City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Erlanger, KY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Erlanger - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

19,677
Residents
$78,420
Median income
$189,400
Median home
$1,353
Median rent (state)

Erlanger - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Erlanger lands in the 60th percentile for household income and the 81st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
81st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Erlanger, KY

Kentucky's Erlanger is a small town, with 19,677 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $78,420 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.7%. Typical homes in Erlanger are valued around $189,400, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. About 32.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 37 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 27% from five years earlier. Erlanger reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 595.1 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kentucky at 90.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,353 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kentucky's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). The average commute for Erlanger workers runs 17.8 minutes, with 73.2% driving alone and 14.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 77.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

19,677 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$78,420 /yr

Poverty 6.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Erlanger compare to other US cities?

Erlanger measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 81% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kentucky alone, Erlanger ranks #70 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Erlanger against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kentucky only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kentucky-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Erlanger's strongest outlier among Kentucky cities

Among the 520 Kentucky cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Erlanger ranks #1 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Erlanger only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#127 of 485
74th percentile in Kentucky
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 520
90th percentile in Kentucky
Median Home Value
#159 of 484
67th percentile in Kentucky
Poverty Rate
#340 of 519
34th percentile in Kentucky
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#142 of 520
73rd percentile in Kentucky

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kentucky only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

60thIncome percentile
81stSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 81st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Erlanger's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Erlanger's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 65 Avg. percentile National median
Erlanger's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Erlanger's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$189,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Erlanger $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Erlanger, KY Erlanger, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Erlanger, KY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Erlanger, KY median $78,420/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Erlanger, KY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Erlanger, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
19,677
Median Income
$78,420
Median Home Value
$189,400
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Labor force participation
67.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
595.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
70.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
524.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
19,600 residents19,800 residents20,000 residents20,200 residents20,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 19,683 residents 20,158 residents ▲ +2.4%
Erlanger's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
37
housing units authorized
Single-Family
27
detached homes
Multifamily
10
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 51
2020 51
2021 58
2022 24
2023 19
2024 37

Permit volume decreased 27% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.8 minutes
Drive Alone
73.2%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
14.6%
Other
1.8%

Based on 10,495 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kentucky - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Erlanger sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,353/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Madisonville
19,442 people
Winchester
19,133 people
Mount Washington
18,228 people
Burlington
18,090 people
Ashland
21,405 people
Murray
17,888 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Erlanger's 19,677 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

East Northport, NY
19,672 people
Lexington, NC
19,691 people
Monroe, WA
19,696 people
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA
19,651 people
Zachary, LA
19,637 people
Roosevelt, NY
19,636 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Erlanger's $78,420 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bridgetown, OH
$78,417 median income
Oxoboxo River, CT
$78,415 median income
Richfield, OH
$78,426 median income
Waverly, IA
$78,429 median income
Sterling Heights, MI
$78,429 median income
Smyrna, TN
$78,409 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Erlanger, KY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Erlanger, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.6% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.0% White 86.6% Black or African American 3.8% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 6.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Erlanger compares to nearby Kentucky cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Erlanger (this city) 19,677 $78,420
Madisonville 19,442 $56,902
Winchester 19,133 $57,653
Mount Washington 18,228 $93,852
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Erlanger, KY?

What is the population of Erlanger, KY? +

The population of Erlanger, KY stands at 19,677 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Erlanger, KY? +

The median household income in Erlanger is $78,420 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Erlanger? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Erlanger; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

Is Erlanger, KY safe? +

Erlanger has a total crime rate of 595.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Erlanger, KY? +

Erlanger's median home value sits at $189,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.