USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Texas vs Kentucky: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in Texas or Kentucky?

  • Overall, Kentucky is 7.1% less expensive than Texas (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Texas works out to about $69,700 in Kentucky, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 33.4% less in Kentucky. Goods are 2.2% lower and other services 0.2% higher.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $52,290 in Kentucky and $58,219 in Texas (10.2% lower in Kentucky; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 86.1 in Paducah, KY to 93.1 in Louisville, KY (Kentucky) and from 83.8 in Eagle Pass, TX to 103.1 in Dallas, TX (Texas), US = 100.
  • The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Kentucky was 9.0% less expensive than Texas.

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.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Housing drives the gap: 33.4% lower in Kentucky than in Texas

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
All items
97.1 90.2
Goods
98.1 96.0
Housing (rents)
96.5 64.3
Utilities
87.5 75.3
Other services
97.1 97.3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
All items97.190.2
Goods98.196.0
Housing (rents)96.564.3
Utilities87.575.3
Other services97.197.3
CategoryTexasKentuckyKentucky vs Texas
All items97.190.2−7.1%
Goods98.196.0−2.2%
Housing (rents)96.564.3−33.4%
Utilities87.575.3−13.9%
Other services97.197.3+0.2%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $58,219 $52,290 −10.2%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $3.70 $4.14 +11.9%
Salary to match $75,000 in Texas $75,000 $69,700 −7.1%

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

Texas

  1. Eagle Pass, TX 83.8
  2. Texarkana, TX 84.0
  3. McAllen, TX 85.9
  4. Brownsville, TX 86.0
  5. Laredo, TX 87.0
  6. Longview, TX 89.5
  7. Wichita Falls, TX 89.5
  8. Victoria, TX 89.8
  9. El Paso, TX 89.9
  10. Beaumont, TX 90.0
  11. Abilene, TX 90.4
  12. College Station, TX 91.0
  13. Killeen, TX 91.1
  14. Lubbock, TX 91.3
  15. Amarillo, TX 91.8
  16. Tyler, TX 92.2
  17. San Angelo, TX 92.5
  18. Waco, TX 92.6
  19. Corpus Christi, TX 92.7
  20. Sherman, TX 93.8
  21. Odessa, TX 93.9
  22. San Antonio, TX 94.7
  23. Midland, TX 95.8
  24. Austin, TX 98.1
  25. Houston, TX 98.6
  26. Dallas, TX 103.1

Kentucky

  1. Paducah, KY 86.1
  2. Huntington, WV 88.4
  3. Owensboro, KY 88.6
  4. Bowling Green, KY 90.2
  5. Elizabethtown, KY 90.6
  6. Clarksville, TN 90.9
  7. Lexington, KY 92.9
  8. Louisville, KY 93.1
  9. Cincinnati, OH 95.4

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Texas and Kentucky has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
200897.189.8
200996.788.5
201097.790.4
201197.090.5
201297.790.7
201398.190.9
201498.491.1
201598.390.7
201698.190.7
201797.490.0
201897.889.1
201998.589.6
202098.889.1
202198.489.2
202297.489.4
202397.189.9
202497.190.2

Goods

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
200897.196.3
200996.193.5
201098.196.6
201196.595.4
201297.694.0
201397.695.0
201497.495.1
201597.194.2
201698.495.4
201797.194.6
201897.193.3
201997.994.9
202098.294.3
202198.594.0
202297.294.1
202398.194.5
202498.196.0

Housing (rents)

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
200888.064.2
200988.264.8
201089.366.6
201189.764.6
201291.166.2
201391.466.1
201493.665.5
201594.066.3
201695.664.3
201795.263.7
201895.264.7
201995.864.3
202095.864.8
202195.663.4
202297.062.2
202397.562.9
202496.564.3

Utilities

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
2008101.473.5
200996.273.7
201098.175.4
201194.479.0
201293.182.4
201395.782.7
201494.985.4
201591.185.8
201691.985.7
201788.085.6
201887.579.2
201987.777.5
202085.076.2
202186.279.7
202288.781.8
202392.480.9
202487.575.3

Other services

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
TexasKentucky
2008100.097.6
2009100.496.6
2010100.397.4
2011100.198.7
2012100.499.2
2013101.099.1
2014101.199.1
2015101.198.5
201699.098.4
201798.997.3
201899.896.3
2019100.596.9
2020101.396.4
2021100.096.5
202298.297.0
202396.697.9
202497.197.3

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $52,290 in Kentucky, $58,219 in Texas

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • Texas
  • Kentucky
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
TexasKentuckyUnited States
2008$46,068$41,015$45,816
2009$43,349$40,948$44,204
2010$44,078$40,600$44,808
2011$46,663$41,282$45,957
2012$47,554$41,617$46,796
2013$47,301$41,126$46,358
2014$48,959$42,144$47,661
2015$48,983$43,986$49,396
2016$47,686$44,214$49,828
2017$49,918$45,005$51,006
2018$51,551$45,925$52,242
2019$52,343$46,956$53,683
2020$53,181$50,641$56,514
2021$56,442$53,512$59,365
2022$56,452$50,765$57,104
2023$57,708$51,428$58,088
2024$58,219$52,290$59,195

More

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.

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