County FMR · HUD FY2026
Kenton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Kenton County, KY - 10% above the US average.
- $1,051
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,353
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.8%
- YoY change
- +10%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Kenton is the 2nd most expensive of 120 counties in Kentucky by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #660 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #660
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- most expensive of 120 in Kentucky (2BR)
- +32%
- vs the state average
- $42,040
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (46.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Kenton County, KY. Verify with HUD →
Kenton County, Kentucky carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,051 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,353/mo and a studio is $958/mo. That's 10% above the national benchmark of $959 and 32% above the Kentucky average of $794.
Rent increased5.8% from FY 2025 ($993), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $42,040/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 40.3% of the 20,253 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kentucky. Population: 169,066. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's faster than Kentucky's statewide growth of +1.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area KENTON·COUNTY·KY·KY
Kenton County, KY: $1,051/mo 1BR · #660 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA KY
- 1BR-FMR $1,051
- 2BR-FMR $1,353
- RANK-MID #660
- YOY-SURGE +5.8%
- VSUS-ABOVE +10%
- VS-ST-HIGH +32% KY
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-MID 169K
- PHOTO-FINISH Jefferson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $946–$1,156
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($4 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $883 | $958 | +$75 (+8.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $993 | $1,051 | +$58 (+5.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,287 | $1,353 | +$66 (+5.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,707 | $1,785 | +$78 (+4.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,885 | $1,976 | +$91 (+4.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Kenton County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Kenton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,353 Top 21% higher than 79% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Kenton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kentucky counties
- Fayette
Fayette County
$1,079 1BR FMR / mo
- Kenton
Kenton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Boone
Boone County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,047 1BR FMR / mo
- Warren
Warren County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Hardin
Hardin County
$846 1BR FMR / mo
- Daviess
Daviess County
$846 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Kenton is highlighted. Nearby Kentucky counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fayette County ($1,079), Kenton County (this county) ($1,051), Boone County ($1,051), Jefferson County ($1,047), Warren County ($985), Hardin County ($846), Daviess County ($846).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,051/mo compares to Kentucky salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | KY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,200 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,910 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $77,150 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,220 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $60,230 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,490 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,980 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,590 | 22.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,000 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,630 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,580 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,470 | 41.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 42.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,220 | 43.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,170 | 46.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Kenton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Kenton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 59.7% overall, from $658 to $1,051. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.1% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.8% | $958 | $1,051 | $1,353 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $883 | $993 | $1,287 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.5% | $810 | $919 | $1,195 |
| FY 2023 ↑13.1% | $731 | $839 | $1,093 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.3% | $643 | $742 | $968 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.1% | $604 | $698 | $916 |
| FY 2020 | $568 | $658 | $865 |
Part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metro Area
Kenton County is a central county of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 14 other metro-area counties.
Kenton County ranks #12 of 15 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Hamilton County ($1,051), Butler County ($1,051), Warren County ($1,051), Clermont County ($1,051), Boone County ($1,051), Campbell County ($1,051), Dearborn County ($1,051), Pendleton County ($1,051), Gallatin County ($1,051), Bracken County ($1,051), Ohio County ($1,051), Kenton County (this county) ($1,051), Grant County ($899), Franklin County ($861), Brown County ($802).
Show all 15 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Kenton County, both outside Kentucky so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside KY (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside KY).
Nearby Counties in Kentucky
Largest counties by population in Kentucky
Showing the 8 largest of 119 other counties in Kentucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Kenton County? ▼
How does Kenton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Kenton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Kenton County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Kenton County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Kenton County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Kenton County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Kenton County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Kenton County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.