City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

St. Matthews, KY

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

17,491
Residents
$80,716
Median income
$325,700
Median home
$1,272
Median rent (state)

St. Matthews - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, St. Matthews places in the 62nd percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

62nd
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
43rd
percentile, median rent
3rd
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: St. Matthews, KY

17,491 people live in St. Matthews, Kentucky - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. St. Matthews households earn a median of $80,716 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.8%. Typical homes in St. Matthews are valued around $325,700, and the median resident age is 37.9 years. About 56.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

St. Matthews's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 5222.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,272 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kentucky's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

17,491 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$80,716 /yr

Poverty 5.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does St. Matthews compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 43% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Kentucky, St. Matthews ranks #180 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below St. Matthews's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kentucky, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

62ndIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

62nd percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

St. Matthews's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

St. Matthews'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
St. Matthews'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 St. Matthews's home value compares nationally

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

$325,700 31st percentile more affordable than 31% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. St. Matthews $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 - St. Matthews, KY St. Matthews, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not St. Matthews, 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 St. Matthews, KY median $80,716/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%
St. Matthews, 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 St. Matthews, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 56.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.8%

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

Population
17,491
Median Income
$80,716
Median Home Value
$325,700
Median Age
37.9
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Labor force participation
66.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
56.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5222.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
127.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5095.7
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,400 residents17,600 residents17,800 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,557 residents 17,868 residents ▲ +1.8%
St. Matthews's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.8%
Carpool
4.7%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
16.4%
Other
0.9%

Based on 10,076 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 St. Matthews sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,272/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Shelbyville
17,436 people
Fort Thomas
17,242 people
Danville
17,235 people
Murray
17,888 people
Burlington
18,090 people
Mount Washington
18,228 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Matthews's 17,491 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jacksonville, IL
17,490 people
Kirksville, MO
17,493 people
Melissa, TX
17,497 people
Spanish Springs, NV
17,512 people
Idylwood, VA
17,469 people
Gretna, LA
17,468 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Matthews's $80,716 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Matherville, IL
$80,714 median income
Princeton, IA
$80,714 median income
Sutton, NE
$80,714 median income
Parish, NY
$80,714 median income
Sandy Hook, WI
$80,720 median income
Palmyra, WI
$80,709 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - St. Matthews, 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 St. Matthews, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.6% White 85.4% Black or African American 5.6% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 5.1% 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 St. Matthews 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
St. Matthews (this city) 17,491 $80,716
Shelbyville 17,436 $73,733
Fort Thomas 17,242 $100,819
Danville 17,235 $53,370
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about St. Matthews, KY?

What is the population of St. Matthews, KY? +

17,491 people live in St. Matthews, KY according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in St. Matthews, KY? +

St. Matthews households earn a median of $80,716 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in St. Matthews? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for St. Matthews; 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 St. Matthews, KY safe? +

St. Matthews has a total crime rate of 5222.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 St. Matthews, KY? +

Homes in St. Matthews carry a median value of $325,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.