Best Counties in Kentucky — 2026 Rankings
120 of 120 counties scored across 12 dimensions
120
120 scored
59/100
composite score
72.7/100
33.9—72.7
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Kentucky
Kentucky Outperforms the National Average for Livability
Kentucky earns an average composite score of 58.6, placing it significantly above the national median of 50.0. All 120 counties in the state report data, showcasing a consistent baseline of livability that exceeds many other regions in the country.
Exceptional Affordability and Favorable Tax Climates
The Bluegrass State shines in fiscal categories, posting a strong cost score of 67.5 and a tax score of 62.0. These figures suggest that residents enjoy a significantly lower cost of living and a lighter tax burden compared to national averages.
Lagging Income Levels and Health Outcomes
While costs remain low, Kentucky faces challenges with an income score of 31.7 and a health score of 41.0. These metrics indicate that lower personal earnings and systemic public health issues are the primary factors dragging down the state's total score.
Rural Gems Lead the State in Overall Value
Rockcastle County takes the top spot with a composite score of 72.7, driven by an elite affordability rating. Elliott and Wolfe follow closely with scores of 72.6 and 71.0, as both counties leverage cost scores above 92.0 to offset lower local income levels.
A Haven for Budget-Conscious, Low-Risk Living
Kentucky is an ideal destination for retirees or remote workers who prioritize low overhead and a respectable risk score of 55.8. Families seeking maximum purchasing power find great value here, provided they can navigate the state's health and income disparities.
All County Rankings in Kentucky
Search, sort, and filter all 120 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 120 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cumberland County | 72.7 | 79.9 | 98 | 2.3 | 89.6 | 35.3 | 72.3 | 69.9 | 40.8 | 63.9 | 49.5 | 68.5 | |
| 2 | Elliott County | 72.7 | 70.8 | 87.2 | 6.4 | 87.4 | 54 | 72.2 | 87.8 | 86 | 61.5 | 50.9 | 68.4 | |
| 3 | Rockcastle County | 72.4 | 85.8 | 93.8 | 9.8 | 87.6 | 28.2 | 75.3 | 63.9 | 86 | 71.3 | 75.2 | ||
| 4 | Wolfe County | 71.5 | 78.8 | 99.3 | 0.1 | 87.4 | 22.9 | 74 | 81.5 | 86 | 66.7 | 70 | ||
| 5 | Clinton County | 70.8 | 82.1 | 94.5 | 5.5 | 91.4 | 28.4 | 67.3 | 75.5 | 35.6 | 73.8 | 47.1 | 57.6 | |
| 6 | McCreary County | 69.8 | 66.2 | 96 | 0.6 | 92.3 | 22.8 | 74.6 | 74.7 | 86 | 67.8 | 69.5 | ||
| 7 | Hickman County | 69.4 | 63.4 | 86.3 | 36.3 | 87.1 | 38.6 | 70.7 | 64.2 | 86 | 61.5 | 45.5 | ||
| 8 | Hancock County | 69.3 | 65.1 | 73.5 | 49.2 | 87.7 | 56.9 | 54.9 | 71.3 | 86 | 70.6 | 74.3 | ||
| 9 | McLean County | 69.3 | 67.2 | 84.7 | 49.6 | 85.5 | 52.2 | 67.9 | 59.3 | 12.4 | 64.5 | 68.1 | ||
| 10 | Robertson County | 69.3 | 79.5 | 81.5 | 15 | 93.9 | 34.3 | 51.3 | 98.4 | 86 | 62.1 | |||
| 11 | Owsley County | 68.4 | 58.8 | 99.8 | 0 | 94.3 | 29.5 | 61.4 | 93.6 | 48.2 | 63.4 | 74.4 | ||
| 12 | Menifee County | 68.3 | 83.2 | 94.5 | 5.9 | 87 | 30.2 | 54.8 | 93.8 | 18.4 | 68.9 | 68.1 | ||
| 13 | Green County | 68 | 65.9 | 93.7 | 7.6 | 82.2 | 34.3 | 64.3 | 86 | 86 | 59.9 | 59.7 | ||
| 14 | Leslie County | 67.9 | 49.2 | 97.3 | 1 | 91.6 | 34.3 | 69.3 | 68.3 | 86 | 62.8 | 65.9 | ||
| 15 | Butler County | 67.4 | 74.5 | 89.1 | 23.6 | 84.1 | 29.8 | 60.9 | 81.9 | 60.8 | 57.6 | 60.7 | ||
| 16 | Johnson County | 67.3 | 65 | 87.8 | 5.7 | 88.5 | 28.6 | 80.6 | 29 | 86 | 63.3 | 77.2 | ||
| 17 | Casey County | 67.1 | 72.9 | 93.9 | 6.2 | 92.4 | 24.6 | 52.6 | 63 | 86 | 62.4 | 57 | 60.8 | |
| 18 | Washington County | 67 | 65.7 | 69.9 | 38.7 | 84.6 | 52 | 54.8 | 83.3 | 86 | 58.3 | 60.5 | 69.4 | |
| 19 | Knott County | 66.8 | 55.9 | 88.2 | 3.3 | 90.3 | 25.3 | 81.3 | 47.9 | 86 | 72.5 | |||
| 20 | Monroe County | 66.7 | 53.5 | 87.3 | 14.1 | 90.3 | 32.7 | 75 | 73.4 | 22.8 | 62.3 | 48.6 | 58.2 | |
| 21 | Adair County | 66.6 | 66.9 | 81.7 | 18.7 | 88.9 | 37.2 | 64.9 | 60.6 | 63.4 | 63.3 | 44.8 | 59.6 | |
| 22 | Martin County | 65.9 | 48.6 | 98.8 | 1.3 | 91.7 | 29.5 | 73.9 | 50.1 | 32.5 | 63.9 | 77 | ||
| 23 | Hart County | 65.6 | 64.9 | 82.8 | 15.8 | 84.9 | 33 | 65.7 | 58.9 | 86 | 60.7 | 68.8 | ||
| 24 | Trimble County | 65.6 | 64.7 | 64.3 | 51.1 | 91.3 | 44.3 | 49.8 | 88.1 | 86 | 65.9 | 69.8 | ||
| 25 | Edmonson County | 65.3 | 78.3 | 83.3 | 21.2 | 86.1 | 42.9 | 41.8 | 89 | 14.6 | 63.2 | 52.9 |
Cumberland County
Elliott County
Rockcastle County
Wolfe County
Clinton County
McCreary County
Hickman County
Hancock County
McLean County
Robertson County
Owsley County
Menifee County
Green County
Leslie County
Butler County
Johnson County
Casey County
Washington County
Knott County
Monroe County
Adair County
Martin County
Hart County
Trimble County
Edmonson County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Kentucky
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Kentucky.
What is the best county in Kentucky?
Cumberland County is the top-ranked county in Kentucky with a CountyScore of 72.7/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in Kentucky?
Kentucky has 120 counties in total. Of those, 120 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Kentucky?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Kentucky is 59/100. The national average is 50/100, so Kentucky counties score 9 points above the national average.
How does Kentucky compare to other states?
Kentucky's average county score of 59/100 is 9 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Kentucky counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Kentucky.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.