Kentucky Senior Living Statistics & Facts

More than 1.6 million residents of the commonwealth of Kentucky are at least age 50. That equates to more than 36 percent of the population in Kentucky, which is slightly higher than the overall U.S. ratio of older adults. What can demographic, economic and health data tell us about the lives of Kentucky seniors?

Kentucky’s median age of 39.1 is slightly higher than the overall U.S. median age of 38.5, and the commonwealth’s median age rose by a higher-than-average 2.9 percent between 2010 and 2018.

On the other hand, Kentucky lags in life expectancy (75.8), median household income for seniors ($36,161) and the percentage of those 55 and older in the labor force — 34.4 percent, ranking Kentucky at No. 49 in the U.S.

While Kentucky is usually not on the radar for most people when thinking about retirement, it actually offers plenty of incentives for retirees. Some benefits include food and transportation programs for seniors, a low cost of living, and plenty of tax perks. If you wish to keep your mind active and continue your education during your golden years, then you'll be delighted to find that this state actually offers free college tuition for residents who are 65 or older!

Interested in finding out more about the senior living costs, facilities, and benefits in Kentucky? You're in luck. We've done the research to help you learn about Kentucky's senior living options, from independent living facilities to assisted care choices. Discover a wealth of information about the different types of support systems and amenities that each has to offer here. Below, you'll also find a list of cities in Kentucky if you are looking to find senior living options in a particular area of the state.

The links below are designed to make your information search on Kentucky's senior living options more efficient. Feel free to jump directly to a specific section to find specifics on that topic.

Senior Living Costs in Kentucky ↓
Benefits of Living in Kentucky ↓
Kentucky's Senior Living Options ↓

Top Senior Living Communities in Kentucky

Selecting the best living facility to spend your final years can be a difficult choice. The good news is, there are plenty of great living options to consider in Kentucky. Below, you'll find a handy list of the top senior living communities in the state.

Kentucky's Senior Living Costs

The cost of living in Kentucky is on the lower side when compared to the national average. The state's housing index is 86.20. A one-bedroom apartment averages out to $565 a month (compared to the U.S. average of $825 a month), while a two-bedroom apartment goes for roughly $687 a month (compared to the U.S. average of $1,027 a month).

Becoming familiar with the monthly costs of living in Kentucky for seniors is a good start if you're considering retiring here. Home health care costs average out to $3,695 a month. This monthly cost enables older people to live in their own home while receiving some assistance on housekeeping and completing everyday errands.

If your caregiver is busy during the day, you may want to look into adult daycare. These facilities allow seniors to stay at a supervised facility during the day. The average cost of adult daycare in Kentucky is approximately $1,472 per month. Bear in mind that adult daycare does not include skilled nursing care, so it's ideal for seniors who are mostly independent but could use some social activities to keep them busy, and therapeutic and health services.

Those who need more help with everyday activities may want to look into staying at an assisted living facility in Kentucky. Loved ones can be assured that seniors will receive personal care and health services for an average monthly cost of $3,445 a month here.

Seniors who have trouble getting through the day on their own and with their usual caregiver will benefit from staying at a nursing home, where they will receive professional supervision and care from skilled nurses. Relatives can be assured that their aging loved one is well taken care of with proper medication, housing, therapies and rehabilitation, and personal care and supervision. The cost for a semi-private room is roughly $6,728 a month, while a private room is about $7,346 a month.

Advantages of Retiring in Kentucky

Beyond just the tax benefits for retirees that can be had in Kentucky, the state also provides a lot of comforting past times and foods. Seniors can be rest assured their bellies will be full and their minds kept engaged with all the senior friendly things to do here.

Classic Southern Cooking

Everyone knows of KFC, but all the variations of Kentucky Fried Chicken available in the state is mouth-watering, to say the least. All that good ol' fashioned home cooking can be enjoyed at its finest in Kentucky, and then some. Retirees should just be sure to watch their portions as to not aggravate any health complications!

Cherished National Events

Who would have thought the Kentucky Derby is held in Louisville, Kentucky? Lovers of equestrian events and horse racing come from around the world Jefferson County to spectate in their giant derby hats. Not only that, but baseball games and bourbon fests are a favorite pastime of the locals.

Tax-Friendly to Retirees

Kentucky does not tax social security income. Both public and private pensions are only partially taxed, as are withdrawals from retirement accounts. The marginal state tax rate is 0%. Retirees here will find that more of their money stays with them in Kentucky.

Free College Tuition

Kentucky is a great place to live if you are a retiree looking to expand your knowledge. Residents of the state who are 65+ can get a waiver on all tuitions and fees at any state-supported institution of higher learning here.

Living Options for Kentucky's Seniors

Seniors in Kentucky can choose between independent living, assisted living, memory care, or nursing home care depending on individual needs. Take a deeper look at each option below and find the one that suits you and your lifestyle.

Independent Living

There are more than 500 independent living facilities in Kentucky. Healthy seniors who do not need round-the-clock nursing care are suitable for independent living. They can choose between an independent living facility or a senior apartment community to spend their golden years. Active senior communities typically have wonderful amenities for seniors to use, such as fitness centers, walking trails, and pools, to name a few. On average, it costs anywhere from $649 to $4,620 a month to stay at an independent living facility in this state.

Assisted Living

Assisted living facilities are located throughout Kentucky to provide the elderly with attentive caregivers, healthcare, access to local activities, and other social opportunities. Staff working at assisted living facilities are trained to help senior residents with housekeeping duties, laundry, transportation, meal services, and all-day safety surveillance.

Staying at an assisted living facility in Kentucky can range anywhere from $1,181 to $8,400 per month. If you want to save money, then consider looking in the Owensboro area, where assisted living costs are lower. The higher assisted living costs in the state are found in the Lexington-Fayette city areas.

Memory Care

Memory care facilities range in cost from $1,712 to $12,180 a month in Kentucky. The huge price difference depends on how extensively care is needed for the senior patient, the quality of in-house medical practitioners, and the treatment options available. Dementia varies greatly from person to person as far as how far progressed the ailment is, and how functional the patient still is. For advanced dementia, more precautions and a greater level of monitoring is needed, to help ease the stress and despair of losing one's memory. Families will have more than 160 memory care facilities to choose from that best fits the needs of their elderly loved one with memory loss ailments.

Nursing Homes

There is a lot going on in Kentucky in terms of senior living facilities at affordable pricing. There are currently more than 560 senior living providers in the state, covering all aspects of senior living needs.

Kentucky has 30 adult daycare facilities, offering everything a senior would need to feel medically cared for and safe in case of falling or health complications. The average cost is $16,510 per year. Location, activities offered, medical care given, and many other factors affect the overall price, but Kentucky is definitely on the lower end of the price spectrum compared to other states.

For the terminally ill, there are 41 hospices with expert staff to be found in Kentucky. Chaplain services, counseling, pain management through medications and therapy, three meals a day, and more are all offered at hospices.

Families and spouses caring for loved ones in Kentucky will find 226 respite care facilities to make use of when a break or better care is needed. The purpose of respite care facilities is to take care of seniors who need special attention given to their ailments and needs, for a temporary amount of time so that the original caregiver can have time to themselves and not get burned out from the demanding schedule of caring for an elderly loved one with health complications. The annual average is $73,000 per year for respite care, well under the national average that is over $100,000 a year.

Resources for Seniors in Kentucky

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services – Learn about the different services available in the state to maintain senior physical and mental health, as well as protection against adult abuse, assistance for seniors like medical transportation, and more.

Kentucky Department of Insurance – Distinguish between Medicare and Medicaid and see how seniors use Medicare health insurance in Kentucky. There are different parts of Medicare and advantage plans available.

Kentucky Retirement Systems – Find out how you can receive your senior benefits in Kentucky here. On this page to your left, you can also get valuable information on taxes and your responsibilities, disability benefits, insurance, death benefits, re-employment after retirement, and more.