Kentucky’s Most Expensive City Isn’t Louisville or Lexington…It’s Madisonville

Every once in a while, we head off to Louisville or Lexington for an adventure. We also have to understand that we will probably splurge on food. It comes with the territory and doesn't "hurt my feelings" if I call it part of an entertainment budget.

The Cost of Living in Kentucky

Yes, large cities have expensive restaurants, but that doesn't mean they are the most expensive cities in their states. That's the case in Kentucky. When it comes to the affordability of living in the Bluegrass State, you are much better off here than in many other places. According to Rent Cafe, Kentucky's cost of living is 6% lower than the national average. The following factors brought the website to its conclusion.

As a state, we're doing alright, but when you break it down, city by city, it's a little surprising. The most expensive Kentucky city in which to live is just the Commonwealth's 20th largest.

Kentucky's Most Expensive City Is ... Madisonville

Rent Cafe utilized the cost of living index to reveal that in Madisonville, population 19,502, the COL is 6% higher than the state average. Among major cities, Covington checks in at the bottom, a good place to be on this list, at 8% lower than the rest of Kentucky. The rest of our largest cities are 6% to 13% lower than the national average. We'll take it.

The index is updated every other year, so let's cross our fingers that the 2026 numbers will continue to show that Kentucky is moving in the right direction. Hopefully, they will also show a turnaround for Madisonville.