Rent Affordability for An Elementary School Teacher in Kentucky

A typical elementary school teacher in Kentucky earns about $59,030 a year, which supports approximately $1,476 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Kentucky city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 24 of 43 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 19 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Corbin, KY$875/mo17.8%very comfortable
Russellville, KY$890/mo18.1%very comfortable
Morehead, KY$969/mo19.7%very comfortable
Glasgow, KY$981/mo19.9%very comfortable
Hopkinsville, KY$997/mo20.3%affordable
Paris, KY$1,023/mo20.8%affordable
Radcliff, KY$1,055/mo21.4%affordable
Bardstown, KY$1,075/mo21.9%affordable
Murray, KY$1,112/mo22.6%affordable
Owensboro, KY$1,121/mo22.8%affordable
Lawrenceburg, KY$1,138/mo23.1%affordable
Oak Grove, KY$1,140/mo23.2%affordable
Frankfort, KY$1,151/mo23.4%affordable
Richmond, KY$1,188/mo24.2%affordable
Winchester, KY$1,209/mo24.6%affordable
Erlanger, KY$1,242/mo25.2%affordable
Bowling Green, KY$1,284/mo26.1%affordable
Paducah, KY$1,285/mo26.1%affordable
Elizabethtown, KY$1,327/mo27%affordable
Franklin, KY$1,350/mo27.4%affordable
Louisville, KY$1,394/mo28.3%affordable
Fort Thomas, KY$1,402/mo28.5%affordable
Shelbyville, KY$1,448/mo29.4%affordable
Southgate, KY$1,447/mo29.4%affordable
Alexandria, KY$1,488/mo30.2%stretched
Georgetown, KY$1,524/mo31%stretched
Nicholasville, KY$1,546/mo31.4%stretched
Lexington, KY$1,551/mo31.5%stretched
Fort Wright, KY$1,565/mo31.8%stretched
Bellevue, KY$1,584/mo32.2%stretched
Florence, KY$1,588/mo32.3%stretched
Covington, KY$1,615/mo32.8%stretched
Newport, KY$1,614/mo32.8%stretched
Vine Grove, KY$1,625/mo33%stretched
Cold Spring, KY$1,637/mo33.3%stretched
Versailles, KY$1,650/mo33.5%stretched
Shepherdsville, KY$1,652/mo33.6%stretched
La Grange, KY$1,795/mo36.5%stretched
Dayton, KY$1,869/mo38%stretched
Hebron, KY$1,950/mo39.6%stretched
Burlington, KY$2,050/mo41.7%rent-burdened
Independence, KY$2,143/mo43.6%rent-burdened
Prospect, KY$2,343/mo47.6%rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Kentucky. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).