Paducah, KY vs Van Buren, AR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Van Buren, AR has a modeled overall cost index 2.9% lower than Paducah, KY.

Paducah, KY · modeled 2BR rent
$1,030 / month
Van Buren, AR · modeled 2BR rent
$940 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Paducah, KY and Van Buren, AR using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $296/month in Van Buren, AR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $146,445 in Van Buren, AR

Regional cost estimates: Paducah, KY uses Nashville, TN. Van Buren, AR uses Tulsa, OK. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 2.9%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$296
Savings
Annual Impact
$3.6K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Paducah, KY

Population:27K
Cost Index:
86.7
100 = national average
Typical Home:$187K

Van Buren, AR

Population:24K
Cost Index:
84.2
100 = national average
Typical Home:$199K

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Paducah, KY

The Bluegrass State

27K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 27K residents.

Van Buren, AR

The Natural State

24K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Arkansas, this city has a population of 24K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Paducah, KY vs Van Buren, AR

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↓ 17.7%
Paducah, KY
$2,272
Van Buren, AR
$1,870
Difference
$403
less
Transportation
↑ 11.3%
Paducah, KY
$1,223
Van Buren, AR
$1,361
Difference
$138
more
Healthcare
↓ 7.0%
Paducah, KY
$630
Van Buren, AR
$586
Difference
$44.14
less
Groceries
↑ 2.7%
Paducah, KY
$985
Van Buren, AR
$1,012
Difference
$26.67
more
Other
↓ 0.9%
Paducah, KY
$1,850
Van Buren, AR
$1,833
Difference
$16.55
less
All Utilities
↑ 0.4%
Paducah, KY
$539
Van Buren, AR
$541
Difference
$2.42
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Paducah, KY: Paducah Occupational Tax$3,000/yr (2.0%)

Van Buren, AR has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$710
To$690
↓ $20.00
1 Bed
From$825
To$720
↓ $105
2 Bed
From$1,030
To$940
↓ $90.00
3 Bed
From$1,240
To$1,270
↑ $30.00
Paducah, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $720–$930/mo

Van Buren, ARZIP-level data

1BR range: $720–$720/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Paducah, KY
$7,204
Monthly in Van Buren, AR
$296
Difference

Home Values

Paducah
Van Buren
$187K
Median Value
$199K
↑ +4.5%
YoY Change
↑ +6.1%
↑ +35%
5-Year Change
↑ +40.8%
$156K - $217K
Price Range
$199K

Homes in Van Buren are 7% more expensive than Paducah

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $1.5K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$127
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.0%
Rate difference

Paducah, KY

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Kentucky State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.7%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,791/month
$105.5K

Van Buren, AR

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Arkansas State Tax
Effective: 6.0%
$9.0K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.7%
$46.0K
Take-Home Pay
$8,664/month
$104.0K

Additional Tax Information

Paducah, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

Van Buren, AR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Paducah
Van Buren
50 Good
Air Quality
51 Moderate
51.6%
Good Air Days
48.4%
97 High
Climate Risk
98 High
🌊🫨🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🌪
▲+2.8°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
42 days
Heat Days >95°F
61 days
▲+2.8°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
42 days
Heat Days >95°F
61 days

Before moving from Paducah, KY to Van Buren, AR

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Van Buren, AR for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Paducah, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Paducah to Van Buren moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Van Buren, AR by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Paducah, KY vs Van Buren, AR

How do the cost estimates for Paducah, KY and Van Buren, AR compare?

Van Buren, AR has a modeled overall cost index 2.9% lower than Paducah, KY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Paducah, KY, the model estimates $146,445 in Van Buren, AR. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Paducah, KY and Van Buren, AR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,030/month in Paducah, KY and $940/month in Van Buren, AR. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kentucky and Arkansas on TaxTakeHome.com

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