1st Advantage MortgageGeorgetown is a KY market where the rent-to-payment ratio decides the loan. Median rent is $1,255, median home value is $265,400 and 38% of households rent.
Georgetown by the Census numbers
Citywide, Georgetown renters pay a median $1,255 in gross rent (rent plus utilities), well above the Kentucky median of $967, and owner-occupied homes have a median value of $265,400, well above the Kentucky median of $205,600. Dividing a year of median rent by the median home value gives a gross rent-to-value ratio of 5.7%, close to the range investors often call workable. It mixes apartments and houses, so treat it as a compass and not as the number for any one property.
| Indicator | Kentucky | Georgetown | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax as a share of home value | 0.75% | 0.69% | -8% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $1,544 | $1,839 | +19% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $205,600 | $265,400 | +29% |
| Typical monthly rent | $967 | $1,255 | +30% |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 7.1% | 8.5% | +20% |
| Share of homes detached | 67.5% | 69.3% | +3% |
| Long commuters, 45 min plus | 12.5% | 10.0% | -20% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 27.6% | 34.1% | +24% |
| Workers on their own account | 8.6% | 6.5% | -24% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 45.4% | 40.9% | -10% |
| Units sitting vacant | 10.3% | 4.8% | -54% |
| Typical construction year | 1982 | 2001 | |
| Annual rent divided by value | 5.6% | 5.7% | +1% |
| Households that rent | 31.7% | 37.7% | +19% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 4,534,824 | 39,117 |
Roughly 37.7% of occupied housing in Georgetown is rented, about 19% above the Kentucky median of 32%. Median household income of $80,088 (well above the Kentucky median of $63,726) sets the ceiling for rent growth, and 41% of renters already spend 30 percent or more of income on rent.
Property types and condition in Georgetown
Single-family detached housing accounts for 69% of the units counted in Georgetown, so expect house-style comparables in most appraisals. The median home dates to 2001, so newer construction competes with investors and warranties and modern systems can help with insurance and repairs.
Georgetown reports 5% of units vacant and a rental vacancy rate of 2.2%, a measure of how quickly a listed unit might lease.
How investors should read Georgetown
A 5.7% gross yield makes Georgetown a market where the ratio is achievable but not automatic. A few hundred dollars of extra insurance or dues can decide a borderline file. With newer homes common (median built 2001), insurers tend to be friendlier, though competing new rentals can cap rent. A 38% renter share is large enough to keep units leased, so location relative to jobs and schools drives rent more than the market as a whole.
What costs can do to a Georgetown ratio
Real estate taxes are a line the rent has to cover. The median owner in Georgetown pays $1,839 a year (about 19% above the Kentucky median of $1,544), which is about 0.69% of the median home value. Measured against a year of median rent, taxes eat about 12% before any other cost shows up.
FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates Scott County as relatively low overall for natural hazard risk, with strong wind (relatively high), tornadoes (relatively moderate) and lightning (relatively moderate) among its leading hazards.
| Hazard in Scott County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Winter weather exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Lightning exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Tornadoes exposure | Relatively Moderate |
| Strong wind exposure | Relatively High |
| Social vulnerability score | Relatively Low |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively Low |
| Composite risk | Relatively Low |
Insurance belongs in the ratio from day one, so get a landlord quote for the Georgetown address and ask about roof age, wind or hail deductibles and flood cover.
Running the numbers in Georgetown
At the city medians a DSCR file in Georgetown has $1,102 a month after taxes to cover principal, interest, insurance and dues if the ratio is 1.00, or $851 if the ratio is 1.25. Those two numbers show why insurance quotes and tax estimates come first.
Legal checks before a Georgetown purchase
Rental registration, inspection and nightly-stay rules differ by city, and we have not verified Georgetown's from a municipal source. A short call to the city and Scott County before you make an offer is cheap insurance. Nightly stays carry state tax in Kentucky. Kentucky applies sales tax and a statewide transient room tax to short-term rentals, exempts stays of 30 continuous days or more, and requires platforms that facilitate bookings to collect and remit both state and local transient taxes.
Entry to a tenant's unit is governed as follows: At least 2 days' notice, except in an emergency or where impracticable (URLTA areas).
Georgetown next to nearby cities
Of the cities listed, Lexington is the most expensive ($293,500 median value) and Frankfort the least ($183,700); Georgetown sits at $265,400.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 62% | $1,713 | $214,900 | 37,111 | $917 |
| Nicholasville | 42% | $1,660 | $226,800 | 32,197 | $1,147 |
| Frankfort | 51% | $1,571 | $183,700 | 28,503 | $944 |
| Lexington | 46% | $2,542 | $293,500 | 323,725 | $1,164 |
| Georgetown | 38% | $1,839 | $265,400 | 39,117 | $1,255 |
The renter base in Georgetown
About 6.5% of Georgetown workers are self-employed, the kind of borrowers whose tax returns understate cash flow and who often prefer a loan sized on rent. Other workforce markers: government workers are about 15% of employment, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
Employers named in Wikipedia's Georgetown entry for 2018 include Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Scott County Schools, Adient, Toyota Production Engineering and Manufacturing Center and Georgetown Community Hospital, which is where many tenants earn the income that pays rent. Education is part of the Georgetown rental picture, with Giddings Hall, Georgetown College and Baptist Seminary of Kentucky among the institutions listed. Wikipedia's entry for Georgetown notes interstate access via I-75, a practical point for tenants and owners alike.
Moving from numbers to a Georgetown loan
Gather the lease or rent estimate, the tax estimate and an insurance quote for the Georgetown address, check them in the calculator, and begin your application or get a quote first.
More Kentucky markets
- All Kentucky DSCR loans
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- Every market we cover
References
- National Risk Index entry, Scott County
- Encyclopedia entry for Georgetown
- Georgetown landlords: see KRS 383.580
- Kentucky Department of Revenue, transient room tax
- Census ACS profile behind the Georgetown figures
Numbers for Georgetown come from the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 ACS and are survey estimates. For Kentucky tenant law we used RedFlagLease under CC BY 4.0 plus the linked statutes. Facts were checked in October 2026, and rules change.
A short buyer checklist
On a Georgetown purchase, line up the lease, the tax estimate, the insurance quote and any association dues before the appraisal is ordered, and ask the appraiser's office what rent comparables they plan to use.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
Which rent counts when I finance a Georgetown property?
Underwriters take the lease if one exists and compare it with the appraisal's rent estimate; the lower figure often governs. Georgetown median rent is $1,255.
How is the DSCR figure built for a Georgetown property?
The denominator is the whole housing payment. Using Georgetown's median rent of $1,255, a ratio of 1.25 allows $1,004, and a ratio of 1.00 allows all $1,255.
What tax bill should I expect on a Georgetown rental?
Georgetown owners report a median $1,839 in annual real estate taxes, an effective 0.69% (Kentucky: 0.75%). Your own bill depends on the assessed value after purchase.
Can I use Airbnb income to qualify in Georgetown?
Depending on the lender, yes, if the property may legally be used that way and income is documented. Confirm the local permit, association rules and Kentucky lodging taxes before you underwrite nightly income in Georgetown.
Should I worry about hazards at a Georgetown property?
The National Risk Index gives the county an overall relatively low rating. Use that as a prompt to get quotes, not as a verdict on one Georgetown street.
Can I close a Georgetown DSCR loan in an LLC?
Many Georgetown investors do, though no rule forces it. The loan is secured by the property either way, and the lender will check who controls the company.