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Kentucky Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Kentucky had a total population of 4,534,824, with a median household income of $63,726, which is 21% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 16.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Kentucky Quick Facts

Population 4,534,824
Median Household Income $63,726
Median Home Value $205,600
Poverty Rate 16.1%
Unemployment Rate 4.9%
Median Age 39.1 years
Homeownership Rate 68.3%
Affordability Ratio 3.2x
Bachelor's Degree+ 27.6%
High School Graduation 88.9%
Counties 120
Cities/Places 552
Population 4,534,824
Median Income $63,726 21% lower than national
Poverty Rate 16.1%
Unemployment 4.9%

How Kentucky Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population4,510,7254,534,824+0.5%
Median household income$62,417$63,726+2.1%
Median home value$192,300$205,600+6.9%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.6%
$25K-$50K 20.4%
$50K-$100K 29.8%
$100K+ 30.2%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.2%
$10K-$15K
5.2%
$15K-$20K
4.1%
$20K-$25K
4.2%
$25K-$30K
4.1%
$30K-$35K
4.2%
$35K-$40K
4.2%
$40K-$45K
4.1%
$45K-$50K
3.9%
$50K-$60K
7.1%
$60K-$75K
9.9%
$75K-$100K
12.8%
$100K-$125K
9.5%
$125K-$150K
6.4%
$150K-$200K
7.1%
$200K+
7.2%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
59.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.3%
Renter 31.7%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.2x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $967/mo 18.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

33out of 100
Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 33 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in Kentucky

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Louisville/Jefferson County metro government631,818$66,84915.8%
2Lexington-Fayette323,725$69,47914.9%
3Bowling Green75,388$48,87325.6%
4Owensboro60,302$56,35718.9%
5Covington41,110$61,16620.8%
6Georgetown39,117$80,08812.1%
7Richmond37,111$50,87019.5%
8Florence32,803$71,0039.5%
9Elizabethtown32,576$60,76017.0%
10Nicholasville32,197$68,50313.1%

Richest Cities in Kentucky

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Anchorage$199,375$854,20083.8%
2Indian Hills$192,000$699,20084.8%
3Buckner$164,219$425,40056.1%
4Prospect$163,462$538,40074.4%
5Francisville$159,371$398,00056.4%
6Pewee Valley$156,979$545,50055.7%
7Verona$144,507$451,60040.3%
8Elk Creek$144,100$405,00042.8%
9Union$136,712$411,50058.9%
10Windy Hills$130,714$402,00068.8%

Most Affordable Cities in Kentucky

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Providence1.1x$60,300$55,121
2Westwood1.3x$92,200$73,511
3Muldraugh1.3x$76,700$60,508
4Annville1.5x$86,600$56,250
5Wurtland1.6x$95,000$60,972
6Fulton1.6x$56,300$36,040
7Earlington1.7x$64,000$38,194
8Morganfield1.7x$113,600$65,829
9Hartford1.7x$106,900$61,445
10Dixon1.8x$82,500$46,607

Explore Kentucky Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in Kentucky (120)

120 results
Jefferson County783,022$69,86614.3%$248,400
Fayette County323,725$69,47914.9%$293,500
Kenton County171,288$80,54811.8%$244,400
Warren County140,918$65,79417.0%$258,000
Boone County139,841$99,4146.3%$277,300
Hardin County111,942$67,64713.1%$225,800
Daviess County103,648$68,21414.7%$199,900
Madison County95,769$63,35115.1%$232,000
Campbell County93,426$77,56711.1%$252,000
Bullitt County84,027$80,5589.7%$247,200
Christian County72,069$55,49417.1%$173,600
Oldham County69,257$122,4974.3%$393,100
McCracken County67,564$64,37315.2%$188,100
Pulaski County65,897$51,89819.7%$166,900
Laurel County62,983$57,77120.5%$159,500
Scott County59,536$85,15810.6%$288,500
Pike County56,727$44,31224.4%$112,000
Jessamine County54,588$74,57611.3%$268,100
Franklin County51,842$65,29813.6%$216,600
Shelby County49,096$82,6049.7%$304,800
Boyd County47,911$61,11817.0%$130,700
Nelson County47,606$69,56210.8%$238,000
Hopkins County45,119$56,81520.0%$142,800
Barren County44,938$50,62819.4%$178,000
Henderson County44,280$58,85114.6%$171,900
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All Cities & Places in Kentucky (552)

552 results
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government631,818$66,84915.8%$233,900
Lexington-Fayette323,725$69,47914.9%$293,500
Bowling Green75,388$48,87325.6%$241,900
Owensboro60,302$56,35718.9%$178,900
Covington41,110$61,16620.8%$187,300
Georgetown39,117$80,08812.1%$265,400
Richmond37,111$50,87019.5%$214,900
Florence32,803$71,0039.5%$210,700
Elizabethtown32,576$60,76017.0%$245,900
Nicholasville32,197$68,50313.1%$226,800
Hopkinsville30,906$49,13919.3%$172,100
Independence29,392$102,3618.8%$263,700
Jeffersontown29,199$81,5066.5%$250,700
Frankfort28,503$53,07319.1%$183,700
Henderson27,852$48,18618.7%$160,100
Paducah26,845$49,91522.3%$165,300
Radcliff22,864$58,55916.0%$169,600
Ashland21,295$52,71522.4%$125,000
Erlanger19,875$75,84013.7%$209,000
Madisonville19,515$53,86023.3%$164,100
Winchester19,213$54,37817.3%$188,300
Mount Washington18,480$96,2395.3%$268,200
Murray18,080$44,09124.1%$195,000
Burlington18,008$109,3085.5%$254,300
Shelbyville17,668$75,61014.5%$257,100
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Download Kentucky Data

Free CSV downloads of Kentucky demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

Kentucky has a total population of 4,534,824, making it a mid-sized state in the nation. The median age is 39.1 years, about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kentucky is 39.1 years. This is about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kentucky is $63,726. This is 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.1%. This is 29% higher than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 7% lower than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $205,600. Housing costs are 38% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kentucky is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.0%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

27.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Kentucky come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Kentucky?

Kentucky has a total population of 4,534,824 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in Kentucky?

The median household income in Kentucky is $63,726, which is 21% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in Kentucky?

Kentucky has 552 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 120 counties.

What is the poverty rate in Kentucky?

The poverty rate in Kentucky is 16.1%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in Kentucky?

The largest city in Kentucky is Louisville/Jefferson County metro government with a population of 631,818.