Continuing our series of articles on the best places to retire in the United States, we present you with the 10 best places to retire in Kentucky.
Best known for its numerous horse farms and bourbon distilleries, “The Bluegrass State” got its name from the bluegrass found in many pastures across the state. Today, the Bluegrass Region is an important area of Kentucky as it houses 2 of its largest cities – Louisville and Lexington.
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Adventurous and adrenaline-seeking retirees might want to give this list a long, hard look as the best places to retire in Kentucky will always have something in store for them. Home to the Mammoth Cave, which has the world’s longest cave system, the state also offers an array of outdoor destinations such as Lake Cumberland and Kentucky Lake, which are the 2 largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi, and Red River Gorge, just to name a few.
Sports fans need not fret, as Kentucky has a lot to offer. Horse racing aficionados will always look forward to the Kentucky Derby, Known as “The fastest two minutes in sports”, it is held annually on the first Saturday of May. It is also part of the Triple Crown, along with the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The state is also home to the Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats, two of the most successful basketball programs in NCAA Division I, with the Kentucky Wildcats having the most wins in NCAA Division I history.
However, if you are the type of person who likes to live in solitude against a backdrop of rolling and vast plains, we suggest you check out the 10 best places to retire in Kansas. Live like a king in rural America!
To come up with the 10 best places to retire in Kentucky, we determined which factors are the most important for retirees – the cost of living, physicians per capita, crime, and house values. However, in contrast to previous lists, house values were prioritized and scored at a lesser extent as they directly correlated with the cost of living, inaccurately inflating scores. Information from Sperling’s Best Places, Areavibes and Livability were utilized, with every county given a corresponding score on how high or low they ranked on each of the 4 factors. Scores were then added and averaged, with the top 10 counties earning a place on our list.
Get ready to pack your bags and hit the road once you’ve read the 10 best places to retire in Kentucky!
10. Greenup County
Cost of Living: 19% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 108
Crime: 29
Median House Value: $91,300
Insider Monkey score: 84.6
Located in Northeastern Kentucky, Greenup County has a population of 36,910 and is home to beautiful rolling hills and valleys, which bring to mind the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. This area also hosts a number of fishing spots, notable of which is Greenbo Lake.
9. Harlan County
Cost of Living: 27% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 109
Crime: 38
Median House Value: $50,300
Insider Monkey score: 85.6
Named for the pioneer Silas Harlan, Harlan County is home to the state’s highest point – Black Mountain. At a height of 1,263 meters, its summit offers stunning views of the countryside. Just at its foot is the Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area, which was voted by ATV Pathfinder as the number 1 ATV destination in the country.
Harlan County is unique in terms of liquor consumption, it is considered as a “moist” county – generally “dry”, meaning liquor sale is banned, but some cities are “wet” meaning they sell liquor. In this case, that city is Cumberland. Take note folks!
8. Green County
Cost of Living: 23.7% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 53
Crime: 30
Median House Value: $71,700
Insider Monkey score: 87
In contrast to the previous entry, Green County is “dry”, meaning the sale of liquor is prohibited. Named for Nathanael Green, the Revolutionary War hero, the county’s population is one of the lowest in Kentucky, numbering 11,258 people. More land to yourself!
7. Lawrence County
Cost of Living: 21.2% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 107
Crime: 31
Median House Value: $75,100
Insider Monkey score: 88.3
What do bluegrass music star Ricky Skaggs, former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton and the late Chief Justice Frederick Moore Vinson have in common? They all call Lawrence County home. The county is also home to the Yatesville State National Park, which is primarily for flood control of the surrounding areas but at the same time provides recreational opportunities.
And did we mention? Lawrence County is a “wet” county!
6. Carlisle County
Cost of Living: 22.4% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 78
Crime: 31
Median House Value: $74,000
Insider Monkey score: 88.6
Named for John Griffin Carlisle, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Carlisle County is the fourth least populated county is Kentucky, with a population of 5,104. History buffs would be thrilled to live in the areas as 2 archaeological sites, the Marshall and Turk sites, are located in the county.
Before picking up your brushes, pickaxes, and suitcases, bear in mind that this is a “dry” county.
5. Johnson County
Cost of Living: 20.5% lower than the US average
Physicians per 100k: 150
Crime: 32
Median House Value: $79,400
Insider Monkey score: 89
Named in memory of the War of 1812 general and former Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson, Johnson County is now home to 23,356 residents. John C. C. Mayo, who played a big part in the development of Eastern Kentucky, was born in the county and up to this day, is a divisive figure among residents not only of Johnson County but also for Eastern Kentucky communities.
County attractions include the Kentucky Apple Festival, which began in 1962. Paintsville, the county seat, is home to the Paintsville Lake State Park and the Paintsville Country Club and Golf Course. Another notable fact about Paintsville is that it is the only city in Johnson County which allows the sale of liquor.
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4. Letcher County
Cost of Living: 25.4% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 114
Crime: 34
Median House Value: $56,700
Insider Monkey score: 97
Named after the former Kentucky Governor Robert Letcher, Letcher County has a population of 24,519. It was thrust into the media spotlight in 1967 by the death of filmmaker Hugh O’Connor. Nowadays, the county has shed its negative image and has been promoted by state officials as one of the best places for “adventure tourism”. In line with this, the Pioneer Horse Trail was initiated by Governor Steve Beshear to promote eco-tourism in the area.
3. Perry County
Cost of Living: 23.9% lower the US average
Physicians per 100k: 307
Crime: 36
Median House Value: $64,800
Insider Monkey score: 99.3
Located in eastern Kentucky, Perry County is home to 28,712 people and was named after the naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry. The county is also known in studies as having the lowest life expectancy for females in all counties in the United States, with 72.7 years as the magic number. Readers and soon-to-be retirees need not get worried about this as the study only covered those who lived in the county and not those who transferred there.
2. Breathitt County
Cost of Living: 26.8% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 144
Crime: 34
Median House Value: $50,600
Insider Monkey score: 101
Founded in 1839, Breathitt County was formed from portions of land of Clay, Estill and Perry Counties. Today, 13,878 people call it home along with the Breathitt Area Technology Center, which focuses on technical education. Robinson Forest (owned by the University of Kentucky) which is one of the largest educational forests in Kentucky, covers an area of 59 square kilometers and includes the counties of Breathitt, Perry, and Knott.
1. Pike County
Cost of Living: 24% lower than US average
Physicians per 100k: 229
Crime: 32
Median House Value: $63,400
Insider Monkey score: 107
Earning the top spot on our list of best places to retire in Kentucky is Pike County, the largest county in Kentucky in terms of land area. It is also the 11th largest, population-wise, with 65,024 people residing in the county.
The area offers stunning and breathtaking landscapes, from mountains, hills, valleys to rivers and lakes. Breaks Interstate Park, also called as “The Grand Canyon of the South”, has been a top tourist destination. It was discovered in 1767 by Daniel Boone, and “The Breaks” is notable for being the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi. Other attractions include the Jefferson National Park and the Fishtrap Lake State Park.
