1st Advantage MortgageIn Oldham County, Kentucky, the typical household earns $122,497 a year and the typical rent is $1,219. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Oldham County
- Renting and owning in Oldham County
- Household income in Oldham County
- Work, industries and travel time in Oldham County
- Oldham County and the counties next door
- Towns and communities in Oldham County
- What a median Oldham County budget can carry
- Before borrowing in Oldham County
- People and households in Oldham County
- Who licenses lenders for Oldham County residents
- Steps before you apply in Oldham County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Oldham County
Roughly 69,257 residents live in Oldham County, Kentucky, 12th by population among the state's 120 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 187 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 370 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (7 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is La Grange, with about 10,311 residents, or 15% of the county.
Renting and owning in Oldham County
Renters in Oldham County pay a median of $1,219 a month, 26% above the Kentucky figure of $967. By the Census definition, 43% of Oldham County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $393,100, a typical Oldham County house costs 3.2 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 87% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1994.
| Cost | Oldham County | Kentucky figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,219/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $393,100 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 87% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 43% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.3% | 10.7% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 3% | 10% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Oldham County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Household income in Oldham County
Half of Oldham County households take in less than $122,497 a year and half take in more, 92% above the Kentucky median of $63,726.
| Households earning | Oldham County | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 10.8% | -17.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 29.2% | -12.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 35.8% | +12.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 24.3% | +17.0 pts |
About 11% of households earn under $35,000, while 60% clear $100,000. 4.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 16.1%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.450 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Oldham 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Oldham County
The biggest employer of Oldham County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by manufacturing (13%). The sharpest difference from the state is in finance, insurance and real estate, at 10% locally and 6% for Kentucky. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.5% in Oldham County. 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 19% work from home.
| Where residents work | Oldham County | Difference from Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.3% | 0.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.6% | -1.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.3% | +2.3 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 10.1% | +4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.8% | -1.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.6% | -0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Oldham County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 15 to 25 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $56,352 in Scott County to $82,604 in Shelby County; none of these neighbors top Oldham County's median. The list crosses into Indiana, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham County | - | $122,497 | $1,219/mo | 87% |
| Clark County, IN | 15 mi | $74,214 | $1,129/mo | 75% |
| Trimble County, KY | 16 mi | $66,027 | $863/mo | 80% |
| Shelby County, KY | 17 mi | $82,604 | $1,033/mo | 74% |
| Jefferson County, KY | 18 mi | $69,866 | $1,149/mo | 62% |
| Henry County, KY | 19 mi | $63,347 | $895/mo | 76% |
| Scott County, IN | 25 mi | $56,352 | $822/mo | 71% |
Towns and communities in Oldham County
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Oldham County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 30,432 people, so roughly 56% of residents live outside any named place. Buckner has the highest median household income on the list ($164,219) and Goshen the lowest ($88,188), counting places with at least 500 residents. This guide covers each of the 9 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Grange | city | 10,311 | $88,464 | $1,143 | 4 mi |
| Crestwood | city | 6,356 | $108,046 | $1,188 | 4 mi |
| Prospect | city | 4,542 | $163,462 | $1,193 | 9 mi |
| Buckner | CDP | 4,119 | $164,219 | $1,762 | 1 mi |
| Orchard Grass Hills | city | 1,912 | $107,000 | $1,817 | 7 mi |
| Pewee Valley | city | 1,483 | $156,979 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Goshen | city | 989 | $88,188 | $2,288 | 7 mi |
| River Bluff | city | 445 | $148,750 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Westport | CDP | 275 | $53,047 | $938 | 6 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
What a median Oldham County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Oldham County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Oldham County: $10,208
- Median rent: $1,219, or 12 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 35% cap, $3,573 total minus rent leaves $2,354
- $3,375: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Before borrowing in Oldham County
Where the Oldham County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Six-figure budgets. For the 60% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Oldham County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
People and households in Oldham County
46% of Oldham County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 3% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Oldham County | All of Kentucky | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 46.4% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.2% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 1.4% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Oldham County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 36.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.3% |
| 60+ min | 3.5% |
Who licenses lenders for Oldham County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Oldham County borrowers answers to the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Kentucky state guide for the statewide picture.
Steps before you apply in Oldham County
Before you apply, wherever you live in Oldham County:
- Price the Oldham County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Oldham County credit union about member loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kentucky guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oldham County a high-income county?
Its $122,497 median ranks 1st of 120 Kentucky counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Oldham County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,219 a month; 43% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Oldham County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 87% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Oldham County?
By population: La Grange, Crestwood, Prospect, Buckner, Orchard Grass Hills. The county has 9 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Oldham County or elsewhere in Kentucky, the same rules apply.