MAIN Home Life House & Home Moving Kentucky

Known for the deep color of the grass that carpets horse pastures and neighborhood lawns throughout Kentucky, the "Bluegrass State" is an impressive mix of spectacular natural attractions.

These include the scenic Cumberland Gap and Cumberland Falls, the world's longest cave system at Mammoth Cave National Park, and the expansive Jefferson Memorial Forest.

Kentucky, home to the nation's most productive coalfield, is also known for its bourbon distilleries, tobacco farming, thoroughbred horse farms, horse racing tracks (and the Kentucky Derby) and, of course, world-reknowned bluegrass music.

While horse training and racing remain billion-dollar industries, today most high-salaried jobs can be found within the state's healthcare and education systems. Other major industries within the state include car manufacturing (Ford and Toyota) and transportation (UPS) offering part-time and overnight work at their major logistics hub in Louisville.

Kentucky quality-of-life statistics

Demographics : (Kentucky Census Data)
Major cities: Frankfort (capital), Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Ashland
Population : 4,206,074
White : 90.4%
Black, African American : 7.5%
Hispanic : 2.0%
High school graduates : 74.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher : 17.1%
Average household income: $37,046<

Cost of Living: Compared to the rest of the country, Kentucky's cost of living is 21.35% lower than the U.S. average.

Property Taxes : Kentucky Tax Climate - Kentucky is one of 37 states that collect property taxes at both the state and local level. While Kentucky's statewide property taxes are higher than the national average, local property taxes remain comparatively low.

Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Kentucky Real Estate
Home ownership rate : 70.8%
Average home price: $140,300
Average travel time to work : 23.5 minutes

Personal Income Taxes: Kentucky collects taxes on six income brackets at rates ranging from 2 percent to 6 percent. A retirement-friendly state, Kentucky exempts Social Security benefits from state income taxes plus up to $41,110 per person on pensions and a wide variety of other retirement income. Residents must complete returns on Form 740 by April 15.

Schools : While the stereotype often paints Kentucky as a backward state in the area of education, it has recently initiated several educational reforms that have resulted in progress statewide. (As in other parts of the country, higher local tax bases usually translate into better public schools, with lower educational performance seen in poorer, rural areas.) Incidentally, the state's public educational broadcasting system, KET, is currently the biggest PBS network in the nation. Also see Kentucky Department of Education

Weather : Like most of the Central states, Kentucky's weather is subject to both polar and tropical air currents. Average temperatures reach into the 90's during summer to a low in the high 30's during winter. When a warm air collides with a cold air shelf, thunderstorms and even tornados may be the result. Extremes of weather may even be experienced in a single day, leading to the sage advice followed by all residents, "If you don't like the weather in Kentucky, wait five minutes."

Crime : see Kentucky Crime/Traffic Information and Publications

also see -> Kentucky Taxes | Kentucky Eviction Laws | Kentucky Tourism

Kentucky State Fair | Kentucky Beaches | Kentucky Campgrounds

Kentucky Kids Party Locations | Christmas in Kentucky

More about relocating to Kentucky around the Web:

Kentucky.gov - Moving to the State - The official site with an extensive guide for those planning to relocate including information on wages & employment, housing & real estate, taxes, car registration, childcare and social services and related topics.

Living in Louisville - One-stop browsing for information on cost of living, utilities, healthcare, housing & real estate, neighborhood overviews, government services, local public transport, and an online form to request a free Louisville relocation packet.

Relocating to Bowling Green, Kentucky - The official city site with census & other statistics, facts & information on schools & education, renting & home buying guides, help with finding a job or starting a business, related links.

Kentucky real estate, apartments & job classifieds:

Frankfort : State-Journal
Louisville : Courier-Journal
Lexington : Herald-Leader
Bowling Green : Daily News