Boone County vs Jefferson County
Boone County, Kentucky versus Jefferson County, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Boone County and Jefferson County score about the same overall (48 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Boone County | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $92k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $48k |
| Home Value | $238k | $222k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 5.36% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.69% | 9.35% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 5.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.0 in | 50.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.4 in | 12.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 176 days | 208 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.5 | 98.3 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.8 | 73.4 |
| Violent Crime | 732/100k | 1746/100k |
| Property Crime | 1462/100k | 2968/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 136,150 | 779,232 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 38.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | R+36 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 85.6% | 65.1% |
| Black (%) | 3.6% | 21.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 6.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 11.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 89.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.53 | 5.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boone County or Jefferson County more affordable?
- Jefferson County has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Boone County's $52k and Jefferson County's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Boone County versus $1k in Jefferson County.
- Is Boone County or Jefferson County safer?
- Boone County has the lower violent crime rate. Boone County reports 732/100k and Jefferson County reports 1746/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Boone County or Jefferson County?
- The median home value is $238k in Boone County and $222k in Jefferson County, so homes are more affordable in Jefferson County.