$150,000 in Kentucky
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Kentucky.
Occupations near $150,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $150,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | mid-career | $145,760 |
| UX designer | senior | $145,000 |
| Air traffic controller | mid-career | $144,580 |
| Financial manager | mid-career | $156,100 |
| Marketing manager | mid-career | $158,280 |
| Software engineer (senior) | mid-career | $159,400 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $150,000 typically means a lawyer or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Kentucky.
Two earners at $75,000 each combined = $150,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $150,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Kentucky
At $150,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 8% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $150,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $150,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $404,719. Kentucky median home value is $192,200 — you can afford 211% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $150,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Kentucky's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky (current) | $64,452 | +133% | 83th |
| West Virginia | $56,191 | +167% | 87th |
| Tennessee | $67,631 | +122% | 81th |
| Missouri | $68,545 | +119% | 81th |
| Ohio | $69,680 | +115% | 81th |
| Indiana | $70,051 | +114% | 80th |
| Illinois | $81,702 | +84% | 75th |
| Virginia | $89,931 | +67% | 72th |
$150,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Kentucky
Common questions
- Is $150,000 a good household income in Kentucky?
- It's at roughly the 83th percentile for Kentucky after adjusting for the state's median income ($64,452). Nationally that's about the 75th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $150,000 compare to the Kentucky median?
- It's 133% above the Kentucky median household income of $64,452 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Kentucky households earn less than $64,452, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.