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City · 6,458 residents · Harrison County, Kentucky

Cynthiana , Kentucky

In Cynthiana, a typical home is worth $172,500 and typical rent is $770 a month. Compared with all of Harrison County, typical household income is 18% lower, the typical home value is 15% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 23 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $172,500

    15% below the county

    16% below Kentucky

    • Cynthiana
    • Harrison
    • Kentucky

  • Typical rent

    $770a month

    About the same as the county

    20% below Kentucky

    • Cynthiana
    • Harrison
    • Kentucky

  • Typical household income

    $54,647a year

    18% below the county

    14% below Kentucky

    • Cynthiana
    • Harrison
    • Kentucky

  • Households that own their home

    48%

    23 points below the county

    20 points below Kentucky

    • Cynthiana
    • Harrison
    • Kentucky

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$244,326
2.2% more than 12 months ago

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

Cynthiana is in Harrison 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 Harrison County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Cynthiana apart

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

  1. 48% of households in Cynthiana own their home, against 71% in Harrison County.

  2. The typical household income in Cynthiana is $54,647, 18% less than in Harrison County as a whole ($66,442).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Cynthiana

What homes there are in Cynthiana, 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

Detached houses are the majority in Cynthiana (60%), but less so than in Harrison County (73%).

Year built

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
Monthly rent with utilities

About 68% of rented homes in Cynthiana cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Harrison County ($909).

With a mortgage

$1,203 a month

Harrison County: $1,311 a month

Without a mortgage

$391 a month

Harrison County: $418 a month

Owners with a mortgage

55%

Harrison County: 55%

In Cynthiana, 55% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,203 a month, against $1,311 in Harrison County. Without one it drops to $391.

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

Since 2015–2019, homes in Cynthiana gained value faster than in Harrison County: 49% against 44%.

The typical rent in Cynthiana rose 36% over the same time; in Harrison County, it rose 24%.

Income in Cynthiana grew faster than housing: it rose 62%, while home values changed +49% and rent +36%.

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

MeasureCynthianaHarrison 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 estimateUnreliable estimate2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.552.582.432.53
Drive alone 72%80%77%69%
Carpool 19%12%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate5%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Cynthiana has 2.55 people on average, about the same as in Harrison County (2.58).

In Cynthiana, 19% of workers share a car to get to work; in Harrison County, 12%.

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 Cynthiana?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Cynthiana, worth $172,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 31% of the typical household income in Cynthiana, which is $54,647 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $59,653 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Cynthiana. 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 $6,038 (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

$1,392

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$169,375
Total interest
$243,691
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,913 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,275 a month

  • Tight

    $1,275 to $1,639 a month

    Your payment · 31%

  • Hard

    more than $1,639 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Cynthiana ($54,647 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,392
Principal & interest$1,147
Property tax$96
Home insurance$72
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$76

You need at least $6,038 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

Cynthiana and Harrison County

Cynthiana is in Harrison 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).

Cynthiana's own numbers

Typical home value
$172,500
Typical monthly rent
$770
Typical yearly household income
$54,647
Households that own their home
48%
Effective property tax rate
0.67%

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

Numbers for all of Harrison County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$909
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.4%

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 Harrison County.

Everything about Harrison County

Buying

Buying a home in Cynthiana

A typical home in Cynthiana is worth $172,500: 15% below the county and 16% below Kentucky. With the typical household income in Cynthiana ($54,647 a year), a typical home costs 3.2 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.

  • Cynthiana 3.2 years
  • Harrison 3.0 years
  • Kentucky 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Harrison County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Harrison County rose 84% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Kentucky U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.9% +3.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +84% +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

Cynthiana next to Harrison 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
  • Cynthiana $172,500
  • Harrison $202,100
  • Kentucky $205,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Cynthiana $770
  • Harrison $765
  • Kentucky $967
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Cynthiana $54,647
  • Harrison $66,442
  • Kentucky $63,726
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Cynthiana next to Harrison County and Kentucky
Measure Cynthiana Harrison County Kentucky U.S.
Typical home value $172,500 $202,100 $205,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $770 $765 $967 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $54,647 $66,442 $63,726 $80,734
Households that own their home 48% 71% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,155 $1,328 $1,544 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.67% 0.66% 0.75% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 42% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Harrison 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 Cynthiana

For a typical $172,500 home in Cynthiana, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Cynthiana's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,392a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,038
    Cash to close
    $11,213
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $76

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,360a month

    Down payment
    $8,625
    Cash to close
    $13,800
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $82

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,103a month

    Down payment
    $34,500
    Cash to close
    $39,675
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,263a month

    Down payment
    $25,875
    Cash to close
    $31,050
    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 Cynthiana and for Harrison County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Cynthiana

0.67%of the home’s value each year

$1,155 a year for the typical owner in Cynthiana.

  • Cynthiana 0.67%
  • Harrison 0.66%
  • 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 Harrison County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.4%
278
Of those, with NFIP insurance
27%
County Kentucky U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.4% 3.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 27% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Cynthiana

Typical rent in Cynthiana is $770 a month: about the same as the county. In Cynthiana, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Harrison County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($909 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.48 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Harrison 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 $650 $12.50 $26,000
1 bedroom $725 $13.94 $29,000
2 bedrooms $909 $17.48 $36,360
3 bedrooms $1,259 $24.21 $50,360
4 bedrooms $1,389 $26.71 $55,560

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 Cynthiana

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Cynthiana is in ZIP code 41031.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,150: $241 more than the fair market rent for Harrison County ($909).

  • 41031 $1,150$1,570

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Cynthiana 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 Cynthiana

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Cynthiana. These are the largest.

  • Indian Hills,riverside H 301 Clifton Vlg, Cynthiana 41031 265 homes, 264 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Cynthiana · Average payment: $406 a month · Average wait: 10 months (859) 234-5388
  • Hillside Apartments Hillside Drive, Cynthiana 41031 51 low-income homes · 1 bd: 12 · 2 bd: 27 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 2013 · For families
  • Harrison House 102 N Main St, Cynthiana 41031 45 low-income homes · For older adults (859) 234-6565
  • Hillside Apartments 102 Hillside Dr, Cynthiana 41031 48 homes, 28 low-income · For families (859) 234-6717
  • Belmont Place Hampton Court, Cynthiana 41031 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 2 · In service since 2013 · For older adults

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Cynthiana

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 Harrison County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Cynthiana

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Cynthiana or Harrison County. The ones below are statewide in Kentucky: they work in Cynthiana 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 Cynthiana

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

  • Community Ventures Corporation

    1450 N Broadway, Lexington · 24 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (859) 231-0054

  • Reach, Inc.

    733 Red Mile Rd, Lexington · 26 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (859) 455-8057

  • Apprisen - Lexington

    3499 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington · 27 miles away

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

All counseling agencies in Kentucky

Help in Spanish near Cynthiana

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Cynthiana

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

  • Housing Authority of Cynthiana Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (859) 234-5388

All housing agencies in Kentucky Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

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

Everything about Harrison County Housing in Kentucky

Neighboring counties

If Harrison 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 Cynthiana.

All guides
A mother smiles as she carries her young daughter on her shoulders (black and white).

Questions

Housing questions about Cynthiana

Short answers with the numbers for Cynthiana and all of Harrison 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 Cynthiana?

The typical home value in Cynthiana is $172,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Harrison County it is $202,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Cynthiana?

Typical rent in Cynthiana is $770 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Harrison County is $909.

What is the FHA loan limit in Cynthiana?

Cynthiana uses the FHA limit for all of Harrison 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 Cynthiana?

The typical homeowner in Cynthiana pays $1,155 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.67% of the home’s value; in Harrison County, the rate is 0.66%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Harrison 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).