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Cost to drill a well in Kentucky: $6,500–$32,800 by county

A drilled, finished water well in Kentucky typically costs $6,500–$32,800, with a midpoint of $18,200. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 140 ft across 1,026 completion reports filed 2010–2025, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Key figures for Kentucky

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $18,200) $6,500–$32,8001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $3,900–$21,7001,2,3,4,5,6
Median well depth (1,026 reports) 140 ft1
Middle half of wells 90 ft to 200 ft1
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft3

Estimate a well in Kentucky

Typical total: $6,500–$32,800, midpoint $18,200.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Depths from 1,026 domestic well reports in Kentucky, 2010–2025: 92 ft (25th percentile), 140 ft (median), 195 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (140 ft × $50/ft)$2,300$7,000$14,6003
Casing, installed (91 ft × $28/ft)$900$2,500$4,1004
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5005
Well permit ($50–$500)$100$300$5006
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0007
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8007
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0008
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3009
Total$6,500$18,200$32,800

Casing depth of 91 ft is a model assumption; the records for this area do not report casing.2

No state rate survey yet, so national driller rates are used.

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Well depth by county in Kentucky

Total depth of domestic wells by county, Kentucky. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 450 ft
Calloway 173 120 60–160
Graves 164 170 140–200
Ballard 104 140 100–190
Carlisle 71 190 150–240
Hickman 56 160 130–200
Marshall 56 60 50–90
McCracken 53 140 120–170
Wolfe 30 300 210–380
Lawrence* 24 110 80–340
Letcher* 23 100 80–130
Breathitt* 16 100 80–120
Johnson* 15 140 100–370
Pulaski* 15 100 80–140
Knott* 12 100 100–170
Fulton* 11 130 120–140
Leslie* 11 120 110–170
Livingston* 11 260 170–340
Perry* 10 130 90–240
Christian* 9 160 80–180
Todd* 8 110 100–150
Boone* 7 80 80–100
Morgan* 7 250 90–280
Wayne* 7 120 100–160
Barren* 6 120 70–150
Bell* 6 130 120–210
Campbell* 5 70 60–80
Casey* 5 80 50–80
Jessamine* 5 140 100–150
Magoffin* 5 150 100–170
Owsley* 5 50 40–60
Carter* 4 430 340–450
Cumberland* 4 30 30–70
Knox* 4 180 140–230
Laurel* 4 230 200–290
Martin* 4 110 80–160
Meade* 4 260 170–390
Rockcastle* 4 140 90–200
Whitley* 4 120 110–140
Breckinridge* 3 270 230–340
Bullitt* 3 200 150–250
Clay* 3 80 70–90
Elliott* 3 130 110–280
Fayette* 3 150 130–160
Logan* 3 130 110–170
Nelson* 3 200 140–230
Pike* 3 80 50–140
Powell* 3 180 170–240
Russell* 3 70 50–70
Estill* 2 210 190–240
Floyd* 2 210 140–280
Greenup* 2 110 90–120
Hardin* 2 90 80–110
Harlan* 2 150 130–180
Lee* 2 200 160–240
Lincoln* 2 80 70–80
Taylor* 2 80 70–90
Trigg* 2 80 70–90
Adair* 1 110 110–110
Boyd* 1 220 220–220
Caldwell* 1 120 120–120
Carroll* 1 100 100–100
Crittenden* 1 310 310–310
Garrard* 1 150 150–150
Hart* 1 230 230–230
Jefferson* 1 20 20–20
Madison* 1 240 240–240
Metcalfe* 1 120 120–120
Muhlenberg* 1 260 260–260
Ohio* 1 150 150–150
Owen* 1 300 300–300
Rowan* 1 240 240–240
Simpson* 1 30 30–30
Washington* 1 200 200–200

* 65 counties have fewer than 30 reports. Estimates there use the statewide figures.

Median depth runs from 60 ft in Marshall County to 300 ft in Wolfe County. At national rates that difference is worth about $16,000 at the midpoint estimate. 65 of 73 counties have fewer than 30 reports; the calculator uses the statewide figure for those.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Where the money goes on a Kentucky well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $2,300–$14,600 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $900–$4,100 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Permits and driller licensing in Kentucky

Water wells in Kentucky fall under Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Water (Groundwater Branch). The state well construction regulation requires a certified driller and written cabinet approval only for variances. The text reviewed does not describe a state permit for a household well. A person must hold a certificate from the cabinet before constructing, altering, repairing or abandoning a water well, and certificates are renewed annually. The certified driller submits the construction record to the cabinet within 60 days after a water supply well is completed, modified or abandoned.

Sources10,11

Groundwater and well construction in Kentucky

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 90 ft Total depth about 140 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 140 ft well with casing to 90 ft, the Kentucky median

USGS groups Kentucky's principal aquifers by province, with Paleozoic bedrock aquifers and the sand and gravel surficial aquifer system in the Central Lowland and Coastal Plain aquifers in the Mississippi Embayment.

A well at the Kentucky median reaches 140 ft with casing to about 90 ft, a model assumption because the records here do not report casing. The construction table lists 50 feet from a septic tank or sewer line, 70 feet from the side wall of a lateral trench or bed, and 75 feet from a wastewater disposal system.

Sources12,2,11

Kentucky compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Kentucky140 ft$6,500–$32,800
Illinois170 ft$6,400–$38,000
Indiana90 ft$5,400–$27,400
Missouri370 ft$11,200–$55,400
Ohio120 ft$6,800–$31,900
Tennessee220 ft$7,900–$44,800
Virginiano records$6,800–$42,500
West Virginia150 ft$6,500–$40,200

Sources13,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in Kentucky?

Half of the 1,026 domestic wells reported in Kentucky from 2010–2025 are between 90 ft and 200 ft deep, and the median is 140 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in Kentucky?

Drilling alone runs $25–$75/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $130/ft at a depth of 140 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in Kentucky?

The state well construction regulation requires a certified driller and written cabinet approval only for variances. The text reviewed does not describe a state permit for a household well. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in Kentucky?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see how much a well costs.

Sources

  1. Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository, water wells , Kentucky Geological Survey. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  3. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  4. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  5. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  6. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  7. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  8. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  9. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  10. 401 KAR 6:320, Certification of water well drillers and water well driller assistants , Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. 401 KAR 6:310, Water well construction practices and standards , Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Accessed November 9, 2026. Last 15,000 characters of the page were not read.
  12. Ground Water Atlas of the United States, Segment 10 (HA 730-K): Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee , USGS. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  13. ILWATER, Water and Related Wells , Illinois State Geological Survey. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  14. Water Well Record Database , Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  15. Water well records (WIMS) , Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  16. Water well log database , Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  17. Complete Water Well System Cost: Full Transparency from an Experienced Driller , K & B Water Well Drilling & Excavation (Mount Gilead, OH). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated (2026 site). Drilling alone $30-$80+/ft; steel casing sometimes over $100/ft; pump unit $900-$2,500 plus installation; tank and switch $500-$2,000; full installed system $6,000-$16,000.
  18. 2026 Approved Fee Schedule, Private Water System Fees effective 2026-01-01 , Butler County General Health District (OH). Accessed November 8, 2026. New private water system (well), single family dwelling $534 ($440 local + $74 state + $20 ODNR), includes one site visit, one water sample and one inspection; water samples $90 base plus lab costs.
  19. Private Water Systems , Ashland County Health Department (OH). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated (2026 site). New single family application/permit $309 plus $75 water sample fee = $384.
  20. Water Well Program, well locations , Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  21. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  22. Monitoring locations: West Virginia groundwater sites (Water Data API) , U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 9, 2026. All groundwater sites in the USGS inventory for West Virginia; no water-use field. Used: wells with a construction year 1980 to 2025 and a depth of 20 to 3,000 ft (n=747).

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.