Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lexington, KY vs Owensboro, KY
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Lexington needs about $79,500 in Owensboro to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Owensboro, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Lexington.
A few differences
- Lexington is higher on median household income ($69,479 vs $56,357).
- Owensboro is lower on cost of living index (77 vs 87).
- Owensboro is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($931/mo vs $1,178/mo).
Lexington vs Owensboro · facet by facet
| Facet | Lexington, KY | Owensboro, KY |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $293,500 | $178,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,178/mo | $931/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.83% | 0.83% |
| State & local income tax | 5.95% | 5.45% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 87 | 77 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $160/mo | $160/mo |
| Median household income | $69,479 | $56,357 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.2/10 | 5.2/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Lexington, KY · Owensboro, KY
Questions & answers
- Is Lexington cheaper than Owensboro?
- Owensboro has the lower day-to-day cost index (77 vs 87 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Owensboro equals $85,000 in Lexington?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lexington needs about $79,500 in Owensboro to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Owensboro lifestyle costs about $90,500 in Lexington.