Owensboro vs Paducah
Owensboro, Kentucky versus Paducah, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Owensboro and Paducah score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Owensboro | Paducah |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $42k |
| Home Value | $152k | $153k |
| Monthly Rent | $888 | $815 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.81% |
| Income Tax | 6.30% | 6.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.09% | 11.12% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.7 in | 49.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.7 in | 3.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 200 days | 244 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 68 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.5 | 92.0 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.0 | 66.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1835/100k | 2384/100k |
| Property Crime | 3536/100k | 3090/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 60,019 | 26,869 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 42.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+28 | R+32 |
| White (%) | 81.6% | 70.0% |
| Black (%) | 7.0% | 21.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 2.9% |
| Asian (%) | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 8.4/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 81 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.1% | 85.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.49 | 37.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Owensboro or Paducah more affordable?
- Paducah has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Owensboro's $47k and Paducah's $42k. Median rent is $888 in Owensboro versus $815 in Paducah.
- Is Owensboro or Paducah safer?
- Owensboro has the lower violent crime rate. Owensboro reports 1835/100k and Paducah reports 2384/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Owensboro or Paducah?
- The median home value is $152k in Owensboro and $153k in Paducah, so homes are more affordable in Owensboro.