Kentucky

Home/Kentucky Kentucky State-to-state migration of people and income, 2022–2023 filing years At a glance (2023) Cost of living 90 10% below the U.S. average Median home value $192,300 national $303,400 Home prices, 5 years +46.9% over the 5 years to 2023 Monthly rent $933 national $1,348 Homeownership 68% national 65% Unemployment 4.2% national 3.6% Household income $62,417 national $78,538 Median age 39.1 yrs national 38.7 The cost of living runs about 10% below the national average. The median home is valued at $192,300 (nominal). Home prices have risen about 47% over the five years to 2023. Median rent is about $933 a month. Unemployment averaged 4.2% in 2023 (national 3.6%). Median household income is $62,417. These figures describe all residents, not just tax filers, come from separate sources than the migration data on this page, and do not indicate why anyone moved. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, Kentucky saw a net gain of 2,063 tax-filing households and a net gain of 5,850 individuals. Against a population of about 4,526,154, that is a net inflow of about 1.3 per 1,000 residents. On net, the area lost $121.2M in associated adjusted gross income (AGI, nominal dollars). The largest inflow, about 6,769 households, came from Ohio; the largest outflow, about 6,362 households, went to Ohio. In the prior (2022) filing year, the area saw a net gain of 8,483 individuals. These figures cover federal income tax filers only and do not indicate why people moved. Net income (AGI) $121.2M nominal dollars Net households +2,063 tax returns Net people +5,850 exemptions +1.3 net people per 1,000 residents (population 4,526,154) Income (AGI) in and out Moved in$3B Moved out$3.1B Net -$121.2M (nominal) HowAmericaMoves.com Kentucky counties Net migration by county. Hover for figures; click a county to open it. Net outNet in(AGI $) Hover an area to trace its top 5 inbound (in) and outbound (out) moves. Net income (AGI) that moved in minus out, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).Net tax returns (filing households) that moved in minus out.Net people per 1,000 residents, so larger and smaller areas compare fairly. Hover an area to trace its top moves HowAmericaMoves.com Top origin states 1Ohio6,769$413.3M2Tennessee5,516$294.5M3Indiana5,294$277.3M4Florida4,792$278.8M5Texas2,430$159.1M6California2,215$168.9M7Illinois2,010$128.5M8Georgia1,574$92.1M9North Carolina1,441$87.7M10Michigan1,255$76.1M HowAmericaMoves.com Top destination states 1Ohio6,362$362.6M2Indiana5,940$336.8M3Tennessee5,634$313.4M4Florida4,578$511.3M5Texas2,642$186.2M6Illinois1,741$108.1M7Georgia1,625$98.5M8North Carolina1,565$108.2M9California1,362$92M10Virginia1,202$70.8M HowAmericaMoves.com Churn by state both directions at once The biggest two-way exchanges of filing households, 2022–2023. Moved in and moved out are gross one-way counts; net is the difference. Click a column to sort. Ohio 6,769 6,362 +407 +$50.7M Indiana 5,294 5,940 -646 -$59.5M Tennessee 5,516 5,634 -118 -$18.9M Florida 4,792 4,578 +214 -$232.5M Texas 2,430 2,642 -212 -$27.1M Illinois 2,010 1,741 +269 +$20.4M California 2,215 1,362 +853 +$76.9M Georgia 1,574 1,625 -51 -$6.4M North Carolina 1,441 1,565 -124 -$20.5M Virginia 1,167 1,202 -35 +$12.4M Michigan 1,255 1,075 +180 +$14M New York 1,102 932 +170 +$20.2M Counts are filing households (IRS returns), matching the lists above; income is nominal AGI. A dash means the IRS published only one direction of that exchange (small flows are suppressed), so no net is computed. HowAmericaMoves.com Net migration by year Net 2012–2023: -$1.8B (+3,480 people) 20122023 HowAmericaMoves.com Net AGI and net people by year (nominal dollars) Year Net AGI Net people 2012 +$61.4M -2,271 2013 -$75.8M -4,340 2014 -$299.8M -7,769 2015 -$226.6M -3,866 2016 -$239.6M -3,948 2017 -$43.9M +189 2018 -$302.2M +244 2019 -$199.9M -1,060 2020 -$271.6M +5,544 2021 -$117.3M +6,424 2022 +$43.5M +8,483 2023 -$121.2M +5,850 Migration in context How big is this move, relative to the state? In the 2022–2023 filing year, about 5,850 more people moved into Kentucky than left (counting tax filers and their dependents) — a net loss of about $121.2M in income (nominal) — in a state of 4,549,953 people. Population 4,549,953 Census 2023 estimate Net migration rate +1.3 net people per 1,000 residents A town of 10,000 would net about +13 people. Net income per resident −$27 nominal dollars ≈ -$121.2M total across 4,549,953 residents. The rate lets you compare Kentucky with a stateof any size: it’s the net flow divided by population. The IRS counts tax filers; population counts all residents, so read the rate as a scale indicator, not a literal share of people. HowAmericaMoves.com Components of population change 2023 (Census) Where the state’s overall change came from. Census counts all residents; the IRS migration above is one slice of the domestic-migration component. Births +52,597 Deaths 54,273 Net domestic migration +7,154 Net international migration +23,457 Total change +28,715 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Figures are people, not tax filers. HowAmericaMoves.com Income & cost of living What a dollar is worth here Prices around Kentucky run about 10% below the national average. In plain terms: $100 spent here buys about what $111 buys in the average American community. The figures below apply that to income, each compared to the U.S. average of $70,002 per person. Income per person $55,667 what people here earn (BEA 2023, nominal) 20% below the U.S. average Price level 89.9 100 = U.S. average prices (BEA price parity) everyday costs about 10.1% lower than average What that income buys $61,928 local income restated at U.S.-average prices 12% below the U.S. average Cheaper than U.S. avgU.S. average (100)Pricier Price parity shown at the state level (BEA does not publish a single figure below the metro level). HowAmericaMoves.com Where the cost comes from price parity by category Index where 100 = U.S. average for that category. Housing is usually what separates one place from another. Housing & rents62.9 Goods94.5 Utilities80.9 Other services97.9 Housing is measured from rents (including an estimated rental value for owner-occupied homes), so a run-up in purchase prices shows here only as it reaches rents. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer income above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who lives here The people of Kentucky American Community Survey, 2019–2023 (a 5-year average of all residents, not just tax filers). Median age 39.1 years Median household income $62,417 per household (ACS 2019–2023, nominal) 21% below the U.S. median College degree 27% adults 25+ with a bachelor's or higher Poverty rate 16.1% residents below the poverty line Average commute 24 min mean travel time to work Broadband at home 87% households with any broadband Race and ethnicity (share of residents) White 82%Hispanic 5%Black 8%Asian 2%Other 4% White, Black, and Asian counts are people who are not Hispanic or Latino; Hispanic or Latino can be of any race. Shares are rounded and may not total 100. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer data. A 5-year estimate is an average over 2019–2023; compare years at least five apart, since consecutive windows overlap. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Housing what it costs to live here (ACS 2019–2023) Median home value $192,300 owner-occupied homes 37% below the U.S. median Median rent $933 gross rent per month 31% below the U.S. median Homeownership 68% of occupied homes are owner-occupied Home-price appreciation FHFA index, 2023 Past year +7.9% price change, 2022 to 2023 Past 5 years +47% price change, 2018 to 2023 A repeat-sales index (how much the same homes changed in price), so it tracks the market over time rather than the current level. Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual all-transactions HPI; the county series is FHFA’s developmental index. New home construction building permits, 2023 15,415new housing units authorized in 2023 Single-family 51%Multifamily 49% Units authorized by residential building permits (new supply), summed from counties for the state and U.S. Permits are authorizations, not completions. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, not recent sale prices. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023), nominal dollars. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Local economy & risk Jobs and natural hazards Unemployment rate 4.2% BLS 2023 annual average Labor force 2,057,308 1,969,940 employed Disaster declarations 2 major federal, 2023 most common: Severe Storm Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and FEMA. A disaster declaration marks federal assistance eligibility, not damage severity, and says nothing about why anyone moved. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Unemployment now 4.8% May 2026 ▲ 0.4 points vs May 2025 January 2024May 2026 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Monthly unemployment for this state, not seasonally adjusted. Updated every month, so it moves faster than the annual average above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who’s moving by income Net migration by income bracket Tax-filing households that moved into Kentucky minus those that left, by the adjusted gross income they reported, 2022–2023. Positive means more arrived than left at that income level. $1–$10k +273 In 4,944Out 4,671+$1M AGI $10k–$25k +778 In 10,795Out 10,017+$13.2M AGI $25k–$50k +219 In 13,965Out 13,746+$7.9M AGI $50k–$75k +229 In 7,418Out 7,189+$14.6M AGI $75k–$100k +335 In 4,139Out 3,804+$29.8M AGI $100k–$200k +244 In 5,595Out 5,351+$30.9M AGI $200k+ 63 In 1,994Out 2,057-$217.9M AGI Among the highest earners ($200k+), Kentucky ranks #25 of 51 states for net household migration (-63). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, state-level gross migration file (returns with negative AGI are excluded, so this won’t exactly match the totals above). Income is what filers reported, not a reason anyone moved. Compare all states by income bracket. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Goods trade What Kentucky ships and receives Physical goods shipped between Kentucky and other states, 2022. This is freight, not the migration of people or income shown above. $249.7B Ships to other states +43% since 2017 $233.2B Receives from states +36% since 2017 +$16.6B Net balance Top goods shipped out Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $89.3B Textiles, leather, and articles of textiles or leather $39.3B Base metal in primary or semi-finished forms and in finished basic shapes $24.6B Gasoline and aviation turbine fuel $20.7B Mixed freight $20.1B Plastics and rubber $17.9B Top goods received Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $32.0B Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $31.3B Base metal in primary or semi-finished forms and in finished basic shapes $19.3B Mixed freight $16.3B Pharmaceutical products $15.6B Machinery $15.5B Biggest trading partners (both ways) Goods trade runs in both directions: states swap different goods, so a partner is often near the top of both columns. Net is ships minus receives (positive means Kentucky ships more to that partner than it gets back). Partner Ships to Receives Net Total Ohio $27.2B $29.0B -$1.8B $56.3B Texas $20.7B $19.3B +$1.4B $40.0B Indiana $17.5B $18.7B -$1.1B $36.2B Tennessee $18.5B $17.4B +$1.1B $35.9B Michigan $15.6B $18.4B -$2.8B $34.0B Illinois $13.6B $14.0B -$451M $27.6B California $13.2B $9.7B +$3.5B $22.9B Georgia $9.8B $6.9B +$2.8B $16.7B Goods shipped every five years by the Census Commodity Flow Survey (a sample, so figures are estimates and the smallest flows are withheld). Value is nominal. The totals and partner table above count trade between Kentucky and other states; the goods lists count everything the state ships or receives, including within-state shipments. Compare all states. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Taxes the state collects What Kentucky collects in taxes Total state taxes $17.2B FY 2023, nominal Per resident $3,784 total state taxes ÷ population Largest categories (share of total) Individual income tax$6B 35% General sales & gross receipts$5.7B 33% Corporation net income tax$1.2B 7% Other selective sales tax$1B 6% Property taxes$790.9M 5% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. This is what the state government collected (not local taxes), not a measure of any individual’s tax burden. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Elections National maps → How Kentucky has voted. Certified returns, popular vote only. This is a separate dataset from the migration figures on this page. President, 1976–2024 Year Democratic Republican Other Margin Total 2024 704,043 1,337,494 32,993 R +30.5 2,074,530 2020 772,285 1,326,418 36,293 R +26.0 2,134,996 2016 628,854 1,202,971 92,324 R +29.8 1,924,149 2012 679,370 1,087,190 30,652 R +22.7 1,797,212 2008 751,985 1,048,462 26,061 R +16.2 1,826,508 2004 712,733 1,069,439 13,688 R +19.9 1,795,860 2000 638,898 872,492 32,797 R +15.1 1,544,187 1996 636,614 623,283 128,811 D +1.0 1,388,708 1992 665,104 617,178 210,618 D +3.2 1,492,900 1988 580,368 734,281 7,868 R +11.6 1,322,517 1984 539,539 821,702 8,104 R +20.6 1,369,345 1980 617,417 635,274 42,936 R +1.4 1,295,627 1976 615,717 531,852 19,573 D +7.2 1,167,142 U.S. Senate races all states → Year Winner Democratic Republican Other Margin 2022 Rand Paul 564,311 913,326 193 R +23.6 2020 Mitch McConnell 816,257 1,233,315 85,485 R +19.5 2016 Rand Paul 813,246 1,090,177 — R +14.5 2014 Mich McConnell 584,698 806,787 44,304 R +15.5 2010 Rand Paul 600,052 755,706 — R +11.5 2008 Mitch McConnell 847,005 953,816 — R +5.9 2004 Jim Bunning 850,855 873,507 — R +1.3 2002 Mitch McConnell 399,634 731,679 — R +29.4 U.S. House seats won district maps → 2024 D 1 R 5 2022 D 1 R 5 2020 D 1 R 5 2018 D 1 R 5 2016 D 1 R 5 2014 D 1 R 5 2012 D 1 R 5 2010 D 2 R 4 2008 D 2 R 4 2006 D 2 R 4 2004 D 1 R 5 2002 D 1 R 5 2000 D 1 R 5 2024 results by county Republican wonDemocratic wonIndependent / other Which party received the most votes, as a solid color.Winning margin as a share of all votes cast.Change in margin since 2020, in percentage points.Total votes cast, all candidates. HowAmericaMoves.com Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab county returns (CC0). Margins are the popular-vote gap as a share of all votes cast. Counties in Kentucky (120) Adair CountyAllen CountyAnderson CountyBallard CountyBarren CountyBath CountyBell CountyBoone CountyBourbon CountyBoyd CountyBoyle CountyBracken CountyBreathitt CountyBreckinridge CountyBullitt CountyButler CountyCaldwell CountyCalloway CountyCampbell CountyCarlisle CountyCarroll CountyCarter CountyCasey CountyChristian CountyClark CountyClay CountyClinton CountyCrittenden CountyCumberland CountyDaviess CountyEdmonson CountyElliott CountyEstill CountyFayette CountyFleming CountyFloyd CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGallatin CountyGarrard CountyGrant CountyGraves CountyGrayson CountyGreen CountyGreenup CountyHancock CountyHardin CountyHarlan CountyHarrison CountyHart CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyHickman CountyHopkins CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyJessamine CountyJohnson CountyKenton CountyKnott CountyKnox CountyLarue CountyLaurel CountyLawrence CountyLee CountyLeslie CountyLetcher CountyLewis CountyLincoln CountyLivingston CountyLogan CountyLyon CountyMadison CountyMagoffin CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMartin CountyMason CountyMcCracken CountyMcCreary CountyMcLean CountyMeade CountyMenifee CountyMercer CountyMetcalfe CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMorgan CountyMuhlenberg CountyNelson CountyNicholas CountyOhio CountyOldham CountyOwen CountyOwsley CountyPendleton CountyPerry CountyPike CountyPowell CountyPulaski CountyRobertson CountyRockcastle CountyRowan CountyRussell CountyScott CountyShelby CountySimpson CountySpencer CountyTaylor CountyTodd CountyTrigg CountyTrimble CountyUnion CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWebster CountyWhitley CountyWolfe CountyWoodford County Get the next update for Kentucky The IRS releases new migration data once a year. 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