1st Advantage MortgageJessamine County households have a median income of $74,576 and median rent of $1,124 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Jessamine County, KY: the basics
- Jessamine County housing compared with Kentucky
- What Jessamine County households earn
- The Jessamine County job picture
- The communities that make up Jessamine County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- People and households in Jessamine County
- Reading the Jessamine County data as a borrower
- A Jessamine County household budget, worked through
- A Jessamine County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Jessamine County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Jessamine County, KY: the basics
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Jessamine County's population at 54,588; only 17 of Kentucky's 120 county-level areas are larger. It covers 172 square miles of land, or about 317 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan area. Nicholasville is the biggest of its 4 Census places, at roughly 32,197 people (59% of the county total).
Jessamine County housing compared with Kentucky
Renters in Jessamine County pay a median of $1,124 a month, 16% above the Kentucky figure of $967. 41% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. Home values center on $268,100, or 3.6 years of median income. 67% of Jessamine County households own their home and 33% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1992.
| Housing | Jessamine County | Kentucky statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,124/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $268,100 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.7% | 10.7% | n/a |
What Jessamine County households earn
At $74,576, the typical Jessamine County household income is 14% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 9 Kentucky counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Jessamine County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.6% | -6.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.3% | +0.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.5% | +3.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.6% | +2.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 36% of Jessamine County households make $100,000 or more, and 22% make less than $35,000. Census counts 11.3% of Jessamine County residents in poverty, against 16.1% across Kentucky. For a borrower in Jessamine County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The Jessamine County job picture
The biggest employer of Jessamine County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by retail trade (14%). The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 28% locally and 24% for Kentucky. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.1% in Jessamine County. 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 11% work from home.
| Where residents work | Jessamine County | Difference from Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.0% | +3.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.5% | +3.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.9% | -0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.0% | -6.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.1% | -0.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | +0.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The communities that make up Jessamine County
Here are the 4 most populous of the county's 4 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 71% of Jessamine County residents live in one of the 4. This guide covers each of the 4 places and the rural areas around them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholasville | city | 32,197 | $68,503 | $1,147 | 2 mi |
| Wilmore | city | 6,057 | $77,665 | $975 | 4 mi |
| Keene | city | 346 | $130,625 | n/a | 6 mi |
| High Bridge | CDP | 109 | $85,732 | n/a | 7 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 13 to 24 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Jessamine County; Woodford County is highest at $83,788 and Boyle County lowest at $61,159.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessamine County | - | $74,576 | $1,124/mo | 67% |
| Fayette County, KY | 13 mi | $69,479 | $1,164/mo | 54% |
| Woodford County, KY | 15 mi | $83,788 | $1,138/mo | 72% |
| Mercer County, KY | 17 mi | $64,824 | $831/mo | 76% |
| Garrard County, KY | 17 mi | $63,087 | $794/mo | 80% |
| Madison County, KY | 20 mi | $63,351 | $889/mo | 62% |
| Boyle County, KY | 24 mi | $61,159 | $778/mo | 68% |
People and households in Jessamine County
Degree holders: 34% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 6.9%, against 6.0% for Kentucky.
| Indicator | Jessamine County | All of Kentucky | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.5% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.9% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Jessamine County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.2% |
| 60+ min | 4.8% |
Reading the Jessamine County data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Jessamine County borrowers.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
A Jessamine County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Jessamine County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $6,215 a month: gross income for a household at the Jessamine County median
- Housing at the median rent of $1,124 uses 18%
- Under a 35% cap, $2,175 total minus rent leaves $1,051
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,673 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Jessamine County's.
A Jessamine County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Jessamine County.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Jessamine County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Jessamine County, check the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Kentucky guide.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kentucky guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Jessamine County?
$74,576 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $63,726 for Kentucky. It ranks 10th of 120 in the state.
How much is rent in Jessamine County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,124 a month; 41% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Which towns does the Jessamine County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 4 Census places: Nicholasville, Wilmore, Keene, High Bridge.
Are Jessamine County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Jessamine County check a lender's license?
With the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.