States › Kentucky › Shelbyville

Is Shelbyville, KY expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,20132% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$81,545about $6,795/month · 6% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$257,10023% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 76% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $48,040 a year. That is $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Kentucky cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Kentucky. It is number 46 of 87 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Shelbyville
$1,201
St. Matthews
$1,707
Burlington
$1,474
Danville
$974
Murray
$1,104
Fort Thomas
$1,218
Mount Washington
$1,061

How much do households earn in Shelbyville?

Under $25k
10.3%
$25k–50k
18.7%
$50k–100k
38.3%
$100k–150k
16.7%
$150k+
5.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 22.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Shelbyville

SizeShelbyvilleU.S. average
1 bedroom$825$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,077$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,165$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,090$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Shelbyville overall?

Everyday prices in Kentucky overall are 10% below the U.S. average (index 90.2, U.S. = 100).

Housing
64
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
75
Other services
97
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Shelbyville, so the Kentucky figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Shelbyville

🏛️ Property tax$2,455a year · 0.95% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$144a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Shelbyville

Commute to work26.9 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree26.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home56.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line14.5%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.5%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shelbyville?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $583 a month less.

Renting
$1,201
Owning
$1,784

Owning assumes a typical $257,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $25,710 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Shelbyville, KY?

Renting in Shelbyville costs a median of about $1,201 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Kentucky median is $1,175.

How much do I need to make to live in Shelbyville?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $48,040 a year, or $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Shelbyville cheap or expensive?

Shelbyville is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.7% of the typical household income of $81,545. It ranks 46th cheapest of 87 Kentucky cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Shelbyville?

The median homeowner in Shelbyville pays $2,455 a year in property taxes, about 0.95% of the median home value.

Is Shelbyville more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Kentucky are 10% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Shelbyville?

The median home value in Shelbyville is $257,100, about 3.2 times the typical yearly household income.

17,668 people live in Shelbyville. Numbers are typical (middle) values.