The Rational Moderate

State profile

Kentucky

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Kentucky’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    4,606,864

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Kentucky is 1.3% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    26 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.50%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Kentucky is 0.02 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    23 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    39.5 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Kentucky is 0.1 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    28 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $64,526

    plus or minus $1,165

    U.S.
    $81,604; Kentucky is $17,078 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    47 of 51. Statistically different from the states ranked just above and below.
    Price-adjusted
    $71,569, plus or minus $1,292: income divided by Kentucky’s 2024 regional price parity (90.2, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $60,835

    U.S.
    $77,028; Kentucky is $16,193 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    48 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $52,290

    U.S.
    $59,195; Kentucky is $6,905 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    46 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $68,065

    U.S.
    $90,294; Kentucky is $22,229 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    44 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    15.56%

    plus or minus 0.53%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Kentucky is 3.41 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    6 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, New Mexico, or from the next lower state, Arkansas.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    90.2

    U.S.
    100.0; Kentucky is 9.8 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    40 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $226,000

    plus or minus $2,611

    U.S.
    $360,600; Kentucky is $134,600 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    46 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Iowa, or from the next lower state, Louisiana.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $998

    plus or minus $19

    U.S.
    $1,487; Kentucky is $489 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    45 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, South Dakota, or from the next lower state, Wyoming.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    45.24%

    plus or minus 1.46%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Kentucky is 6.53 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    42 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arkansas, or from the next lower state, Missouri.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    68.12%

    plus or minus 0.65%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Kentucky is 2.85 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    21 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, South Dakota, or from the next lower state, Kansas.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    14.27 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Kentucky is 3.92 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    38 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    13.81 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Kentucky and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearKentuckyUnited States
19905.697.83
19915.688.04
19925.708.21
19935.708.32
19945.778.38
19955.628.40
19965.558.36
19975.588.43
19985.618.26
19995.588.16
20005.478.24
20015.588.58
20025.658.44
20035.818.72
20046.118.95
20056.579.45
20067.0210.40
20077.3410.65
20087.9411.26
20098.3711.51
20108.5711.54
20119.2011.72
20129.4311.88
20139.7912.13
201410.1612.52
201510.2412.65
201610.4912.55
201710.8512.89
201810.6012.87
201910.8013.01
202010.8713.15
202111.5013.66
202212.9115.04
202312.6516.00
202412.7916.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.7%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Kentucky is 0.6 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    9 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    57.8%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Kentucky is 3.8 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    45 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Kentucky and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Kentucky: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthKentuckyUnited States
Sept. 20165.15.0
Oct. 20165.14.9
Nov. 20165.14.7
Dec. 20165.14.7
Jan. 20175.14.7
Feb. 20175.04.6
March 20175.04.4
April 20174.94.4
May 20174.94.4
June 20174.84.3
July 20174.84.3
Aug. 20174.74.4
Sept. 20174.64.3
Oct. 20174.54.2
Nov. 20174.44.2
Dec. 20174.34.1
Jan. 20184.24.0
Feb. 20184.24.1
March 20184.24.0
April 20184.24.0
May 20184.23.8
June 20184.24.0
July 20184.23.8
Aug. 20184.23.8
Sept. 20184.23.7
Oct. 20184.23.8
Nov. 20184.23.8
Dec. 20184.23.9
Jan. 20194.24.0
Feb. 20194.23.8
March 20194.13.8
April 20194.13.7
May 20194.13.6
June 20194.13.6
July 20194.13.7
Aug. 20194.13.6
Sept. 20194.03.5
Oct. 20194.03.6
Nov. 20194.03.6
Dec. 20194.03.6
Jan. 20204.13.6
Feb. 20204.13.5
March 20204.14.4
April 202016.714.8
May 202012.813.2
June 20205.311.0
July 20205.810.2
Aug. 20205.28.4
Sept. 20205.07.8
Oct. 20204.86.9
Nov. 20204.86.7
Dec. 20204.76.7
Jan. 20214.66.4
Feb. 20214.66.2
March 20214.66.1
April 20214.66.1
May 20214.55.8
June 20214.65.9
July 20214.55.4
Aug. 20214.55.1
Sept. 20214.44.7
Oct. 20214.34.5
Nov. 20214.24.1
Dec. 20214.13.9
Jan. 20224.04.0
Feb. 20224.03.9
March 20224.03.7
April 20224.03.7
May 20224.03.6
June 20224.03.6
July 20224.03.5
Aug. 20224.13.6
Sept. 20224.13.5
Oct. 20224.13.6
Nov. 20224.13.6
Dec. 20224.13.5
Jan. 20234.13.5
Feb. 20234.13.6
March 20234.13.5
April 20234.13.4
May 20234.13.6
June 20234.23.6
July 20234.23.5
Aug. 20234.33.7
Sept. 20234.43.7
Oct. 20234.43.9
Nov. 20234.53.7
Dec. 20234.53.8
Jan. 20244.63.7
Feb. 20244.63.9
March 20244.73.9
April 20244.83.9
May 20244.83.9
June 20244.94.1
July 20244.94.2
Aug. 20244.94.2
Sept. 20244.94.1
Oct. 20244.94.1
Nov. 20244.94.2
Dec. 20244.94.1
Jan. 20254.84.0
Feb. 20254.84.2
March 20254.74.2
April 20254.74.2
May 20254.74.3
June 20254.64.1
July 20254.64.3
Aug. 20254.54.3
Sept. 20254.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.44.5
Dec. 20254.44.4
Jan. 20264.34.3
Feb. 20264.24.4
March 20264.24.3
April 20264.34.3
May 20264.54.3
June 20264.74.2
July 20264.74.1
Aug. 20264.74.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Kentucky and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Kentucky: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

54%56%58%60%62%64%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthKentuckyUnited States
Sept. 201658.362.9
Oct. 201658.462.8
Nov. 201658.562.7
Dec. 201658.562.7
Jan. 201758.662.8
Feb. 201758.762.9
March 201758.862.9
April 201758.863.0
May 201758.962.8
June 201758.962.8
July 201758.862.9
Aug. 201758.862.9
Sept. 201758.763.1
Oct. 201758.762.7
Nov. 201758.662.7
Dec. 201758.562.7
Jan. 201858.562.7
Feb. 201858.663.0
March 201858.762.9
April 201858.762.9
May 201858.862.9
June 201858.763.0
July 201858.763.0
Aug. 201858.662.6
Sept. 201858.562.8
Oct. 201858.462.9
Nov. 201858.462.9
Dec. 201858.563.0
Jan. 201958.563.1
Feb. 201958.663.1
March 201958.663.0
April 201958.762.8
May 201958.862.9
June 201958.963.0
July 201959.063.1
Aug. 201959.063.1
Sept. 201959.163.2
Oct. 201959.163.3
Nov. 201959.163.3
Dec. 201959.063.3
Jan. 202058.863.3
Feb. 202058.663.3
March 202058.362.6
April 202058.060.1
May 202058.460.8
June 202054.761.5
July 202055.961.5
Aug. 202056.261.7
Sept. 202056.661.4
Oct. 202056.761.7
Nov. 202056.861.5
Dec. 202056.861.5
Jan. 202156.961.4
Feb. 202157.061.4
March 202157.161.5
April 202157.261.6
May 202157.261.6
June 202157.361.7
July 202157.361.8
Aug. 202157.461.7
Sept. 202157.561.7
Oct. 202157.761.8
Nov. 202157.861.9
Dec. 202157.962.0
Jan. 202258.062.2
Feb. 202258.162.3
March 202258.162.4
April 202258.062.2
May 202258.062.3
June 202258.062.2
July 202257.962.1
Aug. 202257.862.3
Sept. 202257.762.2
Oct. 202257.662.2
Nov. 202257.662.1
Dec. 202257.662.3
Jan. 202357.662.4
Feb. 202357.762.5
March 202357.762.6
April 202357.762.6
May 202357.762.6
June 202357.762.6
July 202357.662.6
Aug. 202357.662.8
Sept. 202357.662.7
Oct. 202357.662.6
Nov. 202357.762.8
Dec. 202357.762.5
Jan. 202457.862.5
Feb. 202457.962.6
March 202457.962.7
April 202458.062.6
May 202458.162.6
June 202458.262.6
July 202458.362.7
Aug. 202458.362.7
Sept. 202458.462.7
Oct. 202458.462.5
Nov. 202458.462.4
Dec. 202458.362.5
Jan. 202558.362.6
Feb. 202558.362.5
March 202558.362.5
April 202558.362.6
May 202558.362.4
June 202558.362.3
July 202558.362.2
Aug. 202558.362.3
Sept. 202558.362.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202558.362.5
Dec. 202558.362.4
Jan. 202658.162.1
Feb. 202657.962.0
March 202657.761.9
April 202657.661.8
May 202657.561.8
June 202657.561.5
July 202657.761.4
Aug. 202657.861.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    73.6 years

    plus or minus 0.11 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Kentucky is 3.9 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    49 of 51. Statistically different from the states ranked just above and below.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    6.85%

    plus or minus 0.24%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Kentucky is 1.35 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    30 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Illinois, or from the next lower state, Ohio.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    27.94%

    plus or minus 0.47%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Kentucky is 8.91 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    47 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Nevada, or from the next lower state, Louisiana.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    67.7%

    plus or minus 3.6%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Kentucky is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 2.4 points higher).
    Rank
    23 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Mississippi, or from the next lower state, Nebraska.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV