North Main in downtown Henderson · Nyttend / Public domainMississippian cultures HRoe 2010 · Heironymous Rowe / CC BY-SA 3.0Wilderness road en · Wikimedia Commons / Public domainAmerican Queen Docked in Henderson KY · NachoServant / CC BY-SA 4.0
Henderson is a small city of 28,166 in Kentucky, with a median household income of $46,276
and a 3.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Henderson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Henderson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Henderson city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.8
Henderson's overall cost of living index is 89.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Henderson costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Henderson, KY
National Avg
Median Home Value
$144,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$762
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
53.4%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$46,276
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Henderson's violent crime rate is 318.8 per 100,000 residents
— 16% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
318.8 /100k
Property Crime
1815.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Henderson is served primarily by Henderson County.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1
.
Metric
Henderson, KY
National Avg
School District
Henderson County
—
Elementary Schools
8
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
88.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Henderson sees average highs of 41.6°F in January
and 87.5°F in July,
with 48.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.6 inches of snow per year.
Henderson's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Henderson roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $144,200 and median rent is $762/month.
Henderson's violent crime rate is 318.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1815.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Henderson are operated by Henderson County.
The district has 8 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1. 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Henderson, KY has a population of 28,166, a median household income of $46,276, and an unemployment rate of 3.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Henderson averages 41.6°F in January and 87.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.5 inches
with about 0.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Henderson, KY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 42420.
The population of Henderson, Kentucky is 28,166 with a median age of 40.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Henderson: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $144,200, median household income $46,276, crime index 85 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Henderson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
