Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by population density

Jefferson County had the highest population density of 120 counties in 2024, at 805.1 inhabitants per km². Hickman County had the lowest, at 7 inhabitants per km². The median was 22.8 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Kentucky was 44.8 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest805.1Jefferson County
Lowest7Hickman County
Median22.8120 counties
Kentucky44.8History

Top 40 counties, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 805.1 inhabitants per km²805.1Fayette CountyFayette County: 444.9 inhabitants per km²444.9Kenton CountyKenton County: 420 inhabitants per km²420Campbell CountyCampbell County: 240 inhabitants per km²240Boone CountyBoone County: 225 inhabitants per km²225Oldham CountyOldham County: 145.5 inhabitants per km²145.5Jessamine CountyJessamine County: 126.3 inhabitants per km²126.3Boyd CountyBoyd County: 115.8 inhabitants per km²115.8Bullitt CountyBullitt County: 111.5 inhabitants per km²111.5McCracken CountyMcCracken County: 105.1 inhabitants per km²105.1Warren CountyWarren County: 104.5 inhabitants per km²104.5Franklin CountyFranklin County: 97.3 inhabitants per km²97.3Daviess CountyDaviess County: 87.8 inhabitants per km²87.8Madison CountyMadison County: 87.8 inhabitants per km²87.8Scott CountyScott County: 84.5 inhabitants per km²84.5Hardin CountyHardin County: 69.7 inhabitants per km²69.7Boyle CountyBoyle County: 67 inhabitants per km²67Clark CountyClark County: 57.6 inhabitants per km²57.6Woodford CountyWoodford County: 56.4 inhabitants per km²56.4Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 56.4 inhabitants per km²56.4Laurel CountyLaurel County: 56.3 inhabitants per km²56.3Shelby CountyShelby County: 51.3 inhabitants per km²51.3Anderson CountyAnderson County: 47.6 inhabitants per km²47.6Nelson CountyNelson County: 44.8 inhabitants per km²44.8Spencer CountySpencer County: 42.8 inhabitants per km²42.8Marshall CountyMarshall County: 40.5 inhabitants per km²40.5Greenup CountyGreenup County: 39.5 inhabitants per km²39.5Pulaski CountyPulaski County: 39.3 inhabitants per km²39.3Henderson CountyHenderson County: 39.2 inhabitants per km²39.2Calloway CountyCalloway County: 39 inhabitants per km²39Taylor CountyTaylor County: 38.9 inhabitants per km²38.9Meade CountyMeade County: 38.5 inhabitants per km²38.5Grant CountyGrant County: 38.5 inhabitants per km²38.5Christian CountyChristian County: 38.4 inhabitants per km²38.4Mercer CountyMercer County: 36.4 inhabitants per km²36.4Barren CountyBarren County: 36 inhabitants per km²36Gallatin CountyGallatin County: 34.4 inhabitants per km²34.4Floyd CountyFloyd County: 34 inhabitants per km²34Rowan CountyRowan County: 33.8 inhabitants per km²33.8Simpson CountySimpson County: 33.7 inhabitants per km²33.7
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2023
1Jefferson County805.1+1.2%
2Fayette County444.9+1.1%
3Kenton County420+1.3%
4Campbell County240+0.2%
5Boone County225+1.5%
6Oldham County145.5+0.4%
7Jessamine County126.3+1.7%
8Boyd County115.8+0.1%
9Bullitt County111.5+0.9%
10McCracken County105.1+0.3%
11Warren County104.5+2.3%
12Franklin County97.3+1.1%
13Daviess County87.8+0.5%
14Madison County87.8+2.1%
15Scott County84.5+1.7%
16Hardin County69.7+0.3%
17Boyle County67+0.8%
18Clark County57.6+0.9%
19Woodford County56.4+0.6%
20Montgomery County56.4+1%
21Laurel County56.3-0.1%
22Shelby County51.3+1.6%
23Anderson County47.6+1.3%
24Nelson County44.8+1.5%
25Spencer County42.8+1%
26Marshall County40.5-0.2%
27Greenup County39.5-0.2%
28Pulaski County39.3+1.1%
29Henderson County39.2+0.3%
30Calloway County39+1%
31Taylor County38.9+0.9%
32Meade County38.5+1%
33Grant County38.5+0.4%
34Christian County38.4+0.2%
35Mercer County36.4+1.4%
36Barren County36+0.8%
37Gallatin County34.4-0.2%
38Floyd County34-1.1%
39Rowan County33.8+0.2%
40Simpson County33.7+0.9%
41Carroll County33.3+1.2%
42Whitley County32.8+0.8%
43Johnson County32.6-0%
44Hopkins County32.1+0.2%
45Perry County30.5-1%
46Garrard County30.1+0.5%
47Knox County29.6-0.1%
48Lincoln County29.1+1.1%
49Russell County28.3+1.1%
50Powell County27.7-0.9%
51Mason County27.2+0.2%
52Pike County27.2-1.2%
53Bourbon County27.1+0.6%
54Graves County25.8+0.6%
55Muhlenberg County25.3+0.1%
56Allen County24.8+1.3%
57Bell County24.7-1.1%
58Carter County24.7-0.4%
59Harrison County24.5+0.4%
60Letcher County23.1-1.2%
61Trimble County22.6+0.1%
62Marion County22.5+0.7%
63Larue County22.4-1%
64Henry County21.9+1.4%
65Estill County21.3+0.2%
66Grayson County21+1.1%
67Harlan County20.8-1%
68Pendleton County20.6+0.1%
69Logan County19.9+0.6%
70Rockcastle County19.8+0.4%
71Hart County18.6+0.9%
72Hancock County18.6+1%
73Adair County18.3-0.2%
74Bath County18-0.1%
75Clinton County18-0.2%
76Martin County18-2.3%
77Fleming County17.3+1.5%
78Wayne County16.5-0.3%
79Lyon County16.4-1.1%
80Edmonson County16.1+1.6%
81Bracken County16.1+0.5%
82Clay County16.1-0.5%
83Washington County16+0.4%
84Ohio County15.7+0.6%
85Green County15.6+0.8%
86Nicholas County15.3+0.8%
87McCreary County15.3-1%
88Webster County15+1%
89Jackson County14.9+1.2%
90Knott County14.8-1.4%
91Union County14.8+0.3%
92Lawrence County14.7-1%
93Morgan County14.4-1%
94Breckinridge County14.4+0.7%
95Caldwell County14.1-0%
96Metcalfe County14+0.2%
97Magoffin County14-0.5%
98Casey County14+0.8%
99McLean County13.9+0.4%
100Lee County13.5-0.1%
101Todd County13.2+1.7%
102Monroe County13.1-0.8%
103Trigg County12.7+1.1%
104Owen County12.6+1.3%
105Menifee County12+0.8%
106Elliott County120%
107Ballard County11.90%
108Fulton County11.7-1.5%
109Butler County11.3+0.4%
110Livingston County10.9-0.8%
111Wolfe County10.9-0.9%
112Lewis County10.3-0.6%
113Breathitt County10-1.4%
114Carlisle County9.7+0.4%
115Crittenden County9.6-0.2%
116Leslie County9.4-1.2%
117Robertson County9.1+1.3%
118Owsley County7.7-1.4%
119Cumberland County7.6+1%
120Hickman County7-0.8%

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 805.1 inhabitants per km² in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Hickman County, with 7 inhabitants per km² in 2024.

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