RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 120 SHOWN OF 120

Fastest shrinking, Kentucky counties

Kentucky counties with the steepest population decline from the 2020 census to 2025. This list covers the 120 counties in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 120 is +1.8%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Powell County, KY, up 65 places to #21.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01▲54Breathitt County, KYKY12,558-8.5%−11.0 pts

02▲14Leslie County, KYKY9,627-8.4%+0.7 pts

03▲10Harlan County, KYKY24,725-7.8%+1.4 pts

04▲3Letcher County, KYKY19,952-7.4%−1.0 pts

05▲52Perry County, KYKY26,555-6.7%−3.8 pts

06▲4Pike County, KYKY54,721-6.7%−1.4 pts

07▼3Knott County, KYKY13,321-6.5%−5.1 pts

08▲3Union County, KYKY12,839-6.1%−0.5 pts

09▼8Bell County, KYKY22,829-5.3%−0.7 pts

10▼4Martin County, KYKY10,697-5.2%−5.6 pts

11▲17Fulton County, KYKY6,218-4.6%+1.7 pts

12▼7Magoffin County, KYKY11,110-4.5%−6.5 pts

13▲5Clay County, KYKY19,465-4.3%−17.2 pts

14▼2Floyd County, KYKY34,401-4.3%−1.7 pts

15▼7Wolfe County, KYKY6,298-4.0%−12.7 pts

16▲33Christian County, KYKY70,115-3.6%−8.4 pts

17▼3Hickman County, KYKY4,372-3.3%+2.2 pts

18▲59Lawrence County, KYKY15,765-3.2%−14.5 pts

19▼17Owsley County, KYKY3,932-2.9%+0.6 pts

20▲19Johnson County, KYKY22,051-2.8%−3.6 pts

21▲65Powell County, KYKY12,812-2.4%−15.7 pts

22▲4Knox County, KYKY29,532-2.2%−9.3 pts

23▲19Greenup County, KYKY35,213-2.1%−2.5 pts

24▲10Crittenden County, KYKY8,807-2.0%−4.1 pts

25▲6Carter County, KYKY26,149-1.8%−12.3 pts

26▼6Ballard County, KYKY7,594-1.7%−6.6 pts

27▼2Carlisle County, KYKY4,747-1.6%−3.8 pts

28▲7Estill County, KYKY13,962-1.4%−6.2 pts

29▼5Lewis County, KYKY12,901-1.4%−9.5 pts

30▼9Lee County, KYKY7,297-1.3%−8.0 pts

31▲51Monroe County, KYKY11,191-1.3%−4.4 pts

32▼23Clinton County, KYKY9,139-1.2%−6.7 pts

33▼14Elliott County, KYKY7,265-1.2%−5.7 pts

34▲3Henderson County, KYKY44,255-1.2%−5.3 pts

35▲9Mason County, KYKY16,936-1.1%−1.9 pts

36▲4Boyd County, KYKY47,751-1.1%+1.7 pts

37▼7McLean County, KYKY9,064-1.0%−4.2 pts

38▲9Muhlenberg County, KYKY30,634-1.0%−2.6 pts

39▲57Rowan County, KYKY24,476-0.8%−9.3 pts

40▼13Webster County, KYKY12,929-0.7%−1.9 pts

41▼5Hopkins County, KYKY45,127-0.7%−1.5 pts

42▲60Hancock County, KYKY9,050-0.5%−7.2 pts

43▲40McCracken County, KYKY67,553-0.5%−4.7 pts

44▼3Caldwell County, KYKY12,609-0.3%+1.0 pts

45▼28Livingston County, KYKY8,863-0.3%−8.5 pts

46▲23Bourbon County, KYKY20,243-0.0%−0.7 pts

47▲18Marshall County, KYKY31,6590.0%−10.7 pts

48▼26Wayne County, KYKY19,597+0.2%−13.8 pts

49▲10Ohio County, KYKY23,934+0.7%−7.9 pts

50▼27Rockcastle County, KYKY16,148+0.7%−11.3 pts

51▼1Pendleton County, KYKY14,800+1.1%−18.5 pts

52▲1Graves County, KYKY37,050+1.1%−9.3 pts

53▼10Butler County, KYKY12,520+1.2%−14.5 pts

54▲2Bracken County, KYKY8,511+1.3%−5.3 pts

55▼40McCreary County, KYKY17,124+1.4%−8.1 pts

56▲48Daviess County, KYKY104,898+1.5%−3.5 pts

57▲38Jefferson County, KYKY795,222+1.6%−2.7 pts

58▲20Whitley County, KYKY37,297+1.6%−6.0 pts

59▲3Casey County, KYKY16,205+1.7%−7.0 pts

60▲7Gallatin County, KYKY8,840+1.7%−44.2 pts

61▼58Cumberland County, KYKY5,992+1.8%−3.6 pts

62▲41Laurel County, KYKY63,746+1.8%−19.5 pts

63▲26Larue County, KYKY15,184+2.1%−12.4 pts

64▲24Franklin County, KYKY52,649+2.1%−6.8 pts

65▲43Fayette County, KYKY329,751+2.2%−13.4 pts

66▲25Meade County, KYKY30,699+2.3%−6.7 pts

67▲17Clark County, KYKY37,888+2.5%−9.9 pts

68▲22Hardin County, KYKY113,482+2.5%−3.0 pts

69▲30Montgomery County, KYKY28,822+2.5%−12.8 pts

70▲9Campbell County, KYKY95,441+2.5%−3.1 pts

71▲22Barren County, KYKY45,641+2.6%−9.3 pts

72▼39Trimble County, KYKY8,701+2.7%−30.7 pts

73▼19Marion County, KYKY20,115+2.7%−7.7 pts

74▼6Adair County, KYKY19,423+2.8%−9.5 pts

75▲1Washington County, KYKY12,368+2.8%−1.7 pts

76▲25Taylor County, KYKY26,763+2.8%−5.6 pts

77▼48Jackson County, KYKY13,325+2.9%−10.0 pts

78▲7Owen County, KYKY11,601+2.9%−13.9 pts

79▼8Metcalfe County, KYKY10,583+2.9%−9.1 pts

80▼17Carroll County, KYKY11,141+3.1%−6.2 pts

81▼36Trigg County, KYKY14,512+3.2%−18.4 pts

82▲24Boyle County, KYKY31,632+3.3%−4.7 pts

83▲27Bath County, KYKY13,176+3.3%−11.0 pts

84▼10Russell County, KYKY18,608+3.4%−7.4 pts

85▼5Pulaski County, KYKY67,384+3.6%−10.0 pts

86▼11Grayson County, KYKY27,406+3.7%−10.5 pts

87▲20Woodford County, KYKY27,883+3.8%−12.5 pts

88▲9Kenton County, KYKY175,779+4.0%−2.7 pts

89▲9Hart County, KYKY20,117+4.3%−12.9 pts

90▼44Lincoln County, KYKY25,353+4.4%−12.1 pts

91▼18Logan County, KYKY28,669+4.5%−4.3 pts

92Fleming County, KYKY15,787+4.7%−7.5 pts

93▲7Mercer County, KYKY23,733+4.8%−3.9 pts

94▼42Green County, KYKY11,644+4.8%−6.2 pts

95▼25Henry County, KYKY16,447+4.9%−12.5 pts

96▲9Nelson County, KYKY49,036+4.9%−21.2 pts

97▼31Grant County, KYKY26,181+5.0%−37.3 pts

98▲16Oldham County, KYKY70,986+5.0%−33.8 pts

99▼41Harrison County, KYKY19,627+5.0%−5.7 pts

100▼49Morgan County, KYKY14,415+5.0%−14.7 pts

101▼14Lyon County, KYKY9,123+5.1%−16.9 pts

102▼42Edmonson County, KYKY12,749+5.1%−7.3 pts

103▲8Bullitt County, KYKY86,454+5.2%−23.6 pts

104▼66Menifee County, KYKY6,430+5.2%−23.6 pts

105▼33Breckinridge County, KYKY21,503+5.2%−9.1 pts

106▼12Nicholas County, KYKY7,949+5.5%+4.2 pts

107▲5Anderson County, KYKY25,225+5.8%−25.4 pts

108▼60Todd County, KYKY12,972+6.0%−3.5 pts

109▼77Robertson County, KYKY2,325+6.0%−0.7 pts

110▲5Simpson County, KYKY20,788+6.1%−2.2 pts

111▼50Calloway County, KYKY39,421+6.2%−5.0 pts

112▲5Shelby County, KYKY51,243+6.6%−27.7 pts

113▲5Boone County, KYKY145,316+6.9%−42.4 pts

114▼50Garrard County, KYKY18,207+7.4%−20.4 pts

115▲1Spencer County, KYKY20,998+7.7%−65.3 pts

116▼7Jessamine County, KYKY57,147+7.8%−20.1 pts

117▲3Scott County, KYKY62,262+8.9%−29.6 pts

118▼37Allen County, KYKY22,536+9.5%−12.2 pts

119▼6Madison County, KYKY101,696+9.7%−13.5 pts

120▼1Warren County, KYKY149,375+11.0%−9.7 pts

SHOWING 1–120 OF 120

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES