Want to live and work in Kentucky?

Kentucky is one of the least expensive states to live in. In Louisville, a one-bedroom apartment rents for $900 to $1,400. Lexington is similar. In smaller cities like Bowling Green or Owensboro, $700 to $1,000 covers a comfortable apartment.

Grocery prices are lower than in coastal states. A meal at a casual restaurant costs $12 to $18. Gas prices tend to be among the lowest in the US. Electricity is also affordable because the state produces much of its energy from coal and natural gas.

Wages track the cost of living and are lower than in New York or California, but the real purchasing power can actually be better. Remote workers earning a big-city salary can enjoy a very high quality of life here, with a large home and low fixed expenses.

The Toyota plant in Georgetown, near Lexington, is one of the largest in the world, producing the Camry, RAV4, and hybrids. It employs more than 9,000 people. In Louisville, UPS operates Worldport, the world's largest air cargo hub, with thousands of jobs in logistics and overnight operations.

Ford also has assembly plants in Louisville (Escape, Lincoln Navigator, Super Duty). General Electric maintains Appliance Park, a giant home appliance manufacturing complex. Humana, the health insurance multinational, is headquartered in Louisville and employs thousands in office roles.

The bourbon industry employs thousands at distilleries (Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve). The Thoroughbred horse farms around Lexington support vets, trainers, and farm workers. Healthcare and the major universities (University of Kentucky, University of Louisville) are also major employers.

The US has no universal public system. In Kentucky, those with formal employment generally receive health insurance through their employer. Family premiums can exceed $1,200/month, but the employer pays a portion. Without employment, there is kynect, the state health insurance marketplace, with subsidies based on income.

Low-income families are eligible for Medicaid, which is free or very low-cost. Kentucky expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, so more people qualify here than in many other Southern states. Documented immigrants with a green card for more than 5 years can access the program.

The best hospitals are UK HealthCare (Lexington), University of Louisville Health, Norton Healthcare, and Baptist Health. Rural areas in the eastern part of the state (former coal mining regions) have a shortage of doctors and high rates of chronic disease. People living far from the larger cities often travel for specialist appointments.

Like most of the US outside major metros, a car is practically required in Kentucky. Louisville has a city bus system (TARC), but the network is limited and neighborhood distances are large. Lexington has a similar setup. In smaller cities, public transit basically does not exist.

The main highways are I-65 (north-south, linking Louisville to Nashville and Indianapolis), I-64 (east-west, through Louisville and Lexington), and I-75 (running north-south through the eastern part of the state). Traffic in Louisville and Lexington is nothing like a major coastal city.

The main airport is Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF), also a large UPS cargo hub. Lexington has Blue Grass Airport (LEX), smaller, with flights to major hubs. Many travelers from northern Kentucky use Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), technically in Kentucky, which has more international options.

Bourbon is the state's pride. Nearly all of the world's bourbon is made in Kentucky, with the famous Bourbon Trail taking visitors through historic distilleries like Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, and Buffalo Trace. Tasting bourbon is a local cultural experience, not just consumption.

The Kentucky Derby, held in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, is the most famous horse race in the US. The whole city stops. Women wear elaborate hats, everyone drinks a mint julep, and the race itself lasts two minutes. Around Lexington, Thoroughbred horse farms are part of the everyday landscape.

Bluegrass music was born in this region, with Bill Monroe as its iconic figure. Southern cooking is hearty: the Hot Brown (an open-face sandwich with turkey and Mornay sauce), pecan pie, bourbon balls, and the famous recipe that gave birth to KFC, which started in the state. Music festivals, food events, and horse competitions run year-round.

Kentucky is home to roughly 200,000 people born outside the country, close to 4% of the population. Mexicans form the largest community in Louisville and Lexington, tied to construction, agriculture, and the horse industry. Louisville has a significant Cuban community in the Iroquois neighborhood. Lexington has drawn Hondurans for farm jobs. Bowling Green became a resettlement hub for Bosnian refugees in the 1990s.

Kentucky Refugee Ministries, with offices in Louisville and Lexington, is the main resettlement agency, with English classes and legal support. The Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights leads statewide advocacy. Catholic Charities of Louisville runs the oldest immigration program in the state, serving multiple languages.