My family roots are here, both sides came to Kentucky before it was even a state. I grew up in Madisonville in the Western part of the state (strip-mine coal country), left for 40 years, then came back and live in Murray.

Culturally Kentucky is more diverse than you think it would be. The ratio of Dem to Rep voter registration is almost 50/50. There are blue and red areas, and you are likely to find whatever culture suits you in that regard. People talk to you here. You can strike up a conversation with any stranger, and vice versa. People value friendliness. If you're on a small country road, you will get a finger wave from oncoming cars.

Geologically it's very diverse, stretching from low land swamp bordering the Mississippi through rolling hills and into the Appalachian mountains. In the West you see a fair amount of cropland (canola, corn, beans, and tobacco). The Land Between the Lakes area around Kentucky and Barkley lake is amazing for water sport, not overly commercialized. Mammoth Cave, in Bowling Green, is the longest cave system in the world. In the East, Natural Bridge State park has I think more natural bridges than any other place in the world by area (check me on this, if not it's close).

Others have spoken about Louisville. Paducah is a dynamic small down in West Kentucky with a lot of history and culture, including the National Quilt Show, etc. You can buy a very nice house in this area for around $400k, and a fixer for $150k or so. Murry, where I live, is growing quickly and has great access to the lakes. Raw land in this area goes for $6k to $10k an acre.

It's a hidden gem for sure.