Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by population density

Jefferson County had the highest population density of 120 counties in 2021, at 788.5 inhabitants per km². Hickman County had the lowest, at 7.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 22.9 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Kentucky was 44.1 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest788.5Jefferson County
Lowest7.1Hickman County
Median22.9120 counties
Kentucky44.1History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 788.5 inhabitants per km²788.5Fayette CountyFayette County: 435.9 inhabitants per km²435.9Kenton CountyKenton County: 408.4 inhabitants per km²408.4Campbell CountyCampbell County: 236.9 inhabitants per km²236.9Boone CountyBoone County: 215.9 inhabitants per km²215.9Oldham CountyOldham County: 140.8 inhabitants per km²140.8Jessamine CountyJessamine County: 120.3 inhabitants per km²120.3Boyd CountyBoyd County: 115.3 inhabitants per km²115.3Bullitt CountyBullitt County: 108 inhabitants per km²108McCracken CountyMcCracken County: 104.9 inhabitants per km²104.9Warren CountyWarren County: 97.8 inhabitants per km²97.8Franklin CountyFranklin County: 96.2 inhabitants per km²96.2Daviess CountyDaviess County: 86.8 inhabitants per km²86.8Madison CountyMadison County: 82.4 inhabitants per km²82.4Scott CountyScott County: 80 inhabitants per km²80Hardin CountyHardin County: 69.2 inhabitants per km²69.2Boyle CountyBoyle County: 65.5 inhabitants per km²65.5Clark CountyClark County: 56.4 inhabitants per km²56.4Laurel CountyLaurel County: 55.7 inhabitants per km²55.7Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 55.2 inhabitants per km²55.2Woodford CountyWoodford County: 55.2 inhabitants per km²55.2Shelby CountyShelby County: 49.4 inhabitants per km²49.4Anderson CountyAnderson County: 46 inhabitants per km²46Nelson CountyNelson County: 43.5 inhabitants per km²43.5Spencer CountySpencer County: 41.1 inhabitants per km²41.1Marshall CountyMarshall County: 40.7 inhabitants per km²40.7Greenup CountyGreenup County: 40 inhabitants per km²40Christian CountyChristian County: 39.4 inhabitants per km²39.4Henderson CountyHenderson County: 39.3 inhabitants per km²39.3Pulaski CountyPulaski County: 38.5 inhabitants per km²38.5Meade CountyMeade County: 38.1 inhabitants per km²38.1Calloway CountyCalloway County: 38 inhabitants per km²38Taylor CountyTaylor County: 38 inhabitants per km²38Grant CountyGrant County: 37.9 inhabitants per km²37.9Mercer CountyMercer County: 35.4 inhabitants per km²35.4Barren CountyBarren County: 35.3 inhabitants per km²35.3Floyd CountyFloyd County: 34.6 inhabitants per km²34.6Gallatin CountyGallatin County: 34.4 inhabitants per km²34.4Rowan CountyRowan County: 33.9 inhabitants per km²33.9Johnson CountyJohnson County: 33.2 inhabitants per km²33.2
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2020
1Jefferson County788.5-0.7%
2Fayette County435.9-0.7%
3Kenton County408.4+0.2%
4Campbell County236.9-0.3%
5Boone County215.9+0.9%
6Oldham County140.8+0.9%
7Jessamine County120.3+1.1%
8Boyd County115.3-0.9%
9Bullitt County108+0.9%
10McCracken County104.9-0.5%
11Warren County97.8+1.6%
12Franklin County96.2+0.4%
13Daviess County86.8-0.3%
14Madison County82.4+0.5%
15Scott County80+1.6%
16Hardin County69.2+0.9%
17Boyle County65.5-0.5%
18Clark County56.4-0.4%
19Laurel County55.7-0.2%
20Montgomery County55.2+0.4%
21Woodford County55.2+0.7%
22Shelby County49.4+0.7%
23Anderson County46+0.9%
24Nelson County43.5+0.8%
25Spencer County41.1+1.9%
26Marshall County40.7+0.4%
27Greenup County40-0.6%
28Christian County39.4+0.6%
29Henderson County39.3-0.6%
30Pulaski County38.5+0.7%
31Meade County38.1+0.4%
32Calloway County38+0.8%
33Taylor County38+0.8%
34Grant County37.9+1.1%
35Mercer County35.4+0.9%
36Barren County35.3+0.2%
37Floyd County34.6-1.4%
38Gallatin County34.4+0.8%
39Rowan County33.9-0.6%
40Johnson County33.2-0.4%
41Carroll County32.7+0.6%
42Simpson County32.5+0.6%
43Whitley County32.5+0.3%
44Hopkins County32.1-0.5%
45Perry County31.7-1.6%
46Knox County30-0.6%
47Garrard County29.2+2.4%
48Powell County28.2-0%
49Pike County28.2-1.6%
50Lincoln County28.10%
51Russell County27.7+0.9%
52Mason County27.3-1.1%
53Bourbon County27-0.3%
54Graves County25.7+0.4%
55Bell County25.6-0.8%
56Muhlenberg County25.1-1.8%
57Carter County24.9-0.6%
58Letcher County24.3-1.1%
59Harrison County23.9+1.3%
60Allen County23.4+1.3%
61Trimble County22.3+1%
62Larue County22.2+1%
63Marion County22.2+0.7%
64Harlan County21.7-2.3%
65Estill County21.5-0.5%
66Henry County21.2+0.1%
67Grayson County20.5+0.5%
68Pendleton County20.4-0.1%
69Rockcastle County19.7+0.5%
70Logan County19.4+1.1%
71Martin County18.8-0.8%
72Hancock County18.7-0.3%
73Hart County18.2+0.9%
74Clinton County18.2+0.6%
75Adair County18+0.2%
76Bath County17.8+0.7%
77Fleming County16.9+1.1%
78Clay County16.6-0.7%
79Wayne County16.5-0%
80Bracken County16.1+0.5%
81Washington County15.7+0.3%
82Ohio County15.6-0.1%
83Edmonson County15.6+0.7%
84Knott County15.4-0.8%
85Nicholas County15.3+2.5%
86Green County15.3+1.7%
87Lyon County15.2-2.8%
88McCreary County15.2-0.2%
89Lawrence County15.1-0.2%
90Webster County14.9-1.3%
91Union County14.9-2.8%
92Jackson County14.5+0.1%
93Magoffin County14.4-1%
94Caldwell County14.2+0.4%
95Breckinridge County14+1.1%
96McLean County13.9-0.1%
97Morgan County13.9-0.3%
98Metcalfe County13.9+1%
99Casey County13.80%
100Lee County13.8+1.3%
101Monroe County13.2-0.5%
102Todd County12.7+0.1%
103Owen County12.50%
104Trigg County12.4+1%
105Fulton County12.2-0.4%
106Elliott County12.1+0.4%
107Ballard County12-0.3%
108Menifee County11.7+0.6%
109Wolfe County11.3-0.8%
110Butler County11.1-0.1%
111Livingston County11.1+1.2%
112Breathitt County10.6-1.1%
113Lewis County10.4-0.8%
114Leslie County9.9-1.8%
115Carlisle County9.7-0.9%
116Crittenden County9.6-0.6%
117Robertson County8.8+3.4%
118Owsley County7.8-1.5%
119Cumberland County7.5+0.7%
120Hickman County7.1-2.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Jefferson County, with 788.5 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Hickman County, with 7.1 inhabitants per km² in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings