Rental DSCR · Kentucky
Where rent covers the loan in Kentucky
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 84 of 119 Kentucky counties (71%). The typical Kentucky county has a DSCR of 1.10. Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Harlan County at 1.90, Floyd County at 1.81 and Perry County at 1.78.
The biggest rental markets
In Kentucky’s largest rental markets, the rent falls short of the payment in Jefferson County (DSCR 0.96, break-even 6.5%), Fayette County (DSCR 0.98, break-even 6.8%) and Warren County (DSCR 0.80, break-even 4.6%).
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Every Kentucky county, ranked
Ranked by DSCR at a 7% example rate on a mid-market home, 75% loan. † A 75% loan there is under $55,000, the smallest DSCR loan through Pinnacle Funding Network. * Small survey sample; treat as rough.
| # | County | Renter homes | 3-bed rent | Home price | DSCR at 7% (example) | Break-even rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breathitt County†* | 1,279 | $935 | $61,600 | 2.20 | 21.1% |
| 2 | Leslie County†* | 612 | $913 | $60,600 | 2.15 | 20.8% |
| 3 | McCreary County* | 1,510 | $1,003 | $77,000 | 1.97 | 18.2% |
| 4 | Fulton County* | 974 | $1,023 | $77,500 | 1.96 | 18.2% |
| 5 | Letcher County† | 2,189 | $892 | $64,400 | 1.96 | 18.7% |
| 6 | Harlan County | 3,051 | $969 | $73,700 | 1.90 | 17.8% |
| 7 | Clay County | 1,723 | $1,028 | $85,000 | 1.85 | 16.7% |
| 8 | Floyd County* | 4,089 | $1,020 | $85,600 | 1.81 | 16.4% |
| 9 | Martin County* | 582 | $972 | $80,200 | 1.81 | 16.5% |
| 10 | Perry County | 3,278 | $927 | $78,400 | 1.78 | 16.1% |
| 11 | Knott County* | 1,505 | $855 | $74,200 | 1.72 | 15.5% |
| 12 | Pike County | 5,997 | $1,052 | $96,100 | 1.70 | 15.0% |
| 13 | Lee County* | 578 | $942 | $83,500 | 1.69 | 15.2% |
| 14 | Wolfe County†* | 707 | $767 | $71,900 | 1.62 | 14.3% |
| 15 | Bell County | 4,092 | $942 | $90,900 | 1.57 | 13.8% |
| 16 | Elliott County* | 447 | $1,112 | $116,000 | 1.53 | 13.0% |
| 17 | Metcalfe County* | 915 | $1,013 | $109,200 | 1.47 | 12.4% |
| 18 | Jackson County* | 1,158 | $965 | $106,400 | 1.44 | 12.1% |
| 19 | Johnson County | 2,867 | $995 | $109,800 | 1.43 | 12.0% |
| 20 | Lawrence County | 1,408 | $883 | $95,500 | 1.43 | 12.1% |
| 21 | Magoffin County* | 1,164 | $795 | $83,900 | 1.43 | 12.2% |
| 22 | Bracken County* | 722 | $1,186 | $128,900 | 1.42 | 12.0% |
| 23 | Carter County | 2,155 | $1,001 | $115,100 | 1.41 | 11.7% |
| 24 | Knox County* | 4,061 | $959 | $108,600 | 1.40 | 11.6% |
| 25 | Monroe County | 1,352 | $1,045 | $117,600 | 1.39 | 11.6% |
| 26 | Butler County | 1,200 | $1,014 | $118,300 | 1.38 | 11.3% |
| 27 | Lewis County | 1,045 | $845 | $96,100 | 1.38 | 11.4% |
| 28 | Livingston County* | 678 | $996 | $116,600 | 1.37 | 11.2% |
| 29 | Rockcastle County | 1,677 | $999 | $119,700 | 1.36 | 11.1% |
| 30 | Webster County | 1,291 | $959 | $109,100 | 1.35 | 11.2% |
| 31 | Nicholas County | 708 | $1,005 | $119,400 | 1.35 | 11.1% |
| 32 | Hickman County* | 505 | $938 | $110,100 | 1.34 | 11.0% |
| 33 | Estill County* | 1,768 | $928 | $111,300 | 1.32 | 10.7% |
| 34 | Carlisle County* | 366 | $994 | $118,600 | 1.31 | 10.7% |
| 35 | Pendleton County | 1,379 | $1,311 | $162,600 | 1.28 | 10.3% |
| 36 | Green County* | 990 | $1,002 | $124,900 | 1.28 | 10.3% |
| 37 | Morgan County* | 1,029 | $917 | $113,500 | 1.28 | 10.3% |
| 38 | Union County | 1,547 | $871 | $105,200 | 1.27 | 10.3% |
| 39 | Ballard County | 771 | $1,144 | $144,500 | 1.26 | 10.1% |
| 40 | Ohio County | 2,080 | $952 | $121,400 | 1.25 | 10.0% |
| 41 | Wayne County | 2,492 | $1,043 | $136,300 | 1.25 | 9.8% |
| 42 | Hancock County* | 831 | $1,045 | $135,600 | 1.24 | 9.8% |
| 43 | Gallatin County | 814 | $1,315 | $169,300 | 1.23 | 9.8% |
| 44 | Cumberland County* | 644 | $1,015 | $135,500 | 1.22 | 9.6% |
| 45 | Christian County | 12,851 | $1,304 | $177,400 | 1.20 | 9.3% |
| 46 | Menifee County | 608 | $940 | $129,200 | 1.19 | 9.2% |
| 47 | Breckinridge County | 1,500 | $1,051 | $144,500 | 1.18 | 9.2% |
| 48 | Powell County | 1,521 | $1,016 | $140,200 | 1.17 | 9.0% |
| 49 | Whitley County | 4,498 | $903 | $124,000 | 1.16 | 9.0% |
| 50 | Bath County | 1,188 | $921 | $128,000 | 1.15 | 8.8% |
| 51 | Hopkins County | 5,388 | $1,014 | $142,100 | 1.13 | 8.6% |
| 52 | Carroll County* | 1,431 | $1,022 | $143,700 | 1.13 | 8.6% |
| 53 | Owen County | 512 | $1,145 | $163,500 | 1.13 | 8.5% |
| 54 | Hart County | 2,033 | $956 | $136,500 | 1.12 | 8.5% |
| 55 | Boyd County* | 5,760 | $916 | $127,000 | 1.12 | 8.5% |
| 56 | Caldwell County | 1,497 | $837 | $121,900 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 57 | Greenup County | 2,902 | $903 | $126,400 | 1.11 | 8.4% |
| 58 | Graves County | 3,384 | $1,008 | $146,700 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 59 | Clinton County | 1,112 | $806 | $117,800 | 1.11 | 8.3% |
| 60 | McLean County* | 628 | $992 | $145,000 | 1.10 | 8.3% |
| 61 | Grayson County | 2,576 | $1,091 | $162,900 | 1.10 | 8.2% |
| 62 | Kenton County | 19,709 | $1,731 | $251,100 | 1.10 | 8.2% |
| 63 | Campbell County | 11,346 | $1,785 | $258,700 | 1.09 | 8.2% |
| 64 | Fleming County | 1,475 | $892 | $130,800 | 1.09 | 8.1% |
| 65 | Adair County* | 1,626 | $992 | $148,000 | 1.08 | 8.0% |
| 66 | Crittenden County* | 772 | $817 | $122,000 | 1.08 | 8.0% |
| 67 | Casey County* | 1,315 | $855 | $128,600 | 1.07 | 7.9% |
| 68 | Calloway County | 5,501 | $1,176 | $179,300 | 1.07 | 7.8% |
| 69 | Trimble County* | 686 | $1,175 | $179,200 | 1.07 | 7.8% |
| 70 | Mason County | 2,420 | $992 | $152,500 | 1.05 | 7.6% |
| 71 | Trigg County | 1,397 | $1,232 | $195,400 | 1.05 | 7.6% |
| 72 | Taylor County | 3,197 | $1,111 | $171,800 | 1.05 | 7.6% |
| 73 | Rowan County | 3,691 | $1,081 | $170,700 | 1.04 | 7.5% |
| 74 | McCracken County | 8,577 | $1,148 | $177,400 | 1.04 | 7.5% |
| 75 | Daviess County | 13,298 | $1,280 | $197,700 | 1.04 | 7.4% |
| 76 | Boone County | 12,095 | $1,788 | $282,500 | 1.03 | 7.4% |
| 77 | Henderson County | 6,507 | $1,056 | $161,200 | 1.03 | 7.4% |
| 78 | Montgomery County | 3,487 | $1,095 | $171,600 | 1.03 | 7.3% |
| 79 | Scott County | 6,400 | $1,902 | $310,300 | 1.03 | 7.3% |
| 80 | Muhlenberg County | 2,571 | $864 | $136,200 | 1.02 | 7.3% |
| 81 | Clark County | 4,415 | $1,342 | $215,100 | 1.02 | 7.3% |
| 82 | Edmonson County* | 1,013 | $975 | $157,100 | 1.02 | 7.2% |
| 83 | Laurel County | 6,811 | $908 | $146,200 | 1.01 | 7.2% |
| 84 | Meade County | 2,852 | $1,202 | $195,600 | 1.00 | 7.1% |
| 85 | Washington County* | 1,085 | $1,099 | $180,500 | 0.99 | 6.9% |
| 86 | Lincoln County | 2,288 | $909 | $146,600 | 0.99 | 6.9% |
| 87 | Marshall County* | 2,434 | $1,070 | $175,400 | 0.98 | 6.8% |
| 88 | Fayette County | 64,594 | $1,852 | $307,900 | 0.98 | 6.8% |
| 89 | Todd County | 1,093 | $950 | $160,000 | 0.98 | 6.7% |
| 90 | Lyon County* | 670 | $1,062 | $178,400 | 0.97 | 6.7% |
| 91 | Bourbon County | 2,953 | $1,361 | $230,000 | 0.97 | 6.7% |
| 92 | Jefferson County | 125,573 | $1,465 | $246,900 | 0.96 | 6.5% |
| 93 | Logan County | 2,830 | $953 | $162,900 | 0.95 | 6.4% |
| 94 | Larue County* | 1,236 | $1,121 | $194,000 | 0.95 | 6.4% |
| 95 | Hardin County | 16,701 | $1,345 | $233,800 | 0.95 | 6.4% |
| 96 | Russell County | 2,208 | $935 | $164,300 | 0.93 | 6.2% |
| 97 | Grant County | 2,294 | $1,127 | $199,800 | 0.92 | 6.0% |
| 98 | Franklin County | 8,072 | $1,239 | $221,500 | 0.91 | 5.8% |
| 99 | Allen County | 2,052 | $1,056 | $197,100 | 0.89 | 5.7% |
| 100 | Harrison County* | 2,084 | $1,042 | $193,700 | 0.88 | 5.5% |
| 101 | Jessamine County | 6,622 | $1,441 | $271,000 | 0.88 | 5.5% |
| 102 | Henry County | 1,459 | $1,084 | $198,900 | 0.87 | 5.4% |
| 103 | Pulaski County | 7,214 | $885 | $166,100 | 0.87 | 5.3% |
| 104 | Barren County | 6,274 | $950 | $178,300 | 0.86 | 5.3% |
| 105 | Garrard County | 1,346 | $1,047 | $200,600 | 0.85 | 5.1% |
| 106 | Simpson County | 2,674 | $1,177 | $231,000 | 0.85 | 5.2% |
| 107 | Madison County | 14,086 | $1,216 | $235,600 | 0.85 | 5.1% |
| 108 | Mercer County | 2,210 | $1,077 | $207,600 | 0.83 | 4.8% |
| 109 | Bullitt County | 4,785 | $1,254 | $247,400 | 0.82 | 4.7% |
| 110 | Woodford County | 3,055 | $1,472 | $298,600 | 0.82 | 4.8% |
| 111 | Boyle County | 3,860 | $1,031 | $202,900 | 0.81 | 4.6% |
| 112 | Anderson County | 2,161 | $1,161 | $234,800 | 0.81 | 4.6% |
| 113 | Warren County | 24,679 | $1,270 | $262,700 | 0.80 | 4.6% |
| 114 | Robertson County* | 166 | $731 | $154,600 | 0.78 | 4.1% |
| 115 | Marion County | 1,725 | $939 | $199,300 | 0.77 | 4.0% |
| 116 | Nelson County | 4,149 | $1,083 | $247,500 | 0.71 | Under 4% |
| 117 | Oldham County | 2,967 | $1,707 | $410,300 | 0.68 | Under 4% |
| 118 | Shelby County | 4,833 | $1,163 | $311,000 | 0.61 | Under 4% |
| 119 | Spencer County | 881 | $1,131 | $338,000 | 0.56 | Under 4% |
| Owsley County | 468 | No estimate (survey is missing rent or home values) | ||||
Rates on this page are a 7% example, not a quote or an offer. DSCR here is 3-bedroom rent divided by principal, interest, property tax and insurance on a 75% loan with a 30-year fixed payment. At 1.00 the rent pays all of it. Figures are estimates from public data, for education only.
Questions
In how many Kentucky counties does a 3-bedroom rental cover the payment at 7%?
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 84 of 119 Kentucky counties (71%). The typical Kentucky county has a DSCR of 1.10. Move the example rate and the count changes: 97 counties cover at 6%, 84 at 7% and 66 at 8%.
Where in Kentucky does rent go furthest against the payment?
Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Harlan County at 1.90, Floyd County at 1.81 and Perry County at 1.78.
Do Kentucky’s biggest rental markets cover the payment?
In Kentucky’s largest rental markets, the rent falls short of the payment in Jefferson County (DSCR 0.96, break-even 6.5%), Fayette County (DSCR 0.98, break-even 6.8%) and Warren County (DSCR 0.80, break-even 4.6%).
How is this calculated?
Rent is HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom, adjusted to each county. Home prices are about the 40th percentile of local values from the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, brought to mid-2026 with the FHFA house price index. Property tax uses each county’s effective rate and insurance starts from NAIC 2023 average premiums. DSCR is rent divided by principal, interest, tax and insurance on a 75% loan at a 7% example rate, which is not a quote or an offer.
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