Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Owensboro, KY

    Is Owensboro a good place to live?

    Watch Owensboro

    Owensboro ranks #10 of 16 Kentucky cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (42/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $162,900
    +7.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $900
    per month
    Household income
    $53,295
    median
    Unemployment
    4.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Owensboro

    The median home value in Owensboro is $162,900 and median rent is $900 a month, against a median household income of $53,295. Homes cost about 3.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Owensboro crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Kentucky the 2025 rate was 214 violent and 1,282 property crimes per 100,000 people — #38 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Owensboro, KY

    Owensboro has about 60,112 residents, 4.8% unemployment and 15% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Owensboro with

    Owensboro vs LouisvilleOwensboro vs LexingtonOwensboro vs Bowling GreenOwensboro vs CovingtonOwensboro vs GeorgetownOwensboro vs RichmondOwensboro vs FlorenceOwensboro vs Elizabethtown

    More: Where to move in Kentucky · Best counties in Kentucky

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report