Kentucky Demographics
Kentucky is the 26th most populous of 52 states in the United States, with 4,505,797 residents across 39,492 square miles. That is about 114 people per square mile. 59% of residents live in urban areas.
At the 2020 census
| Population | 4,505,797 |
|---|---|
| Land area | 39,492 sq mi |
| Density | 114 / sq mi |
| Urban share | 59% |
Data: 2020 Census · American Community Survey 2024
How Kentucky compares to the US
We're computing this state's comparison table — check back shortly. Population, land area, and density above are already exact.
Central Location: Kentucky
Measured from the state's main population center using 2020 census blocks.
We're computing the drive-time and radius areas around Kentucky — check back shortly. Meanwhile you can drop a pin anywhere in the radius tool.
Counties in Kentucky
| Name | Population | Sq mi | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 782,969 | 380.8 | 2,056 |
| Fayette County | 322,570 | 283.9 | 1,136 |
| Kenton County | 169,064 | 160.4 | 1,054 |
| Boone County | 135,968 | 246.3 | 552 |
| Warren County | 134,554 | 541.7 | 248 |
| Hardin County | 110,705 | 623.9 | 177 |
| Daviess County | 103,312 | 458.4 | 225 |
| Campbell County | 93,076 | 151.3 | 615 |
| Madison County | 92,701 | 437.9 | 212 |
| Bullitt County | 82,217 | 297.1 | 277 |
| Christian County | 72,748 | 717.7 | 101 |
| McCracken County | 67,875 | 248.8 | 273 |
| Oldham County | 67,607 | 187.3 | 361 |
| Pulaski County | 65,034 | 658.1 | 99 |
| Laurel County | 62,622 | 433.7 | 144 |
| Pike County | 58,669 | 786.2 | 75 |
| Scott County | 57,155 | 282.2 | 203 |
| Jessamine County | 52,991 | 172.1 | 308 |
| Franklin County | 51,541 | 207.9 | 248 |
| Boyd County | 48,252 | 159.9 | 302 |
| Shelby County | 48,059 | 379.8 | 127 |
| Nelson County | 46,738 | 418.7 | 112 |
| Hopkins County | 45,423 | 542.2 | 84 |
| Henderson County | 44,793 | 436.4 | 103 |
| Barren County | 44,485 | 487.4 | 91 |
| Calloway County | 37,119 | 384.8 | 96 |
| Clark County | 36,972 | 252.5 | 146 |
| Whitley County | 36,712 | 437.9 | 84 |
| Graves County | 36,649 | 551.8 | 66 |
| Greenup County | 35,962 | 344.5 | 104 |
| Floyd County | 35,942 | 393.3 | 91 |
| Marshall County | 31,659 | 302.1 | 105 |
| Muhlenberg County | 30,928 | 467.3 | 66 |
| Boyle County | 30,614 | 180.3 | 170 |
| Knox County | 30,184 | 386.3 | 78 |
| Meade County | 29,999 | 305.5 | 98 |
| Perry County | 28,473 | 339.7 | 84 |
| Montgomery County | 28,114 | 197.4 | 142 |
| Logan County | 27,432 | 552.2 | 50 |
| Woodford County | 26,871 | 189.6 | 142 |
| Harlan County | 26,831 | 465.8 | 58 |
| Carter County | 26,623 | 409.5 | 65 |
| Grayson County | 26,420 | 499.5 | 53 |
| Taylor County | 26,048 | 266.4 | 98 |
| Grant County | 24,941 | 258.0 | 97 |
| Rowan County | 24,662 | 279.9 | 88 |
| Lincoln County | 24,275 | 332.9 | 73 |
| Bell County | 24,097 | 359.0 | 67 |
| Anderson County | 23,852 | 202.3 | 118 |
| Ohio County | 23,772 | 587.1 | 40 |
| Johnson County | 22,680 | 262.0 | 87 |
| Mercer County | 22,641 | 249.4 | 91 |
| Letcher County | 21,548 | 337.9 | 64 |
| Allen County | 20,591 | 343.7 | 60 |
| Breckinridge County | 20,436 | 569.7 | 36 |
| Clay County | 20,345 | 469.3 | 43 |
| Bourbon County | 20,252 | 289.7 | 70 |
| Simpson County | 19,594 | 234.2 | 84 |
| Marion County | 19,574 | 343.6 | 57 |
| Wayne County | 19,555 | 458.0 | 43 |
| Spencer County | 19,496 | 186.7 | 104 |
| Hart County | 19,287 | 412.7 | 47 |
| Adair County | 18,903 | 405.3 | 47 |
| Harrison County | 18,692 | 306.5 | 61 |
| Russell County | 17,991 | 253.3 | 71 |
| Mason County | 17,120 | 240.1 | 71 |
| Garrard County | 16,953 | 229.9 | 74 |
| McCreary County | 16,888 | 426.7 | 40 |
| Lawrence County | 16,302 | 415.6 | 39 |
| Rockcastle County | 16,037 | 316.6 | 51 |
| Casey County | 15,941 | 444.3 | 36 |
| Henry County | 15,678 | 286.3 | 55 |
| Fleming County | 15,082 | 348.7 | 43 |
| Larue County | 14,846 | 261.0 | 57 |
| Pendleton County | 14,644 | 277.1 | 53 |
| Knott County | 14,251 | 351.5 | 41 |
| Estill County | 14,156 | 253.1 | 56 |
| Trigg County | 14,061 | 441.4 | 32 |
| Morgan County | 13,726 | 381.1 | 36 |
| Breathitt County | 13,718 | 492.4 | 28 |
| Union County | 13,668 | 342.9 | 40 |
| Powell County | 13,136 | 179.0 | 73 |
| Lewis County | 13,085 | 482.9 | 27 |
| Webster County | 13,017 | 332.0 | 39 |
| Jackson County | 12,955 | 345.2 | 38 |
| Bath County | 12,750 | 278.0 | 46 |
| Caldwell County | 12,649 | 344.8 | 37 |
| Butler County | 12,371 | 426.1 | 29 |
| Todd County | 12,243 | 374.5 | 33 |
| Edmonson County | 12,127 | 302.8 | 40 |
| Washington County | 12,027 | 297.3 | 40 |
| Magoffin County | 11,637 | 308.4 | 38 |
| Monroe County | 11,332 | 329.5 | 34 |
| Martin County | 11,287 | 229.6 | 49 |
| Owen County | 11,278 | 350.5 | 32 |
| Green County | 11,107 | 286.0 | 39 |
| Carroll County | 10,810 | 128.7 | 84 |
| Leslie County | 10,513 | 400.9 | 26 |
| Metcalfe County | 10,286 | 289.7 | 36 |
| Clinton County | 9,253 | 197.1 | 47 |
| McLean County | 9,152 | 252.5 | 36 |
| Hancock County | 9,095 | 187.7 | 48 |
| Crittenden County | 8,990 | 359.6 | 25 |
| Livingston County | 8,888 | 313.0 | 28 |
| Gallatin County | 8,690 | 98.3 | 88 |
| Lyon County | 8,680 | 213.8 | 41 |
| Trimble County | 8,474 | 147.8 | 57 |
| Bracken County | 8,400 | 202.7 | 41 |
| Ballard County | 7,728 | 247.1 | 31 |
| Nicholas County | 7,537 | 195.3 | 39 |
| Lee County | 7,395 | 208.8 | 35 |
| Elliott County | 7,353 | 234.3 | 31 |
| Wolfe County | 6,562 | 222.2 | 30 |
| Fulton County | 6,495 | 205.9 | 32 |
| Menifee County | 6,113 | 203.5 | 30 |
| Cumberland County | 5,891 | 305.1 | 19 |
| Carlisle County | 4,826 | 189.5 | 25 |
| Hickman County | 4,521 | 242.3 | 19 |
| Owsley County | 4,051 | 197.4 | 21 |
| Robertson County | 2,193 | 99.6 | 22 |
Largest cities in Kentucky
| Name | Population | Sq mi | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY | 386,592 | 263.2 | 1,469 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 322,570 | 283.9 | 1,136 |
| Louisville, KY | 246,325 | 61.5 | 4,006 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 72,284 | 41.0 | 1,763 |
| Owensboro, KY | 60,236 | 20.7 | 2,906 |
| Covington, KY | 40,944 | 13.2 | 3,110 |
| Georgetown, KY | 37,134 | 17.3 | 2,146 |
| Richmond, KY | 34,628 | 21.1 | 1,644 |
| Florence, KY | 31,989 | 11.2 | 2,863 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 31,578 | 27.6 | 1,144 |
| Hopkinsville, KY | 31,205 | 31.8 | 980 |
| Nicholasville, KY | 31,168 | 14.8 | 2,105 |
Showing the 12 most populous of 555 — the rest are shown on the map.
Related places
About this page
This page shows demographics for a US state from the 2020 census and the American Community Survey: population, land area, density, and how the state compares to national averages for income, housing, age, and more.
Use the links below to drill into the state's counties and largest cities, or open any point of the state in the radius tool to measure the population within a distance or drive time.