,087
113	Jefferson County FIPS 21111	53.1	49.9	57.4	23.6	100	54.4	22	$264,190	$69,866
114	Bell County FIPS 21013	53	14.9	72.4	39.2	85.2	62.3	85.5	$98,629	$31,354
115	Christian County FIPS 21047	52.8	28.9	58.2	29.3	90.9	72.7	86	$205,858	$55,494
116	Wayne County FIPS 21231	52.3	18.2	62.9	31.6	90.7	79.3	82.7	$167,851	$45,739
117	Wolfe County FIPS 21237	49.2	23	32.1	41.4	94.6	88.2	81.9	$221,389	$30,417
118	Knox County FIPS 21121	47.6	14.4	51.7	35.5	84.1	72.5	82.9	$154,303	$32,527
119	Elliott County FIPS 21063	44	19	73	13.7	-	78.1	76.6	$157,150	$45,776
120	Owsley County FIPS 21189	39.5	20.7	28.9	11.3	88.4	76.6	77.7	$143,690	$22,188