Moving to Kentucky from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to Kentucky? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to Kentucky, you would find that Kentucky is 17.8% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $60,903 in Kentucky to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Kentucky.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $60,903
To maintain the same standard of living in Kentucky
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 16.0% less
Groceries
pay 14.0% less
Transportation
pay 21.3% less
Housing
pay 20.6% less
Childcare
pay 21.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kentucky compared to Washington.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Kentucky performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Kentucky performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Kentucky leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Kentucky leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington performs better than Kentucky across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Bowling Green |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 78°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 59°/38°F (15°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Bowling Green |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Kentucky than Washington?
On average Kentucky is about 19% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kentucky?
Budget about $15,226 for 3 months in Kentucky (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Kentucky safe?
Kentucky performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Kentucky compared to Washington?
Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Kentucky compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Bowling Green is 69°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Bowling Green receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
