Kentucky
Moderate tax burden · COL index 85
Wins 7 categories
Washington
Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
Wins 6 categories
Washington has no state income tax. Kentucky's top rate is 4%. Cost of living in Washington (index 117) runs 38% higher than Kentucky (index 85). The median home in Washington costs $570K vs $215K in Kentucky. Politically, Kentucky voted Republican in 2024 (R+26.0) while Washington went Democratic (D+16.0).
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Housing & Cost of Living
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Utilities & Daily Costs
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Category wins
7
Kentucky
6
Washington
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What salary do you need to live comfortably in KY?
A single adult in Kentucky needs to make $83,574 per year to live comfortably, SmartAsset reports, while a family of four would need an income of $192,941. Kentucky ranked 46th for the highest income needed for an individual, and 49th for the income needed for a family.
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