To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Kentucky needs to pay from $19.10 an hour in Bell County to $42.77 in Boone County, before taxes. The middle county is Logan County at $21.54.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Adair County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Allen County | $23.82/hr | $780/mo |
| Anderson County | $24.50/hr | $801/mo |
| Ballard County | $21.87/hr | $720/mo |
| Barren County | $22.52/hr | $740/mo |
| Bath County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Bell County | $19.10/hr | $635/mo |
| Boone County | $42.77/hr | $1,330/mo |
| Bourbon County | $30.52/hr | $986/mo |
| Boyd County | $26.26/hr | $855/mo |
| Boyle County | $22.19/hr | $730/mo |
| Bracken County | $25.61/hr | $835/mo |
| Breathitt County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Breckinridge County | $21.21/hr | $700/mo |
| Bullitt County | $26.75/hr | $870/mo |
| Butler County | $22.84/hr | $750/mo |
| Caldwell County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Calloway County | $26.26/hr | $855/mo |
| Campbell County | $33.41/hr | $1,075/mo |
| Carlisle County | $20.24/hr | $670/mo |
| Carroll County | $25.28/hr | $825/mo |
| Carter County | $25.12/hr | $820/mo |
| Casey County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Christian County | $30.65/hr | $990/mo |
| Clark County | $30.52/hr | $986/mo |
| Clay County | $19.75/hr | $655/mo |
| Clinton County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Crittenden County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Cumberland County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Daviess County | $24.96/hr | $815/mo |
| Edmonson County | $24.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Elliott County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Estill County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Fayette County | $31.79/hr | $1,025/mo |
| Fleming County | $20.56/hr | $680/mo |
| Floyd County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Franklin County | $24.37/hr | $797/mo |
| Fulton County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Gallatin County | $24.47/hr | $800/mo |
| Garrard County | $20.30/hr | $672/mo |
| Grant County | $25.77/hr | $840/mo |
| Graves County | $20.89/hr | $690/mo |
| Grayson County | $23.98/hr | $785/mo |
| Green County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Greenup County | $26.42/hr | $860/mo |
| Hancock County | $23.17/hr | $760/mo |
| Hardin County | $24.79/hr | $810/mo |
| Harlan County | $20.89/hr | $690/mo |
| Harrison County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Hart County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Henderson County | $25.77/hr | $840/mo |
| Henry County | $28.21/hr | $915/mo |
| Hickman County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Hopkins County | $22.84/hr | $750/mo |
| Jackson County | $19.75/hr | $655/mo |
| Jefferson County | $31.95/hr | $1,030/mo |
| Jessamine County | $30.52/hr | $986/mo |
| Johnson County | $19.91/hr | $660/mo |
| Kenton County | $29.67/hr | $960/mo |
| Knott County | $21.21/hr | $700/mo |
| Knox County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Larue County | $26.42/hr | $860/mo |
| Laurel County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Lawrence County | $24.14/hr | $790/mo |
| Lee County | $21.61/hr | $712/mo |
| Leslie County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Letcher County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Lewis County | $23.49/hr | $770/mo |
| Lincoln County | $20.56/hr | $680/mo |
| Livingston County | $24.14/hr | $790/mo |
| Logan County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Lyon County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Madison County | $20.89/hr | $690/mo |
| Magoffin County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Marion County | $20.08/hr | $665/mo |
| Marshall County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Martin County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Mason County | $22.19/hr | $730/mo |
| McCracken County | $25.77/hr | $840/mo |
| McCreary County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| McLean County | $23.17/hr | $760/mo |
| Meade County | $24.14/hr | $790/mo |
| Menifee County | $19.75/hr | $655/mo |
| Mercer County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Metcalfe County | $20.24/hr | $670/mo |
| Monroe County | $20.24/hr | $670/mo |
| Montgomery County | $21.77/hr | $717/mo |
| Morgan County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Muhlenberg County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Nelson County | $23.82/hr | $780/mo |
| Nicholas County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Ohio County | $20.08/hr | $665/mo |
| Oldham County | $31.95/hr | $1,030/mo |
| Owen County | $22.19/hr | $730/mo |
| Owsley County | $19.75/hr | $655/mo |
| Pendleton County | $25.12/hr | $820/mo |
| Perry County | $21.87/hr | $720/mo |
| Pike County | $23.49/hr | $770/mo |
| Powell County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Pulaski County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Robertson County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Rockcastle County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Rowan County | $21.25/hr | $701/mo |
| Russell County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Scott County | $31.62/hr | $1,020/mo |
| Shelby County | $27.07/hr | $880/mo |
| Simpson County | $24.53/hr | $802/mo |
| Spencer County | $30.19/hr | $976/mo |
| Taylor County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Todd County | $24.14/hr | $790/mo |
| Trigg County | $32.96/hr | $1,061/mo |
| Trimble County | $25.77/hr | $840/mo |
| Union County | $21.54/hr | $710/mo |
| Warren County | $29.02/hr | $940/mo |
| Washington County | $24.47/hr | $800/mo |
| Wayne County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Webster County | $19.59/hr | $650/mo |
| Whitley County | $20.89/hr | $690/mo |
| Wolfe County | $20.24/hr | $670/mo |
| Woodford County | $30.52/hr | $986/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?