Jobs, pay and daily life in Owensboro, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Owensboro is a city in Kentucky with 60,302 residents. The median household earns $56,357 a year and the median rent is $905 a month, which is 19.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Owensboro, KY metropolitan area, where BLS counts 49,450 jobs.
How Owensboro compares. Among the 80 largest places in Kentucky, Owensboro is #4 by population, #61 for remote work (#1 = most), #29 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #32 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Daviess County, is #34 of 120 counties for average pay ($53,566).
Owensboro has 60,302 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.3% of the population of Kentucky. It covers 21 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,831 people per square mile. The median age is 37.5, 4% younger than the state median (37.5 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $905 a month (rent plus utilities), 6% below the state median ($905 against $967). Over a year that is 19.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $178,900, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($56,357); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.4% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (57.4% against 68.3%).
The Owensboro, KY metropolitan area has 49,450 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,960 a year, 12% below the national median ($44,960 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,750 jobs, median $43,360); food preparation and serving related (4,860 jobs, median $27,960); transportation and material moving (4,840 jobs, median $40,100). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.0 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($43,360). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Daviess County was 4.0%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Daviess County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 82.0% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 1.9% walk, 6.8% work from home. 8.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (8.1% against 12.5%).
26.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 5% below the state share (26.1% against 27.6%). 5.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 7% above the state share (5.0% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 18.9%, 18% above the state rate (18.9% against 16.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 32°F (-0.1°C). About 1,301 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (138 mm) and Jan the driest (84 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Henderson (26 miles, rent 15% lower); Evansville (28 miles, rent 8% higher); Madisonville (36 miles, rent 7% lower); Jasper (45 miles, rent 10% lower). Rent differences are against Owensboro; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kentucky (288) →State guide: KentuckyCountry guideDaviess CountyKentucky rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 288 federal postings open in Kentucky (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Kentucky →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,770 | 1.64 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.21 | $29,030 | $22,340 | $42,440 | -18% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,200 | 1.08 | $73,460 | $39,110 | $160,990 | -31% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,180 | 0.86 | $36,100 | $27,920 | $46,530 | +1% |
| Cashiers | 1,130 | 1.15 | $27,870 | $21,760 | $34,680 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,130 | 1.21 | $39,380 | $29,590 | $60,700 | -2% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,080 | 0.88 | $26,750 | $21,830 | $33,710 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 980 | 1.09 | $31,210 | $27,990 | $37,750 | -16% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 980 | 8.13 | $61,250 | $42,320 | $64,300 | +42% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 920 | 1.12 | $45,260 | $29,330 | $58,700 | +1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 890 | 1.94 | $39,020 | $32,850 | $45,260 | -8% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 840 | 1.29 | $50,600 | $37,490 | $76,630 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 800 | 1.14 | $29,320 | $24,640 | $37,280 | -20% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 780 | 1.08 | $29,790 | $16,210 | $60,900 | -15% |
| Office Clerks, General | 650 | 0.83 | $37,190 | $23,640 | $54,080 | -17% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 620 | 3.05 | $22,260 | $20,990 | $29,140 | -28% |
| Security Guards | 560 | 1.38 | $31,440 | $29,980 | $49,170 | -17% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 560 | 1.29 | $46,430 | $31,200 | $67,220 | -8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 520 | 1.15 | $35,890 | $27,410 | $37,420 | -2% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 520 | 1.69 | $37,070 | $30,570 | $50,030 | -19% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 1,200 | 1.08 | $73,460 | $39,110 | $160,990 | -31% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 980 | 8.13 | $61,250 | $42,320 | $64,300 | +42% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 840 | 1.29 | $50,600 | $37,490 | $76,630 | -14% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 560 | 1.29 | $46,430 | $31,200 | $67,220 | -8% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 920 | 1.12 | $45,260 | $29,330 | $58,700 | +1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 500 | 1.03 | $44,530 | $29,720 | $66,340 | -10% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 500 | 1.40 | $42,450 | $28,610 | $73,670 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,130 | 1.21 | $39,380 | $29,590 | $60,700 | -2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 890 | 1.94 | $39,020 | $32,850 | $45,260 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 650 | 0.83 | $37,190 | $23,640 | $54,080 | -17% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 520 | 1.69 | $37,070 | $30,570 | $50,030 | -19% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,180 | 0.86 | $36,100 | $27,920 | $46,530 | +1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 520 | 1.15 | $35,890 | $27,410 | $37,420 | -2% |
| Security Guards | 560 | 1.38 | $31,440 | $29,980 | $49,170 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 980 | 1.09 | $31,210 | $27,990 | $37,750 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 780 | 1.08 | $29,790 | $16,210 | $60,900 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 800 | 1.14 | $29,320 | $24,640 | $37,280 | -20% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.21 | $29,030 | $22,340 | $42,440 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 1,130 | 1.15 | $27,870 | $21,760 | $34,680 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,080 | 0.88 | $26,750 | $21,830 | $33,710 | -14% |
These figures are for the whole Owensboro, KY metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,960 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.5% |
| Manufacturing | 18.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.2% |
| Construction | 5.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.2% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.4% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Owensboro lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daviess County | 103,648 | $6,151 million | $59,344 | 47,217 | 3,566 | $53,566 | +2.3% | 4.0% | 49,197 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,982 | 21.6% | $59,512 | 1.33 |
| Manufacturing | 7,372 | 17.7% | $69,064 | 1.90 |
| Retail trade | 5,607 | 13.5% | $33,953 | 1.19 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,756 | 11.4% | $20,936 | 1.11 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,577 | 6.2% | $37,152 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 2,190 | 5.3% | $57,427 | 0.88 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,059 | 5.0% | $79,572 | 1.07 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,052 | 4.9% | $73,172 | 1.03 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,712 | 4.1% | $79,990 | 0.92 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,122 | 2.7% | $41,325 | 0.79 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,108 | 2.7% | $70,753 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 567 | 1.4% | $42,424 | 0.77 |
| Educational services | 519 | 1.2% | $35,854 | 0.53 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 370 | 0.9% | $20,012 | 0.47 |
| Information | 299 | 0.7% | $57,748 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 227 | 0.5% | $124,435 | 1.26 |
| Management of companies | 74 | 0.2% | $141,506 | 0.09 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 82.0% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.9% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,357 |
| Income per person | $33,626 |
| Median gross rent per month | $905 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.3% |
| Median home value | $178,900 |
| Homeowners | 57.4% |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $44,960 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.1% |
| Born abroad | 5.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.1 | 32 | 84 |
| Feb | 1.5 | 35 | 95 |
| Mar | 7.4 | 45 | 116 |
| Apr | 13.7 | 57 | 136 |
| May | 18.8 | 66 | 138 |
| Jun | 23.4 | 74 | 116 |
| Jul | 25.2 | 77 | 118 |
| Aug | 25.0 | 77 | 85 |
| Sep | 21.3 | 70 | 93 |
| Oct | 14.2 | 58 | 109 |
| Nov | 7.3 | 45 | 102 |
| Dec | 2.2 | 36 | 109 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | KY | 26 mi | 27,852 | $48,186 | $771 |
| Evansville | IN | 28 mi | 116,116 | $53,387 | $975 |
| Madisonville | KY | 36 mi | 19,515 | $53,860 | $838 |
| Jasper | IN | 45 mi | 15,991 | $68,817 | $810 |
| Leitchfield | KY | 49 mi | 6,819 | $44,347 | $621 |
| Princeton | KY | 62 mi | 6,241 | $47,411 | $762 |
| Vine Grove | KY | 62 mi | 6,830 | $72,560 | $1,334 |
| Washington | IN | 62 mi | 12,367 | $50,331 | $858 |
| Fort Knox | KY | 63 mi | 8,836 | $82,663 | $1,502 |
| Russellville | KY | 65 mi | 7,316 | $45,484 | $738 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
60,302 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$905 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.3% of the median household income.
$56,357 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Daviess County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kentucky. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.