RANKING · 2024 ACS · 86 SHOWN OF 86

Fastest shrinking, Kentucky cities

Kentucky cities with the steepest population decline from the 2020 census to 2024. This list covers the 86 cities in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 86 is +1.4%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Pikeville, KY, up 61 places to #3.

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KentuckyAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01▲6Fort Campbell North, KYKY11,356-11.5%+12.5 pts

02▲34Morehead, KYKY6,776-3.9%+25.3 pts

03▲61Pikeville, KYKY7,270-3.4%−2.9 pts

04▲6Highland Heights, KYKY6,341-3.3%−58.5 pts

05▼2Middlesborough, KYKY8,776-3.0%+5.3 pts

06▲6Central City, KYKY5,793-1.9%−20.3 pts

07▲41Fort Thomas, KYKY17,142-1.5%−4.7 pts

08▲8Maysville, KYKY8,688-1.5%−27.0 pts

09▲13Ashland, KYKY20,996-1.5%+5.4 pts

10▲14Mayfield, KYKY9,851-1.5%−5.7 pts

11▼7Newport, KYKY13,998-1.3%+8.4 pts

12▲41Paducah, KYKY26,730-1.1%+2.4 pts

13▲16Williamsburg, KYKY5,371-1.1%+5.3 pts

14▲4Hopkinsville, KYKY30,411-0.9%−1.8 pts

15▲29Radcliff, KYKY22,576-0.8%−11.8 pts

16▲1Flatwoods, KYKY7,439-0.8%+1.7 pts

17▲3Princeton, KYKY6,168-0.5%+5.4 pts

18▼7Henderson, KYKY27,822-0.5%−6.0 pts

19▲44Frankfort, KYKY28,657-0.3%−7.2 pts

20▼12London, KYKY7,637-0.1%+1.0 pts

21▲2Madisonville, KYKY19,428-0.1%−19.3 pts

22▲47Paris, KYKY10,130-0.1%−5.3 pts

23▲35Mount Sterling, KYKY7,586-0.1%−9.7 pts

24▼19Monticello, KYKY5,7210.0%−11.6 pts

25▲6Shively, KYKY15,895+0.0%+2.5 pts

26▲16Fort Mitchell, KYKY8,751+0.1%−8.6 pts

27▼12Edgewood, KYKY8,503+0.1%−15.3 pts

28▲10Owensboro, KYKY60,892+0.2%−0.8 pts

29▼4Lyndon, KYKY11,301+0.2%−16.1 pts

30▼4St. Matthews, KYKY17,868+0.2%−0.1 pts

31▼10Douglass Hills, KYKY5,575+0.3%−2.8 pts

32▲25Lexington, KYKY329,751+0.4%–

33▼5Covington, KYKY41,847+0.4%+0.1 pts

34▲7Oak Grove, KYKY7,830+0.4%−146.3 pts

35Winchester, KYKY19,514+0.4%−5.4 pts

36▲16Elsmere, KYKY9,521+0.5%−18.4 pts

37▲8Danville, KYKY17,736+0.5%−24.1 pts

38▲42Middletown, KYKY9,944+0.6%−13.9 pts

39▼9Fort Wright, KYKY6,240+0.6%+14.2 pts

40▼6Taylor Mill, KYKY7,144+0.9%−24.1 pts

41▲44Wilmore, KYKY6,380+1.0%−39.1 pts

42▲7Glasgow, KYKY15,302+1.2%−4.2 pts

43▲11Erlanger, KYKY20,158+1.3%−3.0 pts

44▼1Dayton, KYKY5,974+1.4%+10.6 pts

45▲25Versailles, KYKY10,734+1.4%−1.9 pts

46▼40Bellevue, KYKY5,847+1.6%+9.0 pts

47▲19Berea, KYKY16,662+1.6%−6.4 pts

48▲29Campbellsville, KYKY11,783+1.7%−7.9 pts

49▲19Bardstown, KYKY14,161+1.7%−50.8 pts

50▲21Franklin, KYKY10,759+1.8%−3.3 pts

51▲11Lawrenceburg, KYKY12,329+1.8%−50.7 pts

52▼33Cynthiana, KYKY6,576+2.0%+5.7 pts

53▼14Cold Spring, KYKY6,640+2.0%−30.1 pts

54▼14Hillview, KYKY9,020+2.0%−13.0 pts

55▼22Russellville, KYKY7,454+2.1%+6.2 pts

56▲16Alexandria, KYKY10,994+2.1%−50.4 pts

57▲29Mount Washington, KYKY18,989+2.2%−60.2 pts

58▲15Shelbyville, KYKY18,453+2.2%−59.4 pts

59▼45Villa Hills, KYKY7,797+2.3%−0.4 pts

60▲18Shepherdsville, KYKY14,931+2.3%−71.1 pts

61▲14La Grange, KYKY10,669+2.4%−44.9 pts

62▼16Somerset, KYKY12,695+2.4%−3.3 pts

63▲2Lebanon, KYKY6,699+2.5%+2.1 pts

64▲3Independence, KYKY30,198+2.5%−41.0 pts

65▼15Jeffersontown, KYKY29,193+2.5%−12.1 pts

66▼19Florence, KYKY34,018+2.7%−23.8 pts

67▼12Harrodsburg, KYKY9,576+2.7%−6.5 pts

68▲13Crestwood, KYKY6,582+2.8%−36.5 pts

69▲13Union, KYKY7,937+3.0%−186.0 pts

70▼33Hebron, KYKY6,407+3.4%–

71▼10Nicholasville, KYKY33,857+3.6%−41.1 pts

72▼13Elizabethtown, KYKY35,448+3.8%−20.3 pts

73▼17Burlington, KYKY18,008+4.0%−73.6 pts

74▲9Vine Grove, KYKY7,018+4.1%−12.1 pts

75▼1Bowling Green, KYKY78,505+4.3%−17.0 pts

76▼63Murray, KYKY18,964+4.5%+0.9 pts

77▲7Walton, KYKY5,868+4.9%−15.5 pts

78▼27Corbin, KYKY7,911+5.0%−0.4 pts

79Georgetown, KYKY40,883+5.5%−52.9 pts

80▼4Francisville, KYKY10,565+6.2%–

81▼72Leitchfield, KYKY7,015+6.5%−17.2 pts

82▼22Richmond, KYKY40,663+7.3%−21.0 pts

83▼51Oakbrook, KYKY10,211+10.2%−77.7 pts

84▼82Fort Knox, KYKY8,836+14.1%+56.5 pts

85▼58Reidland, KYKY5,277+16.6%+9.2 pts

86▼85Louisville, KYKY641,962+63.3%–

SHOWING 1–86 OF 86

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES