City profile
Louisville, KY cost of living
KY · BLS RPP 92.3
Overall RPP
92.3
US = 100
Housing RPP
77
Housing component
Goods RPP
94
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,301/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Louisville, KY sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#58 of 67
-7.7 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-6.1
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#49 of 67
-305/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Louisville, KY
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Louisville, KY metro.
Moved in
60,072
people · 34,153 households
Moved out
59,417
people · 33,752 households
Net
+655
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#26 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+759
median -104 people
Largest flow share
3% in / 3% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Hardin County, KY 1,761
- Fayette County, KY 1,027
- Scott County, IN 471
- Miami-Dade County, FL 408
- Franklin County, KY 330
Where residents moved to
- Hardin County, KY 1,911
- Fayette County, KY 655
- Scott County, IN 631
- Breckinridge County, KY 392
- Marion County, IN 355
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Louisville, KY?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Louisville, KY | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,150 | $50,000 x (92.3/100) |
| $75,000 | $69,225 | $75,000 x (92.3/100) |
| $100,000 | $92,300 | $100,000 x (92.3/100) |
| $125,000 | $115,375 | $125,000 x (92.3/100) |
| $150,000 | $138,450 | $150,000 x (92.3/100) |
| $200,000 | $184,600 | $200,000 x (92.3/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Kentucky flat income tax 4.5%. Louisville occupational tax 2.2%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Louisville, KY?
- Louisville, KY has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 92.3 (US average = 100). It is 7.7% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Louisville, KY?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $92,300 in Louisville, KY to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Louisville, KY?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Louisville, KY is approximately $1,301 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Louisville, KY?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 60,072 people moved into the Louisville, KY metro and 59,417 moved out — a net gain of roughly 655 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Hardin County, KY.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Louisville, KY, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
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