RANKING · 2024 ACS · 86 SHOWN OF 86

Most residents in poverty, Kentucky cities

Kentucky cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 86 cities in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 86 is 1,749. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Central City, KY, up 16 places to #50.

KentuckyAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Louisville, KYKY641,962100,138–

02Lexington, KYKY329,75148,317+44%

03Bowling Green, KYKY78,50519,284+79%

04Owensboro, KYKY60,89211,418+33%

05Covington, KYKY41,8478,555+7%

06Richmond, KYKY40,6637,250+7%

07▲2Paducah, KYKY26,7305,997+2%

08▼1Hopkinsville, KYKY30,4115,976+18%

09▲9Elizabethtown, KYKY35,4485,536+134%

10▲1Frankfort, KYKY28,6575,435+40%

11▼3Henderson, KYKY27,8225,196+15%

12▲2Ashland, KYKY20,9964,773+18%

13▲2Georgetown, KYKY40,8834,740+145%

14▼2Madisonville, KYKY19,4284,553+43%

15▼2Murray, KYKY18,9644,362+32%

16▼6Nicholasville, KYKY33,8574,208+85%

17▼1Radcliff, KYKY22,5763,646+33%

18▼1Glasgow, KYKY15,3023,331+31%

19Winchester, KYKY19,5143,320+28%

20▲1Somerset, KYKY12,6953,318+32%

21▲9Florence, KYKY34,0183,125+40%

22▲10Shepherdsville, KYKY14,9313,124+147%

23▲1Danville, KYKY17,7363,023+58%

24▼4Newport, KYKY13,9982,901−24%

25Middlesborough, KYKY8,7762,825−3%

26▼3Berea, KYKY16,6622,818+64%

27▲9Erlanger, KYKY20,1582,716+191%

28▼1Campbellsville, KYKY11,7832,714+20%

29▼7Mayfield, KYKY9,8512,657−7%

30▼2Morehead, KYKY6,7762,612+70%

31▼2Independence, KYKY30,1982,578+163%

32▲8Shelbyville, KYKY18,4532,562+64%

33▼7Shively, KYKY15,8952,302+5%

34▼1London, KYKY7,6372,280+94%

35Corbin, KYKY7,9112,140+32%

36▼2Maysville, KYKY8,6882,127+25%

37▼6Pikeville, KYKY7,2702,027+27%

38▲10Bardstown, KYKY14,1612,023+10%

39▲6Cynthiana, KYKY6,5761,971+95%

40▼2Jeffersontown, KYKY29,1931,908+65%

41▲15Oak Grove, KYKY7,8301,839+147%

42▲10Franklin, KYKY10,7591,770+61%

43▼1Monticello, KYKY5,7211,749−14%

44▲2Paris, KYKY10,1301,719+5%

45▲2Versailles, KYKY10,7341,718+63%

46▼7Leitchfield, KYKY7,0151,660+27%

47▼4Lebanon, KYKY6,6991,646−5%

48▲5Williamsburg, KYKY5,3711,628−11%

49▼5Russellville, KYKY7,4541,514−8%

50▲16Central City, KYKY5,7931,463+21%

51Elsmere, KYKY9,5211,437+116%

52▼15Lawrenceburg, KYKY12,3291,430+84%

53▼3Harrodsburg, KYKY9,5761,352−1%

54▲5Flatwoods, KYKY7,4391,341+52%

55▼1Fort Campbell North, KYKY11,3561,326−29%

56▼7Highland Heights, KYKY6,3411,284+119%

57▼16Mount Sterling, KYKY7,5861,275+12%

58▼3St. Matthews, KYKY17,8681,261+18%

59▲5Fort Thomas, KYKY17,1421,056+33%

60▲2Lyndon, KYKY11,3011,012+107%

61▲4Burlington, KYKY18,008987+254%

62▼1Princeton, KYKY6,168983−19%

63▲5Hillview, KYKY9,020982+96%

64▼7Mount Washington, KYKY18,989981+46%

65▼7Dayton, KYKY5,974912−6%

66▼3Middletown, KYKY9,944888+276%

67▼7La Grange, KYKY10,669828+36%

68▲1Alexandria, KYKY10,994817+144%

69▲4Fort Knox, KYKY8,836795−3%

70▲8Vine Grove, KYKY7,018757+78%

71Taylor Mill, KYKY7,144756+127%

72Wilmore, KYKY6,380756+11%

73▲1Walton, KYKY5,868743+295%

74▲2Fort Mitchell, KYKY8,751705+154%

75▼5Bellevue, KYKY5,847645−3%

76▼9Hebron, KYKY6,407643–

77Cold Spring, KYKY6,640630+1300%

78▼3Crestwood, KYKY6,582516+249%

79▲1Reidland, KYKY5,277415+115%

80▲6Douglass Hills, KYKY5,575350+101%

81Edgewood, KYKY8,503322+125%

82▼3Villa Hills, KYKY7,797276+41%

83▲1Oakbrook, KYKY10,211255+190%

84▲1Union, KYKY7,937223+458%

85▼2Francisville, KYKY10,565179–

86▼4Fort Wright, KYKY6,240179−19%

SHOWING 1–86 OF 86

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