Kentucky vs Texas: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Kentucky or Texas?
- Overall, Texas is 7.7% more expensive than Kentucky (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Kentucky works out to about $80,700 in Texas, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 50.1% more in Texas. Goods are 2.2% higher and other services 0.2% lower.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 16.2% higher in Texas.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $58,219 in Texas and $52,290 in Kentucky (11.3% higher in Texas; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 83.8 in Eagle Pass, TX to 103.1 in Dallas, TX (Texas) and from 86.1 in Paducah, KY to 93.1 in Louisville, KY (Kentucky), US = 100.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Texas was 9.9% more expensive than Kentucky.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 50.1% higher in Texas than in Kentucky
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 98.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 64.3 | 96.5 |
| Utilities | 75.3 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.3 | 97.1 |
| Category | Kentucky | Texas | Texas vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.2 | 97.1 | +7.7% |
| Goods | 96.0 | 98.1 | +2.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 64.3 | 96.5 | +50.1% |
| Utilities | 75.3 | 87.5 | +16.2% |
| Other services | 97.3 | 97.1 | −0.2% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $52,290 | $58,219 | +11.3% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.14 | $3.70 | −10.6% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Kentucky | $75,000 | $80,700 | +7.7% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate Kentucky figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Kentucky
- Paducah, KY 86.1
- Huntington, WV 88.4
- Owensboro, KY 88.6
- Bowling Green, KY 90.2
- Elizabethtown, KY 90.6
- Clarksville, TN 90.9
- Lexington, KY 92.9
- Louisville, KY 93.1
- Cincinnati, OH 95.4
Texas
- Eagle Pass, TX 83.8
- Texarkana, TX 84.0
- McAllen, TX 85.9
- Brownsville, TX 86.0
- Laredo, TX 87.0
- Longview, TX 89.5
- Wichita Falls, TX 89.5
- Victoria, TX 89.8
- El Paso, TX 89.9
- Beaumont, TX 90.0
- Abilene, TX 90.4
- College Station, TX 91.0
- Killeen, TX 91.1
- Lubbock, TX 91.3
- Amarillo, TX 91.8
- Tyler, TX 92.2
- San Angelo, TX 92.5
- Waco, TX 92.6
- Corpus Christi, TX 92.7
- Sherman, TX 93.8
- Odessa, TX 93.9
- San Antonio, TX 94.7
- Midland, TX 95.8
- Austin, TX 98.1
- Houston, TX 98.6
- Dallas, TX 103.1
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Kentucky and Texas has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 89.8 | 97.1 |
| 2009 | 88.5 | 96.7 |
| 2010 | 90.4 | 97.7 |
| 2011 | 90.5 | 97.0 |
| 2012 | 90.7 | 97.7 |
| 2013 | 90.9 | 98.1 |
| 2014 | 91.1 | 98.4 |
| 2015 | 90.7 | 98.3 |
| 2016 | 90.7 | 98.1 |
| 2017 | 90.0 | 97.4 |
| 2018 | 89.1 | 97.8 |
| 2019 | 89.6 | 98.5 |
| 2020 | 89.1 | 98.8 |
| 2021 | 89.2 | 98.4 |
| 2022 | 89.4 | 97.4 |
| 2023 | 89.9 | 97.1 |
| 2024 | 90.2 | 97.1 |
Goods
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.3 | 97.1 |
| 2009 | 93.5 | 96.1 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 98.1 |
| 2011 | 95.4 | 96.5 |
| 2012 | 94.0 | 97.6 |
| 2013 | 95.0 | 97.6 |
| 2014 | 95.1 | 97.4 |
| 2015 | 94.2 | 97.1 |
| 2016 | 95.4 | 98.4 |
| 2017 | 94.6 | 97.1 |
| 2018 | 93.3 | 97.1 |
| 2019 | 94.9 | 97.9 |
| 2020 | 94.3 | 98.2 |
| 2021 | 94.0 | 98.5 |
| 2022 | 94.1 | 97.2 |
| 2023 | 94.5 | 98.1 |
| 2024 | 96.0 | 98.1 |
Housing (rents)
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 64.2 | 88.0 |
| 2009 | 64.8 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 66.6 | 89.3 |
| 2011 | 64.6 | 89.7 |
| 2012 | 66.2 | 91.1 |
| 2013 | 66.1 | 91.4 |
| 2014 | 65.5 | 93.6 |
| 2015 | 66.3 | 94.0 |
| 2016 | 64.3 | 95.6 |
| 2017 | 63.7 | 95.2 |
| 2018 | 64.7 | 95.2 |
| 2019 | 64.3 | 95.8 |
| 2020 | 64.8 | 95.8 |
| 2021 | 63.4 | 95.6 |
| 2022 | 62.2 | 97.0 |
| 2023 | 62.9 | 97.5 |
| 2024 | 64.3 | 96.5 |
Utilities
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 73.5 | 101.4 |
| 2009 | 73.7 | 96.2 |
| 2010 | 75.4 | 98.1 |
| 2011 | 79.0 | 94.4 |
| 2012 | 82.4 | 93.1 |
| 2013 | 82.7 | 95.7 |
| 2014 | 85.4 | 94.9 |
| 2015 | 85.8 | 91.1 |
| 2016 | 85.7 | 91.9 |
| 2017 | 85.6 | 88.0 |
| 2018 | 79.2 | 87.5 |
| 2019 | 77.5 | 87.7 |
| 2020 | 76.2 | 85.0 |
| 2021 | 79.7 | 86.2 |
| 2022 | 81.8 | 88.7 |
| 2023 | 80.9 | 92.4 |
| 2024 | 75.3 | 87.5 |
Other services
- Kentucky
- Texas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.6 | 100.0 |
| 2009 | 96.6 | 100.4 |
| 2010 | 97.4 | 100.3 |
| 2011 | 98.7 | 100.1 |
| 2012 | 99.2 | 100.4 |
| 2013 | 99.1 | 101.0 |
| 2014 | 99.1 | 101.1 |
| 2015 | 98.5 | 101.1 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 99.0 |
| 2017 | 97.3 | 98.9 |
| 2018 | 96.3 | 99.8 |
| 2019 | 96.9 | 100.5 |
| 2020 | 96.4 | 101.3 |
| 2021 | 96.5 | 100.0 |
| 2022 | 97.0 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.9 | 96.6 |
| 2024 | 97.3 | 97.1 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $58,219 in Texas, $52,290 in Kentucky
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Kentucky
- Texas
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Kentucky | Texas | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $41,015 | $46,068 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $40,948 | $43,349 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $40,600 | $44,078 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $41,282 | $46,663 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $41,617 | $47,554 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $41,126 | $47,301 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $42,144 | $48,959 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $43,986 | $48,983 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $44,214 | $47,686 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $45,005 | $49,918 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $45,925 | $51,551 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $46,956 | $52,343 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $50,641 | $53,181 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $53,512 | $56,442 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $50,765 | $56,452 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $51,428 | $57,708 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $52,290 | $58,219 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Kentucky
- Cost of living in Texas
- Reverse: moving from Texas to Kentucky
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.