Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Kentucky

Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Somerset, KY had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 42 cities in 2024, at 27.2%. Mount Washington, KY had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 17% and the figure for Kentucky was 16.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.2Somerset, KY
Lowest5.3Mount Washington, KY
Median1742 cities
Kentucky16.1History

All cities, 2024

Somerset, KY: 27.2 %Somerset, KY27.2Bowling Green, KY: 25.6 %Bowling Green, KY25.6Murray, KY: 24.1 %Murray, KY24.1Campbellsville, KY: 23.4 %Campbellsville, KY23.4Madisonville, KY: 23.3 %Madisonville, KY23.3Ashland, KY: 22.4 %Ashland, KY22.4Paducah, KY: 22.3 %Paducah, KY22.3Glasgow, KY: 21.9 %Glasgow, KY21.9Shepherdsville, KY: 21.5 %Shepherdsville, KY21.5Covington, KY: 20.8 %Covington, KY20.8Newport, KY: 20.8 %Newport, KY20.8Richmond, KY: 19.5 %Richmond, KY19.5Hopkinsville, KY: 19.3 %Hopkinsville, KY19.3Frankfort, KY: 19.1 %Frankfort, KY19.1Owensboro, KY: 18.9 %Owensboro, KY18.9Henderson, KY: 18.7 %Henderson, KY18.7Berea, KY: 17.9 %Berea, KY17.9Danville, KY: 17.5 %Danville, KY17.5Winchester, KY: 17.3 %Winchester, KY17.3Franklin, KY: 17.1 %Franklin, KY17.1Elizabethtown, KY: 17 %Elizabethtown, KY17Paris, KY: 16.9 %Paris, KY16.9Versailles, KY: 16.4 %Versailles, KY16.4Radcliff, KY: 16 %Radcliff, KY16Louisville, KY: 15.9 %Louisville, KY15.9Lexington, KY: 14.9 %Lexington, KY14.9Shively, KY: 14.7 %Shively, KY14.7Bardstown, KY: 14.7 %Bardstown, KY14.7Shelbyville, KY: 14.5 %Shelbyville, KY14.5Erlanger, KY: 13.7 %Erlanger, KY13.7Nicholasville, KY: 13.1 %Nicholasville, KY13.1Georgetown, KY: 12.1 %Georgetown, KY12.1Lawrenceburg, KY: 12 %Lawrenceburg, KY12Florence, KY: 9.5 %Florence, KY9.5Lyndon, KY: 9.2 %Lyndon, KY9.2Independence, KY: 8.8 %Independence, KY8.8La Grange, KY: 8 %La Grange, KY8Alexandria, KY: 7.7 %Alexandria, KY7.7St. Matthews, KY: 7.2 %St. Matthews, KY7.2Jeffersontown, KY: 6.5 %Jeffersontown, KY6.5Fort Thomas, KY: 6.2 %Fort Thomas, KY6.2Mount Washington, KY: 5.3 %Mount Washington, KY5.3Somerset, KY: 27.2 %Somerset, KY27.2Bowling Green, KY: 25.6 %Bowling Green, KY25.6Murray, KY: 24.1 %Murray, KY24.1Campbellsville, KY: 23.4 %Campbellsville, KY23.4Madisonville, KY: 23.3 %Madisonville, KY23.3Ashland, KY: 22.4 %Ashland, KY22.4Paducah, KY: 22.3 %Paducah, KY22.3Glasgow, KY: 21.9 %Glasgow, KY21.9Shepherdsville, KY: 21.5 %Shepherdsville, KY21.5Covington, KY: 20.8 %Covington, KY20.8Newport, KY: 20.8 %Newport, KY20.8Richmond, KY: 19.5 %Richmond, KY19.5Hopkinsville, KY: 19.3 %Hopkinsville, KY19.3Frankfort, KY: 19.1 %Frankfort, KY19.1Owensboro, KY: 18.9 %Owensboro, KY18.9Henderson, KY: 18.7 %Henderson, KY18.7Berea, KY: 17.9 %Berea, KY17.9Danville, KY: 17.5 %Danville, KY17.5Winchester, KY: 17.3 %Winchester, KY17.3Franklin, KY: 17.1 %Franklin, KY17.1Elizabethtown, KY: 17 %Elizabethtown, KY17Paris, KY: 16.9 %Paris, KY16.9Versailles, KY: 16.4 %Versailles, KY16.4Radcliff, KY: 16 %Radcliff, KY16Louisville, KY: 15.9 %Louisville, KY15.9Lexington, KY: 14.9 %Lexington, KY14.9Shively, KY: 14.7 %Shively, KY14.7Bardstown, KY: 14.7 %Bardstown, KY14.7Shelbyville, KY: 14.5 %Shelbyville, KY14.5Erlanger, KY: 13.7 %Erlanger, KY13.7Nicholasville, KY: 13.1 %Nicholasville, KY13.1Georgetown, KY: 12.1 %Georgetown, KY12.1Lawrenceburg, KY: 12 %Lawrenceburg, KY12Florence, KY: 9.5 %Florence, KY9.5Lyndon, KY: 9.2 %Lyndon, KY9.2Independence, KY: 8.8 %Independence, KY8.8La Grange, KY: 8 %La Grange, KY8Alexandria, KY: 7.7 %Alexandria, KY7.7St. Matthews, KY: 7.2 %St. Matthews, KY7.2Jeffersontown, KY: 6.5 %Jeffersontown, KY6.5Fort Thomas, KY: 6.2 %Fort Thomas, KY6.2Mount Washington, KY: 5.3 %Mount Washington, KY5.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Somerset, KY27.2-1.5 pts
2Bowling Green, KY25.6+0.2 pts
3Murray, KY24.1-0.8 pts
4Campbellsville, KY23.4-0.8 pts
5Madisonville, KY23.3+2.4 pts
6Ashland, KY22.4-0.4 pts
7Paducah, KY22.3+0.8 pts
8Glasgow, KY21.9-1.1 pts
9Shepherdsville, KY21.5+0.9 pts
10Covington, KY20.8-1 pts
11Newport, KY20.8+3.1 pts
12Richmond, KY19.5-2.1 pts
13Hopkinsville, KY19.3-0.8 pts
14Frankfort, KY19.1+0.4 pts
15Owensboro, KY18.9-1 pts
16Henderson, KY18.7-1.1 pts
17Berea, KY17.9-1.6 pts
18Danville, KY17.5+2.4 pts
19Winchester, KY17.3+1.4 pts
20Franklin, KY17.1-0.3 pts
21Elizabethtown, KY17+1.3 pts
22Paris, KY16.9+0.1 pts
23Versailles, KY16.4-0.5 pts
24Radcliff, KY16+2.7 pts
25Louisville, KY15.9-0.3 pts
26Lexington, KY14.9-0.8 pts
27Shively, KY14.7-2.8 pts
28Bardstown, KY14.7+3.5 pts
29Shelbyville, KY14.5+2.9 pts
30Erlanger, KY13.7+2.6 pts
31Nicholasville, KY13.1+0.6 pts
32Georgetown, KY12.1-0 pts
33Lawrenceburg, KY12+0.2 pts
34Florence, KY9.5-0.2 pts
35Lyndon, KY9.2+1.3 pts
36Independence, KY8.8+0.3 pts
37La Grange, KY8-0.4 pts
38Alexandria, KY7.7+1.3 pts
39St. Matthews, KY7.2-0.8 pts
40Jeffersontown, KY6.5-0.3 pts
41Fort Thomas, KY6.2+1.3 pts
42Mount Washington, KY5.3+0.7 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_kentucky_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Kentucky by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/kentucky-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Somerset, KY, with 27.2% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Mount Washington, KY, with 5.3% 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, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Kentucky: more rankings