Elsmere, KY vs St. Matthews, KY

Elsmere is moderately more affordable than St. Matthews, with a 12.3% lower cost of living index. Elsmere scores 85 compared to 97 for St. Matthews, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of St. Matthews can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Elsmere is $1,303/month compared to $1,253/month in St. Matthews — a 4% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while St. Matthews has cheaper rent, Elsmere actually has lower median home values ($157,200 vs $325,700).

Median household income in Elsmere is $61,427 compared to $80,716 in St. Matthews (-23.9%). While St. Matthews is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Elsmere spend roughly 25.5% of their income on rent, more than the 18.6% in St. Matthews.