THE DIRTBID REGIONAL MODEL · KENTUCKY

Kentucky Sitework Costs, Region by Region

Sitework in Kentucky on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as the rest of DirtBid: 10 cost regions and 120 counties, each with a soil-risk rating from USDA and USGS data. Cincinnati Metro (Kentucky side) runs highest at 0.93×; Paducah Metro lowest at 0.80×.

Kentucky multipliers and county ratings are planning-level: built from federal price and soil data, and not yet checked against local bids or a local estimator.

Cost regions
10
Counties in the model
120
Richmond Metro baseline
1.00×

Rest of Kentucky

0.86×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Shelocta, Lowell, Gilpin

81 counties in this region. 35 of 81 rate high for shallow rock. 10 of 81 rate high for water table. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 31 of the 81. Highest risk score: Barren County (5 of 10).

Counties: Adair County, Anderson County, Barren County, Bath County, Bell County, Boyle County, Breathitt County, Breckinridge County, Caldwell County, Calloway County, Carroll County, Casey County, Clay County, Clinton County, Crittenden County, Cumberland County, Elliott County, Estill County, Fleming County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Fulton County, Garrard County, Graves County, Grayson County, Green County, Hancock County, Harlan County, Harrison County, Hart County, Henderson County, Hickman County, Hopkins County, Jackson County, Johnson County, Knott County, Knox County, Laurel County, Lee County, Leslie County, Letcher County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Logan County, Lyon County, McCreary County, Madison County, Magoffin County, Marion County, Marshall County, Martin County, Mason County, Menifee County, Mercer County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Morgan County, Muhlenberg County, Nicholas County, Ohio County, Owen County, Owsley County, Perry County, Pike County, Powell County, Pulaski County, Robertson County, Rockcastle County, Rowan County, Russell County, Simpson County, Taylor County, Todd County, Trimble County, Union County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Whitley County, Wolfe County

Louisville Metro

0.90×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Crider, Lowell, Eden

8 counties in this region. 4 of 8 rate high for shallow rock. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 8 of the 8. Highest risk score: Bullitt County (5 of 10).

Counties: Bullitt County, Henry County, Jefferson County, Meade County, Nelson County, Oldham County, Shelby County, Spencer County

Lexington Metro

0.90×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Bluegrass, Lowell, Maury

6 counties in this region. 3 of 6 rate high for shallow rock. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 6 of the 6. Highest risk score: Bourbon County (5 of 10).

Counties: Bourbon County, Clark County, Fayette County, Jessamine County, Scott County, Woodford County

Cincinnati Metro (Kentucky side)

0.93×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Eden, Nicholson, Lowell

7 counties in this region. 5 of 7 rate high for shallow rock. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 1 of the 7. Highest risk score: Kenton County (5 of 10).

Counties: Boone County, Bracken County, Campbell County, Gallatin County, Grant County, Kenton County, Pendleton County

Bowling Green Metro

0.86×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Gilpin, Trimble, Christian

4 counties in this region. 1 of 4 rate high for shallow rock. 1 of 4 rate high for water table. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 3 of the 4. Highest risk score: Allen County (5 of 10).

Counties: Allen County, Butler County, Edmonson County, Warren County

Elizabethtown Metro

0.86×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Crider, Vertrees, Sonora

2 counties in this region. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 2 of the 2. Highest risk score: Hardin County (5 of 10).

Counties: Hardin County, Larue County

Huntington Metro (Kentucky side)

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Shelocta, Latham, Vandalia

4 counties in this region. 2 of 4 rate high for shallow rock. 2 of 4 rate high for water table. Highest risk score: Carter County (5 of 10).

Counties: Boyd County, Carter County, Greenup County, Lawrence County

Owensboro Metro

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Hosmer, Belknap, Alford

2 counties in this region. 2 of 2 rate high for water table. 2 of 2 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Daviess County (5 of 10).

Counties: Daviess County, McLean County

Paducah Metro

0.80×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Loring, Grenada, Feliciana

4 counties in this region. 4 of 4 rate high for water table. 4 of 4 rate high for dewatering. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 1 of the 4. Highest risk score: Ballard County (5 of 10). This multiplier sits outside the range the model was tested on, so treat it as rougher.

Counties: Ballard County, Carlisle County, Livingston County, McCracken County

Clarksville Metro (Kentucky side)

0.87×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Pembroke, Zanesville, Crider

2 counties in this region. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 2 of the 2. Highest risk score: Trigg County (5 of 10).

Counties: Christian County, Trigg County

FAQ

Kentucky Cost Questions

Which soil problems drive sitework cost in Kentucky?

From USDA soil survey data, the most common across the state: shallow rock (50 of 120 counties rate high), water table (19 of 120 counties rate high), dewatering (18 of 120 counties rate high). A parcel can differ from its county, so read the survey for your exact site.

Where do the Kentucky multipliers come from?

From the Commerce Department's Regional Price Parities, on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as Virginia. Across 29 reviewed regions that method missed by about 0.03 on average. They have not been checked against executed bids in Kentucky, so use them for planning, not a final bid.

How reliable are the Kentucky county ratings?

They are screening ratings from federal soil and geology data, not a local estimator's review and not a geotechnical report. Tested against 511 reviewed counties, they land within one level most of the time, and exact matches are less common. Get borings before you price a real site.

Soil Report

See what's under your Kentucky parcel

A $350 DirtBid AI Soil Report reads the official USDA survey for your exact parcel, flags the hazards above, and prices the risk — before you buy land or sign a contract.