RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 120 SHOWN OF 120

Most sparsely populated, Kentucky counties

Kentucky counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 120 counties in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 120 is 59. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Knott County, KY, up 9 places to #30.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Hickman County, KYKY4,37218−17%

02Cumberland County, KYKY5,99220−16%

03Owsley County, KYKY3,93220−19%

04Robertson County, KYKY2,32523+3%

05▲2Leslie County, KYKY9,62724−22%

06▼1Crittenden County, KYKY8,80724−6%

07▼1Carlisle County, KYKY4,74725−11%

08▲1Breathitt County, KYKY12,55826−22%

09▼1Lewis County, KYKY12,90127−8%

10Livingston County, KYKY8,86328−10%

11▲1Wolfe County, KYKY6,29828−11%

12▼1Butler County, KYKY12,52029−4%

13▲3Fulton County, KYKY6,21830−20%

14Ballard County, KYKY7,59431−8%

15Elliott County, KYKY7,26531+8%

16▼3Menifee County, KYKY6,43032−2%

17Trigg County, KYKY14,51233+15%

18Owen County, KYKY11,60133+10%

19▲1Monroe County, KYKY11,19134−5%

20▼1Todd County, KYKY12,97235+8%

21Lee County, KYKY7,29735−8%

22▲4McLean County, KYKY9,06436−9%

23▲6Magoffin County, KYKY11,11036−17%

24Casey County, KYKY16,20536+5%

25▼3Metcalfe County, KYKY10,58337+5%

26▲1Caldwell County, KYKY12,60937−3%

27▲8Union County, KYKY12,83937−18%

28▼5Breckinridge County, KYKY21,50338+15%

29▼4Morgan County, KYKY14,41538+3%

30▲9Knott County, KYKY13,32138−25%

31▲1Lawrence County, KYKY15,76538+1%

32▼4Jackson County, KYKY13,32539−1%

33Webster County, KYKY12,92939−8%

34McCreary County, KYKY17,124400%

35▼5Nicholas County, KYKY7,94941+17%

36▼5Green County, KYKY11,64441+1%

37▲1Ohio County, KYKY23,93441+4%

38▲6Clay County, KYKY19,46541−21%

39▼2Washington County, KYKY12,36842+13%

40▲1Bracken County, KYKY8,51142+3%

41▼5Edmonson County, KYKY12,74942+9%

42▼2Lyon County, KYKY9,12343+13%

43▼1Wayne County, KYKY19,59743−2%

44▼1Fleming County, KYKY15,78745+14%

45▲3Clinton County, KYKY9,13946−5%

46▲4Martin County, KYKY10,69747−15%

47▼2Bath County, KYKY13,17647+19%

48▼2Adair County, KYKY19,42348+13%

49Hancock County, KYKY9,05048+8%

50▼3Hart County, KYKY20,11749+15%

51▲1Rockcastle County, KYKY16,14851−3%

52▼1Logan County, KYKY28,66952+8%

53▲7Harlan County, KYKY24,72553−26%

54▼1Pendleton County, KYKY14,80053+3%

55▼1Grayson County, KYKY27,40655+14%

56Estill County, KYKY13,96255−9%

57▼2Henry County, KYKY16,44757+9%

58▼1Larue County, KYKY15,18458+14%

59▼1Marion County, KYKY20,11559+10%

60▼1Trimble County, KYKY8,70159+7%

61▲2Letcher County, KYKY19,95259−21%

62▲5Bell County, KYKY22,82964−24%

63▲1Carter County, KYKY26,14964−3%

64▼2Harrison County, KYKY19,62764+9%

65Muhlenberg County, KYKY30,63466−4%

66▼5Allen County, KYKY22,53666+27%

67▼1Graves County, KYKY37,050670%

68▲6Pike County, KYKY54,72170−20%

69▼1Bourbon County, KYKY20,24370+5%

70Mason County, KYKY16,93671+1%

71▲1Powell County, KYKY12,81272−3%

72▼3Russell County, KYKY18,60873+14%

73▼2Lincoln County, KYKY25,35376+9%

74▲1Knox County, KYKY29,53276−7%

75▲3Perry County, KYKY26,55578−10%

76▼3Garrard County, KYKY18,20779+23%

77Hopkins County, KYKY45,12783−3%

78▲3Johnson County, KYKY22,05184−6%

79Whitley County, KYKY37,29785+4%

80Carroll County, KYKY11,14187+10%

81▲1Rowan County, KYKY24,47687+11%

82▲4Floyd County, KYKY34,40187−19%

83▼7Simpson County, KYKY20,78889+27%

84▼1Gallatin County, KYKY8,84090+12%

85Barren County, KYKY45,64194+20%

86▼2Mercer County, KYKY23,73395+14%

87▲5Christian County, KYKY70,11598−3%

88▲1Taylor County, KYKY26,763100+17%

89▲1Meade County, KYKY30,699100+17%

90▲3Henderson County, KYKY44,255101−1%

91▼3Grant County, KYKY26,181101+17%

92▲2Greenup County, KYKY35,213102−5%

93▼2Pulaski County, KYKY67,384102+20%

94▼7Calloway County, KYKY39,421102+15%

95▲1Marshall County, KYKY31,659105+5%

96▼1Spencer County, KYKY20,998112+78%

97Nelson County, KYKY49,036117+31%

98Anderson County, KYKY25,225125+32%

99Shelby County, KYKY51,243135+54%

100▲1Montgomery County, KYKY28,822146+28%

101▲1Laurel County, KYKY63,746147+21%

102▼2Woodford County, KYKY27,883147+20%

103Clark County, KYKY37,888150+14%

104Boyle County, KYKY31,632175+14%

105Hardin County, KYKY113,482182+21%

106Scott County, KYKY62,262221+88%

107▲1Daviess County, KYKY104,898229+15%

108▼1Madison County, KYKY101,696232+43%

109Franklin County, KYKY52,649253+10%

110▲1McCracken County, KYKY67,553272+3%

111▼1Warren County, KYKY149,375276+61%

112Bullitt County, KYKY86,454291+41%

113Boyd County, KYKY47,751299−4%

114Jessamine County, KYKY57,147332+46%

115Oldham County, KYKY70,986379+54%

116Boone County, KYKY145,316590+69%

117Campbell County, KYKY95,441631+8%

118Kenton County, KYKY175,7791,096+16%

119Fayette County, KYKY329,7511,162+27%

120Jefferson County, KYKY795,2222,088+15%

SHOWING 1–120 OF 120

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