$175,000 in Kentucky
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Kentucky.
Occupations near $175,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $175,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Data scientist | senior | $178,000 |
| Dentist | mid-career | $170,000 |
| Physician (family medicine) | entry-level | $162,000 |
| Pharmacist | senior | $162,000 |
| Software engineer (senior) | mid-career | $159,400 |
| Marketing manager | mid-career | $158,280 |
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 $175,000 typically means a data scientist or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Kentucky.
Two earners at $87,500 each combined = $175,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $175,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Kentucky
At $175,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 7% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $175,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $175,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $472,172. Kentucky median home value is $192,200 — you can afford 246% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $175,000 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 | +172% | 88th |
| West Virginia | $56,191 | +211% | 91th |
| Tennessee | $67,631 | +159% | 86th |
| Missouri | $68,545 | +155% | 86th |
| Ohio | $69,680 | +151% | 85th |
| Indiana | $70,051 | +150% | 85th |
| Illinois | $81,702 | +114% | 80th |
| Virginia | $89,931 | +95% | 77th |
$175,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Kentucky
Common questions
- Is $175,000 a good household income in Kentucky?
- It's at roughly the 88th percentile for Kentucky after adjusting for the state's median income ($64,452). Nationally that's about the 81th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $175,000 compare to the Kentucky median?
- It's 172% 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.