Home Health and Personal Care Aides Salary in Kentucky
At $36,440 a year, the median for home health and personal care aides in Kentucky is close to the national median of $35,800 (+2%); Kentucky ranks 21st of 51 states by median. That is 22% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois pays more (up to $38,060 in Illinois) and Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia pay less (down to $28,010 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 31,260 home health and personal care aides, 15.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 28th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.56 means it is less common in Kentucky than nationally.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $13.52 | $14.88 | $17.52 | $21.85 | $23.60 | $18.53 | 31,260 | 15.63 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $28,110 | $30,950 | $36,440 | $45,450 | $49,080 | $38,540 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.00 | $15.35 | $17.21 | $18.98 | $21.65 | $17.36 | 4,305,810 | – | – |
| Annual | $27,040 | $31,920 | $35,800 | $39,470 | $45,040 | $36,120 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 21st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 28th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.56
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.63
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for home health and personal care aides, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro, KY | $17.35 | $36,100 | $27,920 | $46,530 | 1,180 | 23.80 | 0.86 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $17.24 | $35,860 | $28,800 | $47,880 | 10,970 | 16.01 | 0.58 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $17.21 | $35,810 | $27,530 | $46,330 | 830 | 16.11 | 0.58 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $16.93 | $35,210 | $29,020 | $45,890 | 16,470 | 14.96 | 0.54 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $16.92 | $35,190 | $29,590 | $43,780 | 2,990 | 10.44 | 0.38 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $16.90 | $35,160 | $24,510 | $56,140 | 1,150 | 13.95 | 0.50 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $16.01 | $33,290 | $28,330 | $46,370 | 730 | 14.58 | 0.53 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $14.70 | $30,580 | $27,400 | $43,420 | 1,270 | 12.32 | 0.44 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $13.82 | $28,740 | $23,270 | $39,790 | 3,620 | 25.73 | 0.93 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $19.98 | $41,550 | $27,600 | $68,530 | 1,420 | 11.04 | 0.40 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.96 | $37,350 | $28,660 | $46,320 | 4,310 | 25.06 | 0.91 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.63 | $36,660 | $27,230 | $45,290 | 2,410 | 13.93 | 0.50 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $15.68 | $32,610 | $23,770 | $54,390 | 2,280 | 24.85 | 0.90 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $17.52 | $36,440 | 31,260 | 0.56 |
| Illinois | $18.30 | $38,060 | 134,100 | 0.79 |
| Indiana | $16.86 | $35,060 | 57,050 | 0.64 |
| Missouri | $15.90 | $33,080 | 94,810 | 1.17 |
| Ohio | $16.57 | $34,460 | 106,940 | 0.70 |
| Tennessee | $15.45 | $32,130 | 35,950 | 0.40 |
| Virginia | $14.57 | $30,300 | 70,070 | 0.62 |
| West Virginia | $13.47 | $28,010 | 18,890 | 0.97 |
See the national page for Home Health and Personal Care Aides (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.