RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 79 SHOWN OF 79

Most sparsely populated, Kentucky cities

Kentucky cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 79 cities in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 79 is 1,626. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Ashland, KY, up 11 places to #52.

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KentuckyAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Pikeville, KYKY7,270350+15%

02▲1Maysville, KYKY8,688458−3%

03▲2London, KYKY7,637606+34%

04Leitchfield, KYKY7,015652+14%

05▲1Russellville, KYKY7,454678+4%

06▲2Princeton, KYKY6,168686−6%

07▲2Morehead, KYKY6,776700+15%

08▼1Franklin, KYKY10,759722+35%

09▲1Oak Grove, KYKY7,830731+11%

10▲1Somerset, KYKY12,695863+12%

11▲1Shepherdsville, KYKY14,931918+79%

12▲6Hopkinsville, KYKY30,411927+1%

13▲3Monticello, KYKY5,721939−4%

14Glasgow, KYKY15,302950+18%

15▲4Danville, KYKY17,736980+15%

16▼3Lebanon, KYKY6,699980+17%

17▲5Corbin, KYKY7,911995+2%

18▼3Berea, KYKY16,6621,009+69%

19▲1Vine Grove, KYKY7,0181,022+68%

20▲3Madisonville, KYKY19,4281,087+1%

21▲3Central City, KYKY5,7931,106−2%

22▲6Lexington, KYKY329,7511,162+27%

23▲4Taylor Mill, KYKY7,1441,169+3%

24▲1Bardstown, KYKY14,1611,170+37%

25▲7Middlesborough, KYKY8,7761,189−15%

26▲3Walton, KYKY5,8681,238+140%

27▼1Elizabethtown, KYKY35,4481,269+57%

28▲6Paris, KYKY10,1301,275+10%

29▲2Wilmore, KYKY6,3801,282+8%

30▲3Williamsburg, KYKY5,3711,288+4%

31▲7Paducah, KYKY26,7301,314+2%

32▲7Mayfield, KYKY9,8511,340−5%

33▲2Hillview, KYKY9,0201,343+28%

34▲3Harrodsburg, KYKY9,5761,384+19%

35▲1Cold Spring, KYKY6,6401,399+74%

36▲4La Grange, KYKY10,6691,478+88%

37▲4Cynthiana, KYKY6,5761,498+5%

38▲8Campbellsville, KYKY11,7831,558+12%

39▲5Alexandria, KYKY10,9941,588+33%

40▲3Murray, KYKY18,9641,626+27%

41▲6Crestwood, KYKY6,5821,626+229%

42▲9Henderson, KYKY27,8221,646+2%

43▲9Mount Sterling, KYKY7,5861,688+29%

44▲10Radcliff, KYKY22,5761,690+3%

45▲5Versailles, KYKY10,7341,693+43%

46▲3Independence, KYKY30,1981,702+102%

47▲6Fort Wright, KYKY6,2401,836+10%

48Richmond, KYKY40,6631,866+50%

49▲6Bowling Green, KYKY78,5051,892+59%

50▲7Middletown, KYKY9,9441,936+73%

51▲8Frankfort, KYKY28,6571,940+3%

52▲11Ashland, KYKY20,9961,956−4%

53▲5Mount Washington, KYKY18,9891,984+124%

54▲8Edgewood, KYKY8,5031,995−10%

55▲1Shelbyville, KYKY18,4531,997+83%

56▲4Lawrenceburg, KYKY12,3292,047+37%

57▲10Winchester, KYKY19,5142,114+17%

58▲10Flatwoods, KYKY7,4392,127−2%

59▲5Villa Hills, KYKY7,7972,165−2%

60▲5Union, KYKY7,9372,206+174%

61▲5Nicholasville, KYKY33,8572,257+72%

62▲7Georgetown, KYKY40,8832,329+126%

63▲7Erlanger, KYKY20,1582,402+21%

64▲7Highland Heights, KYKY6,3412,420−3%

65▼23Louisville, KYKY641,9622,440–

66▲6Jeffersontown, KYKY29,1932,744+10%

67▲6Fort Mitchell, KYKY8,7512,826+8%

68▲7Owensboro, KYKY60,8922,919+13%

69▲9Fort Thomas, KYKY17,1423,021+4%

70▲4Florence, KYKY34,0183,044+44%

71▲6Lyndon, KYKY11,3013,138+21%

72▲7Covington, KYKY41,8473,179−4%

73▲7Shively, KYKY15,8953,477+5%

74▲7Elsmere, KYKY9,5213,623+17%

75▲7St. Matthews, KYKY17,8684,054+13%

76▲7Douglass Hills, KYKY5,5754,204−3%

77▲7Dayton, KYKY5,9744,5990%

78▲7Newport, KYKY13,9985,075−18%

79▲7Bellevue, KYKY5,8476,461−10%

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