Jefferson County vs Kenton County
Jefferson County, Kentucky versus Kenton County, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Jefferson County and Kenton County score about the same overall (48 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jefferson County | Kenton County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $46k |
| Home Value | $222k | $208k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $961 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.86% | 1.04% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 5.72% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.35% | 10.55% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0 in | 45.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 12.6 in | 23.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 208 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.3 | 77.4 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 73.4 | 48.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1746/100k | 852/100k |
| Property Crime | 2968/100k | 827/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 779,232 | 169,066 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.21 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | R+20 |
| White (%) | 65.1% | 87.3% |
| Black (%) | 21.7% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.3% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.3/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 3 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.72 | 2.13 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Jefferson County or Kenton County more affordable?
- Kenton County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Jefferson County's $48k and Kenton County's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Jefferson County versus $961 in Kenton County.
- Is Jefferson County or Kenton County safer?
- Kenton County has the lower violent crime rate. Jefferson County reports 1746/100k and Kenton County reports 852/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jefferson County or Kenton County?
- The median home value is $222k in Jefferson County and $208k in Kenton County, so homes are more affordable in Kenton County.