The typical owner-occupied home in Laurel County is worth about $159,500, 22% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 52% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $906 a year in property taxes, about 0.57% of their home's value, lower than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $57,771 a year, so the median home costs 2.8 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 49% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Laurel County at a glance
| Laurel County | Kentucky | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,500 | $205,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $906 | $1,544 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.57% | 0.75% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $57,771 | $63,726 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 49% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,239 | $1,433 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.8% | 18.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $813 | $967 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 26.2% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1992 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.5% | 10.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 62,983 | 4,534,824 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Laurel County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Laurel County home of $159,500 with 20% down costs about $1,001 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,266, 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 $42,882 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Laurel County household income of $57,771; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $215,000.
The median rent here is $813 a month, so owning the median home costs about $188 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $31,900 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $127,600 |
| Principal and interest | $858 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $76 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,001 |
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| Down payment | $5,582 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $156,611 |
| Principal and interest | $1,054 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $76 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $71 |
| Total per month | $1,266 |
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Questions about home buying in Laurel County
What is the median home value in Laurel County?
About $159,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Laurel County?
Homeowners pay a median $906 a year, which is about 0.57% 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 Laurel County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,001 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $42,882 a year.
More about Laurel County
- Mortgage Refinance in Laurel County
- Debt Relief in Laurel County
- Home Equity Loans in Laurel County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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