Average salary by city in Kentucky
- Louisville$62,310
- Lexington$62,210
- Paducah$58,060
- Elizabethtown$56,110
- Bowling Green$54,720
- Owensboro$54,150
Map of Kentucky metro areas
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Salary, take-home pay and cost of living by city
| City | Average | Median | Take-home* | Cost of living | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $62,310 | $48,370 | $48,812 | 93 | $283,232 |
| Lexington | $62,210 | $48,620 | $48,395 | 93 | $327,671 |
| Paducah | $58,060 | $45,860 | $45,756 | 86 | $171,436 |
| Elizabethtown | $56,110 | $46,810 | $44,324 | 91 | $253,920 |
| Bowling Green | $54,720 | $45,040 | $43,256 | 90 | $267,047 |
| Owensboro | $54,150 | $44,960 | $42,948 | 89 | $213,657 |
*Average salary after federal and state income tax and payroll taxes for a single filer. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.
Highest-paying jobs in Kentucky
- Cardiologists · Lexington$375,750
- Physicians, All Other · Owensboro$360,910
- Physicians, All Other · Elizabethtown$358,950
- Anesthesiologists · Louisville$355,850
- Physicians, All Other · Paducah$349,330
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric · Lexington$346,060
- Physicians, All Other · Bowling Green$345,110
- Radiologists · Louisville$337,700
- Physicians, All Other · Louisville$336,370
- General Internal Medicine Physicians · Louisville$312,640
Most common jobs in Kentucky
| Job | Jobs in these metros | Highest city average |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 39,740 | $44,440 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 34,270 | $62,470 |
| Retail Salespersons | 32,930 | $33,870 |
| General and Operations Managers | 31,000 | $110,700 |
| Registered Nurses | 30,710 | $90,190 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 27,150 | $28,750 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 26,150 | $41,040 |
| Cashiers | 23,420 | $30,920 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 22,800 | $44,640 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,040 | $37,250 |
Kentucky income tax and take-home pay
Take-home figures on these pages apply Kentucky's 2026 income tax rules for a single filer with the standard deduction, plus federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security and Medicare. City or county income taxes are included for Louisville (2.2%), Lexington (2.75%), Bowling Green (2%), Owensboro (1.78%), Elizabethtown (1.95%), Paducah (2%).
Kentucky at a glance
Average salary in other states
- Alabama
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Salary in Kentucky: questions
What is the average salary in Kentucky?
$58,047 a year across all jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025), weighted by employment over the state's metro and nonmetro areas.
Which city in Kentucky pays the most?
Louisville, with an average of $62,310 a year among the metro areas we cover.
Is Kentucky expensive to live in?
BEA puts Kentucky prices 10% below the U.S. average (price parity 90.2). Within the state, Louisville 93, Lexington 93, Elizabethtown 91 are the most expensive metros.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. State average: all occupations, employment-weighted over every OEWS metro and nonmetro area whose principal state is Kentucky.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Population and median household income: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2023.
- Crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer, violent and property crimes reported by agencies statewide, latest 12 months available.
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