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Buying a home in Fayette County, Kentucky

The typical owner-occupied home in Fayette County is worth about $293,500, 43% above the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 12% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,542 a year in property taxes, about 0.87% of their home's value, higher than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $69,479 a year, so the median home costs 4.2 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Fayette County at a glance

Fayette County Kentucky U.S.
Median home value $293,500 $205,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,542 $1,544 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.87% 0.75% 0.94%
Median household income $69,479 $63,726 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 54% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 68% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,636 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.6% 18.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,164 $967 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.9% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1984 1982 1980
Vacant homes 6.2% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 323,725 4,534,824 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Fayette County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Fayette County home of $293,500 with 20% down costs about $1,915 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,404, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $82,054 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Fayette County household income of $69,479; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $249,000.

The median rent here is $1,164 a month, so owning the median home costs about $751 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$58,700
Loan amount$234,800
Principal and interest$1,580
Property taxes (0.87% a year)$213
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$122
PMI$0
Total per month$1,915

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,272
Loan amount$288,184
Principal and interest$1,939
Property taxes (0.87% a year)$213
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$122
FHA mortgage insurance$130
Total per month$2,404

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Questions about home buying in Fayette County

What is the median home value in Fayette County?

About $293,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Fayette County?

Homeowners pay a median $2,542 a year, which is about 0.87% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Fayette County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,915 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $82,054 a year.

More about Fayette County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data