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City · 13,804 residents · Nelson County, Kentucky

Bardstown , Kentucky

In Bardstown, a typical home is worth $203,500 and typical rent is $977 a month. Compared with all of Nelson County, typical household income is 26% lower, the typical home value is 14% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $203,500

    14% below the county

    About the same as Kentucky

    • Bardstown
    • Nelson
    • Kentucky

  • Typical rent

    $977a month

    3% below the county

    About the same as Kentucky

    • Bardstown
    • Nelson
    • Kentucky

  • Typical household income

    $51,381a year

    26% below the county

    19% below Kentucky

    • Bardstown
    • Nelson
    • Kentucky

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    17 points below the county

    7 points below Kentucky

    • Bardstown
    • Nelson
    • Kentucky

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$260,795
3.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,011 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Bardstown is in Nelson County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Nelson County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Bardstown apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 61% of households in Bardstown own their home, against 78% in Nelson County.

  2. Nearby, in Lebanon, the typical rent is $701: 28% less than in Bardstown ($977).

  3. Nearby, in Lebanon, the typical home value is $149,700: 26% less than in Bardstown ($203,500).

  4. The typical household income in Bardstown is $51,381, 26% less than in Nelson County as a whole ($69,562).

  5. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Bardstown rose 3.4%; in Kentucky, it barely changed.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Bardstown

What homes there are in Bardstown, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Bardstown, but it weighs less than in Nelson County: 70% against 81%.

Year built

Homes in Bardstown are older: the typical year built is 1985; in Nelson County, 1992.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 93% of owner-occupied homes in Bardstown sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,022), about 54% of rented homes in Bardstown cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,275 a month

Nelson County: $1,379 a month

Without a mortgage

$506 a month

Nelson County: $473 a month

Owners with a mortgage

53%

Nelson County: 59%

Owning costs less in Bardstown: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,275 a month; in Nelson County, $1,379. Without one, $506.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Bardstown rose 65% since 2015–2019, more than in Nelson County (54%).

Rents in Bardstown rose faster than in Nelson County: 45% since 2015–2019, against 33%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBardstownNelson CountyKentuckyUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.4%2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.372.462.432.53
Drive alone 78%83%77%69%
Carpool 12%8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Work from home 4%6%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Nelson County, a household in Bardstown has 2.37 people on average.

In Bardstown, 12% of workers share a car to get to work; in Nelson County, 8%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Bardstown?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Bardstown, worth $203,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 39% of the typical household income in Bardstown, which is $51,381 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $71,972 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Nelson County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Bardstown. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,123 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,679

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$199,814
Total interest
$287,485
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,437 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,199 a month

  • Tight

    $1,199 to $1,541 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,541 a month

    Your payment · 39%

Compared with the typical household income in Bardstown ($51,381 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,679
Principal & interest$1,354
Property tax$151
Home insurance$85
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$90

You need at least $7,123 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Bardstown and Nelson County

Bardstown is in Nelson County, Kentucky. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Bardstown's own numbers

Typical home value
$203,500
Typical monthly rent
$977
Typical yearly household income
$51,381
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
0.89%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Nelson County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,022
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+56%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.4%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Nelson County.

Everything about Nelson County

Buying

Buying a home in Bardstown

A typical home in Bardstown is worth $203,500: 14% below the county and about the same as Kentucky. With the typical household income in Bardstown ($51,381 a year), a typical home costs 4.0 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Bardstown 4.0 years
  • Nelson 3.4 years
  • Kentucky 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Nelson County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Nelson County rose 97% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Nelson County.

Period County Kentucky U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.7% +3.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +56% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +97% +84% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Bardstown next to Nelson County, Kentucky and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Bardstown $203,500
  • Nelson $238,000
  • Kentucky $205,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Bardstown $977
  • Nelson $1,008
  • Kentucky $967
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Bardstown $51,381
  • Nelson $69,562
  • Kentucky $63,726
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Bardstown next to Nelson County and Kentucky
Measure Bardstown Nelson County Kentucky U.S.
Typical home value $203,500 $238,000 $205,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $977 $1,008 $967 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $51,381 $69,562 $63,726 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 78% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,810 $1,891 $1,544 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.89% 0.79% 0.75% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 53% 51% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Nelson County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Bardstown

For a typical $203,500 home in Bardstown, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Bardstown's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,679a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,123
    Cash to close
    $13,228
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $90

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,642a month

    Down payment
    $10,175
    Cash to close
    $16,280
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $97

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,339a month

    Down payment
    $40,700
    Cash to close
    $46,805
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,527a month

    Down payment
    $30,525
    Cash to close
    $36,630
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Bardstown and for Nelson County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Bardstown

0.89%of the home’s value each year

$1,810 a year for the typical owner in Bardstown.

  • Bardstown 0.89%
  • Nelson 0.79%
  • Kentucky 0.75%

What Kentucky publishes Homestead exemption for owners 65 or older or totally disabled (Kentucky Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Kentucky

Flood risk in Nelson County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Nelson County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.4%
285
Of those, with NFIP insurance
18%
County Kentucky U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.4% 3.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 18% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Bardstown

Typical rent in Bardstown is $977 a month: 3% below the county. In Bardstown, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Nelson County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,022 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.65 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Nelson County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $777 $14.94 $31,080
1 bedroom $781 $15.02 $31,240
2 bedrooms $1,022 $19.65 $40,880
3 bedrooms $1,302 $25.04 $52,080
4 bedrooms $1,587 $30.52 $63,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Bardstown

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Bardstown is in ZIP code 40004.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,040: $18 more than the fair market rent for Nelson County ($1,022).

  • 40004 $1,040$1,330

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Bardstown when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Bardstown

HUD lists 7 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Bardstown. These are the largest.

  • Kennett,edelen,elm Grove 203 S Elm Grove Ave, Bardstown 40004 199 homes, 187 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Bardstown · Average payment: $396 a month · Average wait: 25 months · Homes at several sites (502) 348-3525
  • Bardstown Village Apts 1000 Harding St, Bardstown 40004 64 low-income homes · For families (502) 348-2480
  • Bard Homestead Bard Ave., Bardstown 40004 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 20 · 3 bd: 4 · In service since 1999
  • Colonial Woods Apartments Marvin Downs Road, Bardstown 40004 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 18 · In service since 1993
  • Ashberry Terrace Apts. 149 Wilble Blvd, Bardstown 40004 10 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (270) 765-2605

See all 12 buildings in Nelson County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Bardstown

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Nelson County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Bardstown

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Bardstown or Nelson County. The ones below are statewide in Kentucky: they work in Bardstown the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Kentucky

  • KHC Down Payment Assistance (DPA)

    Statewide in Kentucky

    Kentucky state corporation loan of up to $12,500 for the down payment and closing costs, repaid over 15 years as a second loan, for buyers who take a KHC mortgage. Offered by Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Bardstown

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Bardstown, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Apprisen - CCCS of the Midwest - Louisville

    10200 Linn Station Rd, Louisville · 29 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (800) 355-2227

  • The Housing Partnership, Inc

    1405 W Broadway Unit 101, Louisville · 34 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (502) 585-5451

  • Louisville Urban League

    1535 W Broadway, Louisville · 35 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 10 more
    (502) 585-4622

All counseling agencies in Kentucky

Help in Spanish near Bardstown

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Bardstown

HUD’s record names them for Bardstown or Nelson County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of Bardstown Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (502) 348-3525

All housing agencies in Kentucky Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Bardstown, with the typical home value.

Everything about Nelson County Housing in Kentucky

Neighboring counties

If Nelson County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Bardstown.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Bardstown

Short answers with the numbers for Bardstown and all of Nelson County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Bardstown?

The typical home value in Bardstown is $203,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Nelson County it is $238,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Bardstown?

Typical rent in Bardstown is $977 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Nelson County is $1,022.

What is the FHA loan limit in Bardstown?

Bardstown uses the FHA limit for all of Nelson County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Bardstown?

The typical homeowner in Bardstown pays $1,810 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.89% of the home’s value; in Nelson County, the rate is 0.79%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Bardstown?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Nelson County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).