Nicholas County, Kentucky Housing Market

In Nicholas County, Kentucky, the median home value is $123,000, with a median monthly rent of $728. This places Nicholas County at #2579 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #86 within Kentucky.

Median Home Value $123,000
Median Rent $728/mo
Owner Occupancy 74.5%
Price/Rent Ratio 14.1

📈 Price Trend (2017 → 2024)

📊 Recent Market Momentum (FHFA HPI)

FHFA House Price Index — All-Transactions, Annual (2000 = 100) · Latest: 2025

💡 Year-over-Year Trend: Home prices in Nicholas County fell -6.1% year-over-year as of 2025. (Source: FHFA)

📍 Economic Snapshot

💼

Employment & Wages

626
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $681
  • Establishments: 117
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

3
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 3
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
🚚

Migration Patterns

+101
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 2,686 (avg $47,969)
  • Outflow: 2,585 (avg $48,283)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Nicholas County Compares

MetricNicholas CountyKentucky AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $123,000 $160,835 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $728 $793 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 74.5% 73.4% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 14.1 16.6 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Nicholas County is 23.5% below the Kentucky state average and 46.0% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $728/month is 8.2% below the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 14.1, buying a home in Nicholas County is generally more favorable than renting for those planning to stay long-term. A ratio below 15 typically signals that purchasing is financially advantageous over a multi-year horizon.

Nicholas County has an owner-occupancy rate of 74.5%, compared to 73.4% in Kentucky and 73.3% nationally. This indicates a more homeowner-heavy market than the U.S. average.

Similar Counties by Home Value

CountyStateMedian Home ValueMedian Rent
Baca County Colorado $122,900 $592
Sabine Parish Louisiana $123,100 $701
Palo Alto County Iowa $123,200 $638
Marion County Mississippi $122,800 $818
Thayer County Nebraska $122,800 $766

Other Counties in Kentucky

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
Elliott County $123,500 $432 81.7%
Rockcastle County $123,600 $676 74.3%
Clinton County $122,200 $617 71.1%
Ohio County $121,400 $739 77.2%
Green County $125,000 $610 77.6%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 5-Year Estimates (2017–2024). Variables: B25077 (Median Home Value), B25064 (Median Gross Rent), B25003 (Tenure). Data collected on 2026-10-14. The price-to-rent ratio is calculated as Median Home Value ÷ (Median Monthly Rent × 12).