countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in Kentucky 2026

120 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Kentucky

1Elliott County
72.6
2Hancock County
68.7
3McLean County
69.7
4Edmonson County
65.6
5Cumberland County
70.5

All 120 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Kentucky

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Elliott County, KY7272.6
2Hancock County, KY7068.7
3McLean County, KY7069.7
4Edmonson County, KY6965.6
5Cumberland County, KY6870.5
6Menifee County, KY6868.8
7Rockcastle County, KY6872.7
8Clinton County, KY6870
9Nicholas County, KY6765.3
10Lyon County, KY6763.7
11Leslie County, KY6670.1
12Washington County, KY6665.8
13Owsley County, KY6668.8
14Robertson County, KY6667.1
15Casey County, KY6667.4
16Crittenden County, KY6563.7
17Butler County, KY6567.9
18Carter County, KY6566.3
19Green County, KY6568.3
20Adair County, KY6565.7
21Wolfe County, KY6471
22Powell County, KY6460.1
23Allen County, KY6464.3
24Martin County, KY6467.3
25Trimble County, KY6463.7
26Russell County, KY6465.5
27Spencer County, KY6459.3
28Johnson County, KY6367.4
29Oldham County, KY6357.1
30Whitley County, KY6364.4
31Monroe County, KY6366.2
32Lewis County, KY6364.8
33Metcalfe County, KY6364
34Hickman County, KY6367.9
35Magoffin County, KY6264.8
36McCreary County, KY6269
37Harrison County, KY6260.5
38Knott County, KY6267.8
39Grayson County, KY6162.1
40Breckinridge County, KY6165
41Fleming County, KY6165.1
42Floyd County, KY6161.3
43Lincoln County, KY6163.5
44Meade County, KY6158
45Letcher County, KY6162.3
46Caldwell County, KY6163.9
47Anderson County, KY6159.6
48Wayne County, KY6163
49Hart County, KY6063.6
50Breathitt County, KY6059.8
51Jackson County, KY6062.7
52Morgan County, KY6062.4
53Bath County, KY6056.2
54Livingston County, KY6059
55Perry County, KY6060.6
56Greenup County, KY6058.8
57Lawrence County, KY5961.4
58Lee County, KY5961.7
59Marion County, KY5962.5
60Owen County, KY5962.1
61Bracken County, KY5961.3
62Estill County, KY5958.7
63Trigg County, KY5960
64Mercer County, KY5960.1
65Muhlenberg County, KY5957.9
66Woodford County, KY5956.3
67Logan County, KY5956.2
68Marshall County, KY5856.8
69Gallatin County, KY5859.1
70Ohio County, KY5856.7
71Nelson County, KY5854.7
72Union County, KY5860.1
73Harlan County, KY5858.1
74Pike County, KY5856.7
75Rowan County, KY5858.7
76Grant County, KY5759.4
77Clay County, KY5756.3
78Pendleton County, KY5659.5
79Carlisle County, KY5662.6
80Ballard County, KY5656.1
81Larue County, KY5561.6
82Carroll County, KY5459.7
83Kenton County, KY5449.8
84Laurel County, KY5451.1
85Pulaski County, KY5457.1
86Graves County, KY5356
87Shelby County, KY5348.4
88Scott County, KY5349.4
89Boyle County, KY5355.2
90Taylor County, KY5360
91Bullitt County, KY5349.5
92Hardin County, KY5248.1
93Henry County, KY5251.7
94Webster County, KY5251.6
95Calloway County, KY5255
96Todd County, KY5256.7
97Barren County, KY5253.3
98Knox County, KY5256.5
99Hopkins County, KY5150.9
100Campbell County, KY5150.3
101Bourbon County, KY5151.3
102Garrard County, KY5054.2
103Madison County, KY4847.7
104Boone County, KY4747.3
105Jessamine County, KY4747.5
106Mason County, KY4651.8
107McCracken County, KY4546.1
108Simpson County, KY4448.2
109Franklin County, KY4346
110Henderson County, KY4346.2
111Bell County, KY4253
112Montgomery County, KY4144.2
113Fulton County, KY4150.5
114Boyd County, KY4045.1
115Clark County, KY4047.5
116Daviess County, KY3941.9
117Warren County, KY3841.9
118Fayette County, KY3537.5
119Christian County, KY3438.9
120Jefferson County, KY3234.3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Kentucky?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Elliott County ranks as the top retirement county in Kentucky with a retirement score of 72.

How many counties in Kentucky are ranked for retirement?

We rank 120 counties in Kentucky for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse Kentucky Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.