THE BLUEGRASS STATE

Kentucky

Checking location…

State snapshot

Kentucky facts

Explore dated, statewide figures across taxes and the economy, housing, public safety, health, education, and other civic topics.

Explore Kentucky individual facts and compare every state →

14 topic facts + fiscal overview + 9 state trends + 62 reviewed government links

Public money

How Kentucky funds state services

The enacted FY2027 all-funds budget, FY2025 audited State tax revenue, current tax rates, and expenditures by service area. Each section preserves its own period and accounting scope; budget authority, audited activity, State taxes, and local property-tax rates are kept distinct.

Enacted budget plan

$60.4BFY2027

Enacted by the 2026 General Assembly

FY2027 enacted all-funds expenditures

July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027

Exact reported total: $60,396,482,800

All enacted FY2027 expenditures for Kentucky's executive, legislative, and judicial branches in the 2026–2028 Budget of the Commonwealth. The total is expenditures rather than the larger source-of-funds amount, which includes balances and receipts that are not spent during the fiscal year.

Kentucky Office of State Budget Director: 2026–2028 Budget of the Commonwealth — Budget in Brief

FY2027

How the enacted budget is financed

$60.4B$60,396,482,800

Federal Fund$25.6B · 42.4%

Federal grants, reimbursements, and other federal resources budgeted for State-administered programs.

Restricted Funds$17.0B · 28.2%

Agency receipts, fees, dedicated resources, and other funds restricted to particular purposes.

General Fund$15.8B · 26.2%

General Fund expenditures supported principally by broad-based State revenues.

Road Fund$1.8B · 3.0%

Transportation-related expenditures supported by the constitutionally dedicated Road Fund.

Tobacco Fund$87.2M · 0.1%

Expenditures supported by Kentucky's share of tobacco-settlement resources.

FY2025 ACFR actual

Where State tax revenue comes from

$17.3B$17,327,240,000

Shares of the $17.327 billion in taxes reported as general revenue for Kentucky's primary government. The property-tax line is State revenue; county, city, school-district, and special-district property taxes retained locally are outside this denominator.

Sales and gross receipts tax$9.3B · 53.6%

State sales and gross-receipts taxes recognized in the government-wide Statement of Activities.

Individual income tax$5.0B · 28.9%

Individual-income-tax revenue reported as general revenue.

Corporate income tax$1.5B · 8.5%

Corporate-income-tax revenue recognized by the primary government.

Property tax$843.0M · 4.9%

State property-tax revenue; locally imposed property taxes are excluded.

Miscellaneous taxes$409.5M · 2.4%

The ACFR's combined line for State tax types not displayed separately.

Severance tax$119.6M · 0.7%

State severance-tax revenue recognized in FY2025.

License and privilege tax$113.0M · 0.7%

State license-and-privilege-tax revenue reported separately in the ACFR.

Inheritance and estate tax$82.0M · 0.5%

State inheritance-and-estate-tax revenue reported in the government-wide statement.

FY2027 enacted all funds

FY2027 expenditures by service area

$60.4B$60,396,482,800

FactVote grouped the Budget in Brief's executive-branch units and added the judicial branch to justice and public safety. The exact residual contains the legislature and every other executive unit so the section reconciles to the all-funds total.

Health and family services$27.4B · 45.4%

The enacted all-funds total for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Postsecondary education$14.5B · 24.0%

The enacted all-funds total for postsecondary education, including university and college activity within the budget's scope.

K–12 education and workforce$7.3B · 12.1%

The Department of Education plus the Education and Labor Cabinet.

Other government, economy, and resources$5.5B · 9.1%

The exact residual for general government, economic development, energy and environment, finance, personnel, public protection, tourism, the legislative branch, and other enacted expenditures.

Transportation$3.4B · 5.7%

The enacted all-funds total for the Transportation Cabinet.

Justice, public safety, and courts$2.2B · 3.7%

The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet plus the judicial branch.

Tax structure

Common statewide rates

Property and district rates can be local. Each card states the applicable scope.

Individual income tax

3.5%Kentucky's flat individual-income-tax rate is 3.5% for tax year 2026.Kentucky Department of Revenue: 2026 Kentucky Withholding Tax Formula

Sales and use tax

6% StateKentucky imposes a 6% statewide sales-and-use tax and does not permit additional local sales-and-use taxes.Kentucky Department of Revenue: Sales & Use Tax

Corporate income tax

5%Kentucky applies a flat 5% corporation-income-tax rate to Kentucky taxable net income.Kentucky Department of Revenue: Corporation Income and Limited Liability Entity Tax

Property tax

10.3¢ State per $100 + localKentucky's 2026 State real-property-tax rate is 10.3 cents per $100 of assessed value. Counties, cities, school districts, and special districts may levy additional rates, so the final bill varies by location.Commonwealth of Kentucky, Finance and Administration Cabinet: 2026 State Real Property Tax Rate Drops to 10.3 Cents

Latest audited results

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Government-wide activity for Kentucky's primary government on the accrual basis. Revenue combines charges for services, operating and capital grants, taxes, unrestricted grants, investment earnings, gains, and miscellaneous general revenue; transfers cancel at the primary-government level.

Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, Office of the Controller: Commonwealth of Kentucky FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Government-wide revenue: $46.2B
Government-wide expenses: $46.0B

Method, scope, and limitations

FactVote used the enacted FY2027 expenditure total and fund-source table from Kentucky's 2026–2028 Budget in Brief. Executive units were grouped into broad service areas, the judicial branch was added to justice and public safety, and an exact residual preserves the statewide total. FY2025 tax-source shares and audited activity come from the government-wide ACFR; current rates come from the Department of Revenue and the Commonwealth's official 2026 property-rate announcement.

The $60.396 billion headline is enacted expenditure authority across all funds and branches, not audited spending or State tax revenue alone.
The Budget in Brief reports a larger $65.028 billion FY2027 source-of-funds total because balances, continuing resources, and receipts can exceed expenditures during a fiscal year; FactVote uses expenditures for the headline and fund mix.
Service-area totals are FactVote groupings of official branch and cabinet totals, not categories published as a single State table; the exact residual retains every remaining expenditure.
Kentucky's 10.3-cent State real-property rate is only one part of a property-tax bill. Local rates vary by jurisdiction and are outside the displayed State rate.

Last verified August 28, 2026 · Review by August 31, 2027 · Kentucky figures refresh annually.

Taxes and the economy

Taxes, government spending, jobs, wages, and small business.

Taxes and economy

$63,726

Median household income

2020–2024 estimate

Median money income received by Kentucky households, expressed in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

Income is not take-home pay and does not directly measure taxes, wealth, prices, or purchasing power.
A statewide median obscures regional and household differences.

Related state trends

Taxes and economy over time

Employment and unemployment place the latest economic facts in a longer statewide context.

Work

Employment and unemployment

4.8%unemployed

The unemployment rate is paired with employed Kentucky residents indexed to 2015, so job recovery and labor-market slack remain readable on separate scales.

Unemployment rate
Employed people

Unemployment rate: 4.8%
Employed people: 2M
Employment since 2015: +6.2%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Unemployment rate

Kentucky: 4.8%
U.S. benchmark: 4.0%
State rank #1 has the highest unemployment rate — worse: #4 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED: National unemployment rate

View chart data

Year	Unemployment rate	Employed people	Employment index
2015	5.3%	1,877,601	100.0
2016	5.1%	1,911,468	101.8
2017	4.8%	1,948,750	103.8
2018	4.2%	1,960,964	104.4
2019	4.1%	1,979,478	105.4
2020	6.5%	1,879,778	100.1
2021	4.4%	1,933,112	103.0
2022	4.0%	1,964,419	104.6
2023	4.2%	1,969,940	104.9
2024	4.8%	1,994,539	106.2

Method and limitations

FactVote uses BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics annual averages for the statewide unemployment rate and civilian employment. The chart converts employment to an index with 2015 equal to 100; the data table retains the published employment level.

LAUS estimates are revised each year through the program's annual processing cycle.
Employment is residence-based civilian employment, not a count of jobs located in the state.
Annual averages smooth within-year changes.

Housing and property costs

Housing supply, affordability, renters, zoning, and property costs.

Housing

$967/month

Median gross rent

2020–2024 estimate

Median monthly gross rent for renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent, including contract rent plus estimated average utility and fuel costs paid by the renter.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate and expressed in 2024 dollars.

Keep in mind

This is a multi-year statewide estimate, not a current asking-rent measure.
The median obscures differences by location, unit size, housing quality, and renter circumstances.

Related state trends

Housing over time

Home values and household income show how Kentucky housing costs and purchasing power have changed together.

Housing pressure

Home prices versus income growth

+83.5%home prices

FHFA house prices and BEA personal income per person are indexed to the same starting year. A widening gap signals that home prices are rising faster than this broad income measure.

FHFA home prices
Income per person

Home-price growth: +83.5%
Income growth: +54.3%
Income per person: $60,673

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Home-price growth

Kentucky: +83.5%
U.S. benchmark: +86.6%
State rank #1 has the fastest home-price growth — depends on perspective: #25 of 50

Income growth

Kentucky: +54.3%
U.S. benchmark: +55.9%
State rank #1 has the fastest income growth — better: #24 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Federal Housing Finance Agency: U.S. House Price Index U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis via FRED: U.S. personal income per capita

View chart data

Year	FHFA HPI	Home-price index	Income per person	Income index
2016	243.58	100.0	$39,319	100.0
2017	253.32	104.0	$40,403	102.8
2018	263.26	108.1	$41,658	105.9
2019	274.40	112.7	$43,466	110.5
2020	288.59	118.5	$47,086	119.8
2021	323.13	132.7	$51,929	132.1
2022	372.23	152.8	$52,606	133.8
2023	398.79	163.7	$55,675	141.6
2024	426.09	174.9	$58,310	148.3
2025	446.85	183.5	$60,673	154.3

Method and limitations

FactVote averages the four quarterly, not-seasonally-adjusted FHFA all-transactions HPI observations for each year. It compares that series with BEA annual per-capita personal income distributed by FRED, then rebases both to 100 in 2016.

This is a pressure indicator, not a home-price-to-income ratio and not a measure of monthly mortgage affordability.
Both series are nominal; neither is adjusted for inflation.
Per-capita personal income includes earnings, property income, and transfers and is not median household income.

Public safety and criminal justice

Policing, crime prevention, sentencing, incarceration, and rehabilitation.

Public safety and justice

226.7 per 100,000

Reported violent-crime rate

2024

Violent offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

FactVote sums the 12 monthly state offense rates returned by the FBI Crime Data Explorer for each calendar year. The accompanying coverage value is the mean of the 12 monthly population-coverage percentages returned with the same query.

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
Kentucky's average monthly population coverage remained at or above 99.7% throughout this series, but coverage still varies and does not equal complete statewide reporting.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 100%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

1,400.5 per 100,000

Reported property-crime rate

2024

Property offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
Kentucky's average monthly population coverage remained at or above 99.7% throughout this series, but coverage still varies and does not equal complete statewide reporting.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 100%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

314

Homicide deaths

2024 final data

Deaths for which homicide was the underlying cause, with the rate age-adjusted per 100,000 residents.

View breakdowns and source

Population-adjusted measure

Age-adjusted homicide death rate: 7.0 per 100,000

How it was measured

CDC National Vital Statistics System death-certificate data.

Keep in mind

Homicide mortality is not the same as offenses reported to police and does not include nonfatal violence.
Counts and rates do not establish causes or the effect of a particular policy.

Related state trends

Public safety and justice over time

Reported violent- and property-crime rates are shown with the coverage cautions needed to compare years responsibly.

Public safety

Reported violent and property crime rates

100.0% coverage

Reported offenses per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions. Amber points flag years when average monthly population coverage was below 90%.

Violent crime
Property crime
Partial reporting

Violent crime: 226.7 per 100k
Property crime: 1400.5 per 100k
Population coverage: 100.0%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Violent-crime rate

Kentucky: 226.7 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 359.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest violent-crime rate — worse: #41 of 50

Property-crime rate

Kentucky: 1400.5 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 1760.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest property-crime rate — worse: #39 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.An asterisk marks a state-year with less than 90% average population coverage. The U.S. figures are FBI national estimates; state figures are reported rates.Federal Bureau of Investigation: UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2024

View chart data

Year	Violent rate	Property rate	Population coverage
2015	223.7 per 100k	2214.7 per 100k	99.8%
2016	235.6 per 100k	2215.7 per 100k	100.0%
2017	235.4 per 100k	2169.9 per 100k	99.8%
2018	222.4 per 100k	2014.2 per 100k	99.7%
2019	226.5 per 100k	1927.4 per 100k	99.8%
2020	273.2 per 100k	1832.9 per 100k	99.9%
2021	272.5 per 100k	1637.2 per 100k	99.9%
2022	223.3 per 100k	1505.5 per 100k	99.9%
2023	232.3 per 100k	1579.0 per 100k	100.0%
2024	226.7 per 100k	1400.5 per 100k	100.0%

Method and limitations

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
Kentucky's average monthly population coverage remained at or above 99.7% throughout this series, but coverage still varies and does not equal complete statewide reporting.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.

Healthcare

Coverage, prescription costs, Medicaid, and access to care.

Healthcare

8.2%

People under 65 without health insurance

2024 ACS annual estimate

Share of Kentucky’s civilian noninstitutionalized residents under age 65 who lacked comprehensive health-insurance coverage at the time of the ACS survey.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimate.

Keep in mind

This is a survey estimate for people under 65 and does not describe coverage type or continuity of coverage.
Insurance status alone does not measure affordability, access, quality, or health outcomes.

Related state trends

Healthcare over time

Health-insurance coverage and life expectancy provide separate views of access and population health over time.

Health coverage

Residents without health insurance

6.8%uninsured

The share of the civilian noninstitutionalized population without health insurance at the time of the American Community Survey interview.

Uninsured rate
90% confidence margin

Uninsured rate: 6.8%
Margin of error: ±0.3 points

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Uninsured rate

Kentucky: 6.8%
U.S. benchmark: 8.2%
State rank #1 has the highest uninsured rate — worse: #30 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: HIC-4_ACS health insurance coverage

View chart data

Year	Uninsured rate	90% margin of error
2014	8.5%	±0.3 points
2015	6.0%	±0.2 points
2016	5.1%	±0.2 points
2017	5.4%	±0.3 points
2018	5.6%	±0.3 points
2019	6.4%	±0.3 points
2020	Not released	—
2021	5.7%	±0.3 points
2022	5.6%	±0.3 points
2023	5.4%	±0.2 points
2024	6.8%	±0.3 points

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's HIC-4_ACS historical table. Rates and 90% confidence margins of error are the published ACS 1-year estimates for the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

The Census Bureau did not release the standard 2020 ACS 1-year estimates because pandemic-era data collection did not meet its quality standards; the chart preserves that gap.
The rate is a survey estimate and the accompanying margin of error should be considered when comparing nearby values.
Coverage is measured at the interview and does not show how long someone was uninsured during the year.

Health outcomes

Life expectancy at birth

73.6 yearsat birth

Period life expectancy at birth based on Kentucky's annual complete life tables and final state-specific death data.

Life expectancy at birth

U.S. comparison & state rank2022

Life expectancy

Kentucky: 73.6 years
U.S. benchmark: 77.5 years
State rank #1 has the highest life expectancy — better: #48 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.CDC National Center for Health Statistics: U.S. state life tables, 2018–2022

View chart data

Year	Life expectancy at birth
2018	75.3 years
2019	75.5 years
2020	73.5 years
2021	72.3 years
2022	73.6 years

Method and limitations

FactVote uses CDC National Center for Health Statistics annual complete life-table estimates for the total Kentucky population. Values are rounded to the published tenth of a year.

The latest published comparable state series ends in 2022, even though newer national life-expectancy estimates may be available.
Period life expectancy summarizes current mortality rates; it is not a forecast of how long a particular person will live.
The 2020 and 2021 estimates reflect the mortality shock during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education

Public schools, school choice, teachers, and higher education.

Education

88.9%

Adults with at least a high school diploma

2020–2024 estimate

Share of Kentucky residents age 25 and older whose reported attainment is a regular high school diploma or equivalent (including GED or an alternative credential), some college, or an associate’s or higher degree.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

This is an adult educational-attainment measure, not a current high-school graduation rate or a measure of school quality.
A statewide estimate can obscure differences across communities and demographic groups.

Related state trends

Education over time

Comparable NAEP assessment years show changes in statewide reading and mathematics performance.

Education

NAEP reading and math scores

218.0Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 and Grade 8 public-school mean scale scores from the Nation's Report Card. Reading and math are shown within each grade on their own panel.

Reading · circle
Math · square

Grade 4 reading: 218.0
Grade 4 math: 237.8
Grade 8 reading: 258.0
Grade 8 math: 270.8

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Grade 4 reading

Kentucky: 218.0
U.S. benchmark: 215.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #11 of 50

Grade 4 math

Kentucky: 237.8
U.S. benchmark: 237.5
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #25 of 50

Grade 8 reading

Kentucky: 258.0
U.S. benchmark: 258.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #22 of 50

Grade 8 math

Kentucky: 270.8
U.S. benchmark: 273.8
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #28 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.State ranks use public-school results. The U.S. benchmark includes the national public- and nonpublic-school sample.U.S. Department of Education, NCES: NAEP national results

View chart data

Assessment year	Grade 4 reading	Grade 4 math	Grade 8 reading	Grade 8 math
2003	219.0	228.7	266.2	274.3
2005	219.9	231.5	263.9	274.0
2007	222.4	235.1	262.0	278.7
2009	225.6	238.8	266.9	279.3
2011	225.1	240.8	268.8	281.6
2013	224.4	241.5	269.6	280.6
2015	228.1	241.7	267.8	277.9
2017	224.1	239.2	265.1	277.7
2019	220.9	239.3	263.0	278.1
2022	216.6	233.8	258.5	269.4
2024	218.0	237.8	258.0	270.8

Method and limitations

FactVote uses NAEP Data Service mean scale scores for all public-school students in Kentucky. The series uses the total student group and the main reading and mathematics composite scales for Grade 4 and Grade 8.

NAEP is generally administered every two years; the 2021 administration was postponed, so the timeline moves from 2019 to 2022.
NAEP results are estimates from a sample. Statistical significance, not a visual gap alone, determines whether scores differ.
Each grade and subject has its own scale. Follow one line over time rather than comparing the numeric distance between grades or subjects.

Environment and energy

Clean water, conservation, climate, and energy production.

Environment

$3.85/gal

Midwest regular gasoline price

Week of August 31, 2026

Estimated average retail price of regular-grade gasoline across all formulations in EIA's Midwest region, including taxes. The region contains Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Kentucky$3.847/gal

United States$4.071/gal

The Midwest average was $0.224 per gallon lower, or about 5.5% below the U.S. average.

View breakdowns and source

Kentucky and U.S. context

Regular gasoline price

Kentucky: $3.847/gal
United States: $4.071/gal

The Midwest average was $0.224 per gallon lower, or about 5.5% below the U.S. average.

Both figures are EIA weekly retail estimates for regular gasoline, including taxes, for the week of August 31, 2026. The Kentucky-side figure is the Midwest regional average, not a Kentucky statewide estimate.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices

Recent EIA observations

Prior week: $3.934/gal
Weekly change: -8.7¢
One year earlier: $3.088/gal
Change from one year earlier: +75.9¢

How it was measured

FactVote uses EIA’s Midwest series, the smallest current EIA retail region that includes Kentucky. Changes are calculated from the published August 24, 2026 (prior week), and September 1, 2025 (52 weeks earlier), observations.

Keep in mind

EIA does not publish a current Kentucky statewide weekly gasoline-price series. This Midwest regional estimate should not be read as Kentucky’s statewide average.
The regional average combines Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and does not represent the price at every station or in every Kentucky community.
Prices are nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns. Weekly estimates can be revised and can differ from monthly averages.
Price changes alone do not establish the effect of any bill, official, or government action.

Related state trends

Environment over time

Kentucky electricity generation, residential power prices, and gasoline prices show how the state's energy costs and supply have changed.

Energy

Electricity mix and residential price

12.79¢/kWhresidential average

In-state utility-scale electricity generation by energy source is paired with the annual average residential electricity price on a separate scale.

Natural gas25.8%
Coal67.0%
Nuclear0.0%
Solar0.4%
Hydroelectric6.1%
Wind0.0%
Other0.7%

Residential price: 12.79¢/kWh
Total generation: 67.0 TWh
Largest source: Coal · 67.0%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Residential electricity price

Kentucky: 12.79¢/kWh
U.S. benchmark: 16.48¢/kWh
State rank #1 has the highest electricity price — worse: #39 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Energy Information Administration: National residential electricity price

View chart data

Year	Total generation	Natural gas	Coal	Solar	Hydroelectric	Other	Residential price
2015	83.544 TWh	5.950 TWh	72.620 TWh	0.000 TWh	3.403 TWh	1.570 TWh	10.24¢/kWh
2016	80.274 TWh	8.228 TWh	66.822 TWh	0.012 TWh	3.478 TWh	1.733 TWh	10.49¢/kWh
2017	73.179 TWh	10.380 TWh	57.237 TWh	0.020 TWh	4.506 TWh	1.037 TWh	10.85¢/kWh
2018	78.804 TWh	14.615 TWh	59.168 TWh	0.039 TWh	4.418 TWh	0.564 TWh	10.60¢/kWh
2019	71.804 TWh	15.341 TWh	51.714 TWh	0.045 TWh	4.232 TWh	0.472 TWh	10.80¢/kWh
2020	63.540 TWh	14.384 TWh	43.638 TWh	0.043 TWh	5.005 TWh	0.469 TWh	10.87¢/kWh
2021	69.908 TWh	14.572 TWh	49.863 TWh	0.046 TWh	4.876 TWh	0.551 TWh	11.50¢/kWh
2022	69.147 TWh	16.918 TWh	47.053 TWh	0.047 TWh	4.530 TWh	0.600 TWh	12.91¢/kWh
2023	63.217 TWh	15.090 TWh	43.447 TWh	0.155 TWh	3.955 TWh	0.570 TWh	12.65¢/kWh
2024	66.951 TWh	17.267 TWh	44.829 TWh	0.277 TWh	4.114 TWh	0.464 TWh	12.79¢/kWh

Method and limitations

FactVote uses EIA's annual utility-scale net generation series and groups sources into seven categories. The residential price is EIA's annual average revenue per kilowatthour and includes generation, transmission, distribution, taxes, and fees reflected in electric bills.

Generation is electricity produced inside Kentucky, not electricity consumed there; interstate imports and exports are not represented.
The consistent utility-scale series excludes estimated generation from small-scale solar systems under 1 megawatt. Hydroelectric combines conventional and pumped-storage net generation; the 'other' category is the residual of remaining reported energy sources.
The residential price is a statewide nominal average and can mask large differences among utilities, plans, and household usage.

Fuel cost

Monthly regular gasoline price

$3.714/galmonthly average

Monthly regular-grade gasoline prices in EIA’s Midwest region show the market trend surrounding Kentucky. The regional average includes Kentucky.

Regular gasoline · monthly average

Price: $3.714/gal
From prior month: −14.4¢
From one year earlier: +71.0¢

U.S. comparison & state rank2026-07

Regular gasoline

Kentucky: $3.714/gal
U.S. benchmark: $3.932/gal
State rank #1 has the highest gasoline price — worse: #32* of 49

* EIA does not publish a current Kentucky statewide monthly gasoline-price series; this chart uses a 15-state regional average, not a statewide measurement.

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Gasoline ranks cover states with a published FactVote monthly series. An asterisk marks an EIA regional or metro proxy rather than a statewide measurement.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. regular gasoline prices

View chart data

Month	Regular gasoline price
January 2020	$2.409/gal
February 2020	$2.309/gal
March 2020	$2.036/gal
April 2020	$1.542/gal
May 2020	$1.748/gal
June 2020	$2.014/gal
July 2020	$2.098/gal
August 2020	$2.072/gal
September 2020	$2.047/gal
October 2020	$2.023/gal
November 2020	$1.957/gal
December 2020	$2.076/gal
January 2021	$2.231/gal
February 2021	$2.409/gal
March 2021	$2.724/gal
April 2021	$2.776/gal
May 2021	$2.882/gal
June 2021	$2.973/gal
July 2021	$3.035/gal
August 2021	$3.034/gal
September 2021	$3.044/gal
October 2021	$3.158/gal
November 2021	$3.211/gal
December 2021	$3.069/gal
January 2022	$3.112/gal
February 2022	$3.357/gal
March 2022	$4.024/gal
April 2022	$3.915/gal
May 2022	$4.260/gal
June 2022	$4.879/gal
July 2022	$4.496/gal
August 2022	$3.809/gal
September 2022	$3.590/gal
October 2022	$3.744/gal
November 2022	$3.587/gal
December 2022	$3.014/gal
January 2023	$3.217/gal
February 2023	$3.231/gal
March 2023	$3.270/gal
April 2023	$3.512/gal
May 2023	$3.454/gal
June 2023	$3.471/gal
July 2023	$3.436/gal
August 2023	$3.701/gal
September 2023	$3.666/gal
October 2023	$3.371/gal
November 2023	$3.138/gal
December 2023	$2.887/gal
January 2024	$2.829/gal
February 2024	$3.044/gal
March 2024	$3.318/gal
April 2024	$3.441/gal
May 2024	$3.430/gal
June 2024	$3.312/gal
July 2024	$3.411/gal
August 2024	$3.338/gal
September 2024	$3.091/gal
October 2024	$3.016/gal
November 2024	$2.888/gal
December 2024	$2.881/gal
January 2025	$2.942/gal
February 2025	$2.956/gal
March 2025	$2.954/gal
April 2025	$3.029/gal
May 2025	$3.013/gal
June 2025	$3.019/gal
July 2025	$3.004/gal
August 2025	$3.028/gal
September 2025	$3.012/gal
October 2025	$2.856/gal
November 2025	$2.876/gal
December 2025	$2.672/gal
January 2026	$2.633/gal
February 2026	$2.674/gal
March 2026	$3.371/gal
April 2026	$3.833/gal
May 2026	$4.389/gal
June 2026	$3.858/gal
July 2026	$3.714/gal
August 2026	$3.893/gal

Method and limitations

FactVote uses EIA’s monthly Midwest (PADD 2) Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices series. Monthly averages are simple averages of the published weekly estimates; prices include taxes.

This regional series covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin; it is not a Kentucky statewide average.
The regional average masks differences among states, communities, and individual stations.
Prices are nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns. The monthly series ends in August 2026 and can differ from the weekly fact.
Price changes alone do not establish the effect of any bill, official, or government action.

Gun policy and public safety

Firearm rights, gun-safety rules, and violence prevention.

Gun policy

870

Firearm deaths

2024 final data

Deaths in which firearm injury was the underlying cause, with the rate age-adjusted per 100,000 residents.

View breakdowns and source

Population-adjusted measure

Age-adjusted firearm death rate: 18.5 per 100,000

How it was measured

CDC National Vital Statistics System death-certificate data.

Keep in mind

The total combines firearm deaths across intents, including suicide, homicide, legal intervention, and unintentional or undetermined injury.
It does not measure nonfatal injuries, firearm ownership, defensive uses, or policy effects.

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Retirement benefits, Medicare, and the long-term financing of these programs.

Immigration and border policy

Border enforcement, legal immigration, and pathways to citizenship.

Immigration

4.7%

Residents who are foreign-born

2020–2024 estimate

Share of Kentucky residents who were not U.S. citizens at birth, including naturalized citizens, lawful noncitizens, and people without lawful status.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

Foreign-born is not a measure of unauthorized immigration or current border crossings.
The Census does not assign legal status in this measure.

Related state trends

Immigration over time

Population change is separated into natural change, domestic migration, and international migration.

People

Population growth and migration

4.6Mresidents

July 1 population estimates alongside the annual changes attributable to births minus deaths, domestic migration, and international migration.

Population
Births minus deaths
Domestic migration
International migration

Births minus deaths: −83
Domestic migration: +7.3K
International migration: +15.7K

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Population

Kentucky: 4,606,864
U.S. total: 341,784,857
State rank #1 is most populous — not a performance ranking: #26 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 national population estimates

View chart data

Year	Population	Natural change	Domestic migration	International migration	Residual
2020	4,508,271	—	—	—	—
2021	4,508,348	-6,850	3,010	1,756	2,161
2022	4,521,238	-8,916	10,343	12,538	-1,075
2023	4,549,953	-1,676	7,154	23,457	-220
2024	4,584,046	-957	7,013	28,210	-173
2025	4,606,864	-83	7,269	15,709	-77

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 consistent state series. Population is the July 1 estimate. Change components describe the preceding annual estimates period, and the Census residual adjustment reconciles the components to the published population change.

Vintage estimates are revised as the Census Bureau incorporates newer records and methods.
Domestic and international migration are modeled demographic estimates, not direct counts of every move.
The small residual adjustment is included in the data table but not drawn as a separate bar.

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

Voting access, election administration, ethics, transparency, and corruption.

Democracy and accountability

58.8%

Registered-voter turnout

November 5, 2024 general election

People recorded as voting in Kentucky's November 2024 general election as a share of registered voters in the State Board of Elections turnout report.

View breakdowns and source

2024 turnout comparison

General election turnout: 58.8%
Primary election turnoutMay 21, 2024 primary election: 12.7%

The State Board of Elections turnout reports show 2,086,320 of 3,548,136 registered voters for the general election and 443,437 of 3,490,967 for the primary.

Kentucky labels the turnout reports unofficial because they are produced after voter-registration rolls reopen, so later moves and removals can create differences from election-result totals.
Primary eligibility varies by party registration and contests, so the statewide registered-voter denominator is a broad comparison base.

Kentucky State Board of Elections: 2024 Primary Voter Turnout by County Review by January 31, 2027

How it was measured

Kentucky State Board of Elections post-election turnout reports tabulate registered voters and voters by county and party.

Keep in mind

The state warns that these turnout reports are unofficial and may differ from certified election results because voter rolls had reopened when the reports were run.
Registered-voter turnout is not a measure of participation among every voting-eligible resident or of election accuracy.

Abortion and reproductive rights

Access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.

Reproductive rights

Abortion cases reported in Kentucky

2024

Abortion cases reported to Kentucky's Vital Statistics Branch for events that occurred in Kentucky, regardless of the patient's residence.

View breakdowns and source

By patient race

White: 6
Black: 2
Unknown: 1

How it was measured

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services annual report compiled from the abortion reports required for procedures occurring in the Commonwealth.

Keep in mind

This is an in-state occurrence count and does not include Kentucky residents who received abortion care outside Kentucky.
A small administrative count can be sensitive to reporting rules and does not establish the effect of a law or candidate position.

Facts are shown for context only and do not affect candidate matching or rankings. Dates, definitions, limitations, and primary sources are included with each figure.

State trends

How Kentucky is changing

Nine trend views cover population, work, housing, public safety, education, health coverage, longevity, gasoline prices, and energy. Gasoline uses an explicitly labeled regional average; other charts use Kentucky statewide measures. Each chart now sits directly beneath its related fact section.

Kentucky

FY2027 enacted all-funds expenditures

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Taxes and the economy

How it was measured

Unemployment rate

Housing and property costs

How it was measured

Home-price growth

Income growth

Public safety and criminal justice

How it was measured

How it was measured

Population-adjusted measure

How it was measured

Violent-crime rate

Property-crime rate

Healthcare

How it was measured

Uninsured rate

Life expectancy

Education

How it was measured

Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 math

Grade 8 reading

Grade 8 math

Environment and energy

Selected generation shares

How it was measured

Kentucky and U.S. context

Recent EIA observations

How it was measured

Residential electricity price

Regular gasoline

Gun policy and public safety

Population-adjusted measure

How it was measured

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Beneficiaries by grouped benefit type

How it was measured

Immigration and border policy

How it was measured

Population

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

2024 turnout comparison

How it was measured

Abortion and reproductive rights

By patient race

How it was measured