Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by population density

Jefferson County had the highest population density of 120 counties in 2023, at 795.4 inhabitants per km². Hickman County had the lowest, at 7.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 23 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Kentucky was 44.5 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest795.4Jefferson County
Lowest7.1Hickman County
Median23120 counties
Kentucky44.5History

Top 40 counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 795.4 inhabitants per km²795.4Fayette CountyFayette County: 439.9 inhabitants per km²439.9Kenton CountyKenton County: 414.5 inhabitants per km²414.5Campbell CountyCampbell County: 239.5 inhabitants per km²239.5Boone CountyBoone County: 221.7 inhabitants per km²221.7Oldham CountyOldham County: 145 inhabitants per km²145Jessamine CountyJessamine County: 124.2 inhabitants per km²124.2Boyd CountyBoyd County: 115.6 inhabitants per km²115.6Bullitt CountyBullitt County: 110.5 inhabitants per km²110.5McCracken CountyMcCracken County: 104.8 inhabitants per km²104.8Warren CountyWarren County: 102.1 inhabitants per km²102.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 96.3 inhabitants per km²96.3Daviess CountyDaviess County: 87.4 inhabitants per km²87.4Madison CountyMadison County: 86 inhabitants per km²86Scott CountyScott County: 83 inhabitants per km²83Hardin CountyHardin County: 69.5 inhabitants per km²69.5Boyle CountyBoyle County: 66.5 inhabitants per km²66.5Clark CountyClark County: 57.1 inhabitants per km²57.1Laurel CountyLaurel County: 56.4 inhabitants per km²56.4Woodford CountyWoodford County: 56.1 inhabitants per km²56.1Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 55.8 inhabitants per km²55.8Shelby CountyShelby County: 50.5 inhabitants per km²50.5Anderson CountyAnderson County: 47 inhabitants per km²47Nelson CountyNelson County: 44.2 inhabitants per km²44.2Spencer CountySpencer County: 42.4 inhabitants per km²42.4Marshall CountyMarshall County: 40.5 inhabitants per km²40.5Greenup CountyGreenup County: 39.6 inhabitants per km²39.6Henderson CountyHenderson County: 39.1 inhabitants per km²39.1Pulaski CountyPulaski County: 38.9 inhabitants per km²38.9Calloway CountyCalloway County: 38.6 inhabitants per km²38.6Taylor CountyTaylor County: 38.5 inhabitants per km²38.5Grant CountyGrant County: 38.4 inhabitants per km²38.4Christian CountyChristian County: 38.3 inhabitants per km²38.3Meade CountyMeade County: 38.2 inhabitants per km²38.2Mercer CountyMercer County: 35.9 inhabitants per km²35.9Barren CountyBarren County: 35.7 inhabitants per km²35.7Gallatin CountyGallatin County: 34.5 inhabitants per km²34.5Floyd CountyFloyd County: 34.4 inhabitants per km²34.4Rowan CountyRowan County: 33.8 inhabitants per km²33.8Simpson CountySimpson County: 33.4 inhabitants per km²33.4
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2022
1Jefferson County795.4+0.7%
2Fayette County439.9+0.6%
3Kenton County414.5+1%
4Campbell County239.5+0.6%
5Boone County221.7+1.4%
6Oldham County145+1.1%
7Jessamine County124.2+1.9%
8Boyd County115.6-0.4%
9Bullitt County110.5+1.3%
10McCracken County104.8+0.3%
11Warren County102.1+2%
12Franklin County96.3+0.1%
13Daviess County87.4+0.4%
14Madison County86+2.4%
15Scott County83+2%
16Hardin County69.5+0.5%
17Boyle County66.5+0.7%
18Clark County57.1+0.9%
19Laurel County56.4+0.7%
20Woodford County56.1+1.3%
21Montgomery County55.8+0.6%
22Shelby County50.5+1.6%
23Anderson County47+1.4%
24Nelson County44.2+1%
25Spencer County42.4+1.5%
26Marshall County40.5-0.2%
27Greenup County39.6-0.2%
28Henderson County39.1+0.4%
29Pulaski County38.9+0.7%
30Calloway County38.6+1.1%
31Taylor County38.5+0.5%
32Grant County38.4+0.6%
33Christian County38.3-1.3%
34Meade County38.2+0.5%
35Mercer County35.9+1%
36Barren County35.7+0.5%
37Gallatin County34.50%
38Floyd County34.4-1.5%
39Rowan County33.8+0.2%
40Simpson County33.4+1.6%
41Carroll County33+0.4%
42Johnson County32.6-0.4%
43Whitley County32.5-0.1%
44Hopkins County32+0.1%
45Perry County30.8-1.1%
46Garrard County30+1.6%
47Knox County29.7-0.1%
48Lincoln County28.8+1.6%
49Powell County28-0.6%
50Russell County28+1%
51Pike County27.5-0.6%
52Mason County27.10%
53Bourbon County26.9+0.3%
54Graves County25.6+0.1%
55Muhlenberg County25.2-0.5%
56Bell County25-1.1%
57Carter County24.8-0%
58Allen County24.5+2.7%
59Harrison County24.4+1.7%
60Letcher County23.4-1.7%
61Larue County22.7+1%
62Trimble County22.6+1.3%
63Marion County22.3+0.7%
64Henry County21.6+1.6%
65Estill County21.2-0.4%
66Harlan County21-1.2%
67Grayson County20.8+0.9%
68Pendleton County20.6+0.8%
69Logan County19.8+1.5%
70Rockcastle County19.7-0.3%
71Hart County18.5+0.8%
72Martin County18.4-1.5%
73Hancock County18.4-1.2%
74Adair County18.4+1%
75Bath County18+1.3%
76Clinton County18+0.6%
77Fleming County17.1+1.1%
78Lyon County16.6+0.8%
79Wayne County16.5-0.2%
80Clay County16.2-1.1%
81Bracken County16-0.1%
82Washington County15.9+1.7%
83Edmonson County15.9+1.3%
84Ohio County15.6+0.9%
85McCreary County15.5+1.8%
86Green County15.5+0.8%
87Nicholas County15.2-1%
88Knott County15-1.4%
89Lawrence County14.8-0.4%
90Webster County14.8+0.1%
91Union County14.7-0.3%
92Jackson County14.7+1.2%
93Morgan County14.6+1.5%
94Breckinridge County14.3+0.9%
95Caldwell County14.1-0.2%
96Magoffin County14.1-0.9%
97Metcalfe County14+1.1%
98Casey County13.8+0.2%
99McLean County13.8-0.7%
100Lee County13.5+0.6%
101Monroe County13.2-0.6%
102Todd County13+1.2%
103Trigg County12.6+0.2%
104Owen County12.5+0.2%
105Elliott County12-0.4%
106Fulton County11.9-0.5%
107Menifee County11.9+1%
108Ballard County11.9-0.3%
109Butler County11.3+0.4%
110Livingston County11-0.4%
111Wolfe County11-1.5%
112Lewis County10.4+0.6%
113Breathitt County10.1-3.1%
114Carlisle County9.7+0.4%
115Crittenden County9.7+0.2%
116Leslie County9.5-1.7%
117Robertson County9+3.2%
118Owsley County7.8+1.2%
119Cumberland County7.6+0.6%
120Hickman County7.1+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 795.4 inhabitants per km² in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Hickman County, with 7.1 inhabitants per km² in 2023.

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