Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by population density

Jefferson County had the highest population density of 120 counties in 2022, at 789.8 inhabitants per km². Hickman County had the lowest, at 7 inhabitants per km². The median was 23.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Kentucky was 44.2 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest789.8Jefferson County
Lowest7Hickman County
Median23.1120 counties
Kentucky44.2History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 789.8 inhabitants per km²789.8Fayette CountyFayette County: 437.1 inhabitants per km²437.1Kenton CountyKenton County: 410.3 inhabitants per km²410.3Campbell CountyCampbell County: 238.1 inhabitants per km²238.1Boone CountyBoone County: 218.6 inhabitants per km²218.6Oldham CountyOldham County: 143.4 inhabitants per km²143.4Jessamine CountyJessamine County: 121.9 inhabitants per km²121.9Boyd CountyBoyd County: 116.1 inhabitants per km²116.1Bullitt CountyBullitt County: 109.1 inhabitants per km²109.1McCracken CountyMcCracken County: 104.6 inhabitants per km²104.6Warren CountyWarren County: 100.1 inhabitants per km²100.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 96.2 inhabitants per km²96.2Daviess CountyDaviess County: 87.1 inhabitants per km²87.1Madison CountyMadison County: 84 inhabitants per km²84Scott CountyScott County: 81.4 inhabitants per km²81.4Hardin CountyHardin County: 69.2 inhabitants per km²69.2Boyle CountyBoyle County: 66 inhabitants per km²66Clark CountyClark County: 56.6 inhabitants per km²56.6Laurel CountyLaurel County: 56 inhabitants per km²56Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 55.5 inhabitants per km²55.5Woodford CountyWoodford County: 55.3 inhabitants per km²55.3Shelby CountyShelby County: 49.7 inhabitants per km²49.7Anderson CountyAnderson County: 46.4 inhabitants per km²46.4Nelson CountyNelson County: 43.7 inhabitants per km²43.7Spencer CountySpencer County: 41.8 inhabitants per km²41.8Marshall CountyMarshall County: 40.6 inhabitants per km²40.6Greenup CountyGreenup County: 39.6 inhabitants per km²39.6Henderson CountyHenderson County: 39 inhabitants per km²39Christian CountyChristian County: 38.9 inhabitants per km²38.9Pulaski CountyPulaski County: 38.6 inhabitants per km²38.6Taylor CountyTaylor County: 38.3 inhabitants per km²38.3Calloway CountyCalloway County: 38.2 inhabitants per km²38.2Grant CountyGrant County: 38.1 inhabitants per km²38.1Meade CountyMeade County: 38 inhabitants per km²38Barren CountyBarren County: 35.5 inhabitants per km²35.5Mercer CountyMercer County: 35.5 inhabitants per km²35.5Floyd CountyFloyd County: 34.9 inhabitants per km²34.9Gallatin CountyGallatin County: 34.5 inhabitants per km²34.5Rowan CountyRowan County: 33.7 inhabitants per km²33.7Simpson CountySimpson County: 32.9 inhabitants per km²32.9
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2021
1Jefferson County789.8+0.2%
2Fayette County437.1+0.3%
3Kenton County410.3+0.5%
4Campbell County238.1+0.5%
5Boone County218.6+1.2%
6Oldham County143.4+1.8%
7Jessamine County121.9+1.3%
8Boyd County116.1+0.6%
9Bullitt County109.1+1%
10McCracken County104.6-0.3%
11Warren County100.1+2.4%
12Franklin County96.20%
13Daviess County87.1+0.2%
14Madison County84+1.9%
15Scott County81.4+1.7%
16Hardin County69.2-0.1%
17Boyle County66+0.8%
18Clark County56.6+0.4%
19Laurel County56+0.5%
20Montgomery County55.5+0.4%
21Woodford County55.3+0.3%
22Shelby County49.7+0.7%
23Anderson County46.4+0.8%
24Nelson County43.7+0.6%
25Spencer County41.8+1.6%
26Marshall County40.6-0.1%
27Greenup County39.6-0.8%
28Henderson County39-0.8%
29Christian County38.9-1.3%
30Pulaski County38.6+0.4%
31Taylor County38.3+0.9%
32Calloway County38.2+0.6%
33Grant County38.1+0.7%
34Meade County38-0.3%
35Barren County35.5+0.6%
36Mercer County35.5+0.3%
37Floyd County34.9+0.6%
38Gallatin County34.5+0.4%
39Rowan County33.7-0.6%
40Simpson County32.9+1%
41Carroll County32.8+0.4%
42Johnson County32.8-1.5%
43Whitley County32.6+0.4%
44Hopkins County32-0.6%
45Perry County31.1-2%
46Knox County29.7-1%
47Garrard County29.5+1.2%
48Lincoln County28.3+0.6%
49Powell County28.2-0.2%
50Russell County27.70%
51Pike County27.7-2%
52Mason County27.1-0.5%
53Bourbon County26.9-0.5%
54Graves County25.6-0.4%
55Muhlenberg County25.4+1.2%
56Bell County25.3-1.1%
57Carter County24.8-0.5%
58Harrison County24+0.6%
59Allen County23.9+2%
60Letcher County23.8-2%
61Larue County22.4+0.9%
62Trimble County22.3-0.4%
63Marion County22.20%
64Estill County21.3-0.7%
65Harlan County21.2-2%
66Henry County21.2+0.1%
67Grayson County20.6+0.2%
68Pendleton County20.4+0.3%
69Rockcastle County19.8+0.4%
70Logan County19.5+0.2%
71Martin County18.7-0.6%
72Hancock County18.6-0.4%
73Hart County18.3+0.6%
74Adair County18.2+0.8%
75Clinton County17.9-1.6%
76Bath County17.8+0.2%
77Fleming County16.9-0.1%
78Wayne County16.6+0.6%
79Lyon County16.4+8%
80Clay County16.4-1.4%
81Bracken County16.1-0.2%
82Edmonson County15.7+0.6%
83Washington County15.7-0.1%
84Ohio County15.5-0.7%
85Nicholas County15.4+0.5%
86Green County15.3+0.4%
87Knott County15.2-1.4%
88McCreary County15.2-0%
89Lawrence County14.9-1.3%
90Webster County14.8-1%
91Union County14.8-1%
92Jackson County14.5+0.1%
93Morgan County14.4+3.5%
94Breckinridge County14.2+1.3%
95Magoffin County14.2-1.5%
96Caldwell County14.1-0.6%
97McLean County13.9-0.1%
98Metcalfe County13.9+0.1%
99Casey County13.8-0.2%
100Lee County13.4-2.7%
101Monroe County13.3+0.5%
102Todd County12.8+1%
103Trigg County12.5+0.8%
104Owen County12.4-0.1%
105Elliott County12-0.9%
106Fulton County12-1.5%
107Ballard County11.9-0.7%
108Menifee County11.8+0.7%
109Butler County11.2+0.6%
110Wolfe County11.1-1.4%
111Livingston County11.1-0.2%
112Breathitt County10.5-1.6%
113Lewis County10.3-0.5%
114Leslie County9.7-2.3%
115Crittenden County9.6+0.3%
116Carlisle County9.6-0.8%
117Robertson County8.7-0.3%
118Owsley County7.7-0.8%
119Cumberland County7.5+0.7%
120Hickman County7-0.3%

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 789.8 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Hickman County, with 7 inhabitants per km² in 2022.

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