Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Louisville

Kentucky

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Burlington, VT versus $1,060 in Louisville, KY. Overall, Louisville, KY is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $64,731 in Louisville, KY — about 6% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Louisville, KY

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$786
+39% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$877
+31% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,096
+37% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,299
+35% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$221,500
+45% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$64,731
+6% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$48,370
+19% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
37.7 yr
+11.0 yr in Louisville, KY
Homeownership
39.8%
60.6%
+20.8 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
33.4%
+27.1 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
22.7 min
+3.5 min in Louisville, KY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
763.4
+54% in Louisville, KY
Property Crime
4,408.9
3,536.6
+20% in Burlington, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.0°F
58.2°F
+12.2°F in Louisville, KY
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
44.9 in
+8.1 in in Louisville, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Louisville, KY

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs TARC (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
15.0
+40% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$29.48
+45% in Louisville, KY

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Burlington, VT
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Burlington, VT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Louisville, KY
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Burlington, VT
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Burlington, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Burlington, VT

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / KY)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
3.50%
+5.3 pp in VT

Burlington vs Louisville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Louisville?
Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Louisville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $35,000 in Louisville.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Louisville?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Louisville under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).