RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 86 SHOWN OF 86

Most residents in poverty, Kentucky cities · 2020

Kentucky cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2020 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.

KentuckyAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Louisville, KYKY641,96258,913–

02Lexington, KYKY329,75150,973+52%

03Bowling Green, KYKY78,50518,720+74%

04Owensboro, KYKY60,89212,324+43%

05Covington, KYKY41,8479,416+18%

06Richmond, KYKY40,6639,347+38%

07Hopkinsville, KYKY30,4117,186+42%

08Henderson, KYKY27,8226,440+43%

09Paducah, KYKY26,7305,905+0%

10Nicholasville, KYKY33,8575,357+136%

11Frankfort, KYKY28,6575,127+33%

12Madisonville, KYKY19,4284,697+48%

13Murray, KYKY18,9644,595+39%

14Ashland, KYKY20,9964,591+13%

15Georgetown, KYKY40,8834,477+131%

16Radcliff, KYKY22,5764,343+58%

17Glasgow, KYKY15,3024,333+71%

18Elizabethtown, KYKY35,4484,211+78%

19Winchester, KYKY19,5144,174+61%

20Newport, KYKY13,9983,741−2%

21Somerset, KYKY12,6953,666+46%

22Mayfield, KYKY9,8513,492+23%

23Berea, KYKY16,6623,307+92%

24Danville, KYKY17,7363,211+67%

25Middlesborough, KYKY8,7763,126+7%

26Shively, KYKY15,8952,992+36%

27Campbellsville, KYKY11,7832,719+20%

28Morehead, KYKY6,7762,497+62%

29Independence, KYKY30,1982,426+148%

30Florence, KYKY34,0182,382+7%

31Pikeville, KYKY7,2702,308+45%

32Shepherdsville, KYKY14,9312,221+75%

33London, KYKY7,6372,105+79%

34Maysville, KYKY8,6882,083+23%

35Corbin, KYKY7,9112,022+25%

36Erlanger, KYKY20,1582,021+117%

37Lawrenceburg, KYKY12,3291,943+150%

38Jeffersontown, KYKY29,1931,903+65%

39Leitchfield, KYKY7,0151,882+44%

40Shelbyville, KYKY18,4531,844+18%

41Mount Sterling, KYKY7,5861,827+60%

42Monticello, KYKY5,7211,802−12%

43Lebanon, KYKY6,6991,791+3%

44Russellville, KYKY7,4541,699+3%

45Cynthiana, KYKY6,5761,672+66%

46Paris, KYKY10,1301,644+1%

47Versailles, KYKY10,7341,643+56%

48Bardstown, KYKY14,1611,591−13%

49Highland Heights, KYKY6,3411,563+167%

50Harrodsburg, KYKY9,5761,548+13%

51Elsmere, KYKY9,5211,541+132%

52Franklin, KYKY10,7591,513+38%

53Williamsburg, KYKY5,3711,475−19%

54Fort Campbell North, KYKY11,3561,411−25%

55St. Matthews, KYKY17,8681,403+31%

56Oak Grove, KYKY7,8301,400+88%

57Mount Washington, KYKY18,9891,346+101%

58Dayton, KYKY5,9741,178+21%

59Flatwoods, KYKY7,4391,150+30%

60La Grange, KYKY10,6691,033+69%

61Princeton, KYKY6,1681,016−16%

62Lyndon, KYKY11,301961+97%

63Middletown, KYKY9,944942+299%

64Fort Thomas, KYKY17,142933+18%

65Burlington, KYKY18,008912+227%

66Central City, KYKY5,793758−37%

67Hebron, KYKY6,407691–

68Hillview, KYKY9,020665+33%

69Alexandria, KYKY10,994625+87%

70Bellevue, KYKY5,847589−11%

71Taylor Mill, KYKY7,144582+75%

72Wilmore, KYKY6,380560−18%

73Fort Knox, KYKY8,836498−39%

74Walton, KYKY5,868474+152%

75Crestwood, KYKY6,582468+216%

76Fort Mitchell, KYKY8,751362+30%

77Cold Spring, KYKY6,640345+667%

78Vine Grove, KYKY7,018317−25%

79Villa Hills, KYKY7,797317+62%

80Reidland, KYKY5,277250+30%

81Edgewood, KYKY8,503223+56%

82Fort Wright, KYKY6,240212−4%

83Francisville, KYKY10,565203–

84Oakbrook, KYKY10,211150+70%

85Union, KYKY7,93761+53%

86Douglass Hills, KYKY5,57552−70%

SHOWING 1–86 OF 86

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS