Cost of living in Louisville: rent, homes and salary
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN is a metro area, and BEA's regional price parity (RPP) for it in 2024 is 93.1 against a US figure of 100. That makes the cost of living in Louisville 6.9% under the US average, while housing alone in the metro area is 78.6.
- Level of prices
- 93.1US = 100, BEA 2024
- Level of housing prices
- 78.6 for rents (US = 100).
Cost of living index for Louisville
A regional price parity compares one place's cost for the same goods and services against the US average, which is set at 100. The metro area of Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN includes Louisville, and BEA prices the entire area as a single figure. Utilities sit furthest from the US average of all the parts, at 75.0, or 25.0% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro | Kentucky | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.1 | 90.2 | −6.9% |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.0 | −3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 78.6 | 64.3 | −21.4% |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 75.3 | −25.0% |
| Other services | 96.8 | 97.2 | −3.2% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 regional price parities for metro areas and states. BEA price parity data
Louisville rents
In Louisville, the typical asking rent is $1,330 a month for homes listed now, up +2.0% on a year, per Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). In the US that figure is $1,932. Census reports a median gross rent of $1,144. That figure counts every renting household, not only new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 24% of the median household income.
| Rent | Louisville | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,330 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +2.0% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,144 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income for a year of asking rent | 24% | 28% |
One-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, and the Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Louisville home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put the worth of a typical Louisville home at $261,376. It measures what a typical home is worth, in the middle of the housing market. That figure sits +1.3% above a year earlier, while the US figure stands at $366,157. The price takes 3.9 years of median household income, against 4.5 in the US.
| Home prices | Louisville | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $261,376 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.3% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +74.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.9 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 16.4 | 15.8 |
The Louisville housing market overview covers days on market, the forecast, and a price chart that goes back to 2000.
Salary you need to live in Louisville
Two questions set the salary needed in Louisville to keep the buying power of today's pay: your earnings and where you live.
- Moving away from
- Salary
See the method plus each city side by side: city-by-city cost of living.
Moving to Louisville? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Cost of living in Louisville compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 93.1 | 78.6 | $1,330 | $261,376 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
Price levels come from 2024 BEA regional price parities, where the US = 100. Rent figures: Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
Every city ranked: city cost of living comparison. Every state: state cost of living.