RANKING · 2025 ACS · 120 SHOWN OF 120

Most sparsely populated, Kentucky counties

Kentucky counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 120 counties in Kentucky that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

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%

05Leslie County, KYKY9,62724−22%

06Crittenden County, KYKY8,80724−6%

07Carlisle County, KYKY4,74725−11%

08Breathitt County, KYKY12,55826−22%

09Lewis County, KYKY12,90127−8%

10Livingston County, KYKY8,86328−10%

11Wolfe County, KYKY6,29828−11%

12Butler County, KYKY12,52029−4%

13Fulton County, KYKY6,21830−20%

14Ballard County, KYKY7,59431−8%

15Elliott County, KYKY7,26531+8%

16Menifee County, KYKY6,43032−2%

17Trigg County, KYKY14,51233+15%

18Owen County, KYKY11,60133+10%

19Monroe County, KYKY11,19134−5%

20Todd County, KYKY12,97235+8%

21Lee County, KYKY7,29735−8%

22McLean County, KYKY9,06436−9%

23Magoffin County, KYKY11,11036−17%

24Casey County, KYKY16,20536+5%

25Metcalfe County, KYKY10,58337+5%

26Caldwell County, KYKY12,60937−3%

27Union County, KYKY12,83937−18%

28Breckinridge County, KYKY21,50338+15%

29Morgan County, KYKY14,41538+3%

30Knott County, KYKY13,32138−25%

31Lawrence County, KYKY15,76538+1%

32Jackson County, KYKY13,32539−1%

33Webster County, KYKY12,92939−8%

34McCreary County, KYKY17,12440+0%

35Nicholas County, KYKY7,94941+17%

36Green County, KYKY11,64441+1%

37Ohio County, KYKY23,93441+4%

38Clay County, KYKY19,46541−21%

39Washington County, KYKY12,36842+13%

40Bracken County, KYKY8,51142+3%

41Edmonson County, KYKY12,74942+9%

42Lyon County, KYKY9,12343+13%

43Wayne County, KYKY19,59743−2%

44Fleming County, KYKY15,78745+14%

45Clinton County, KYKY9,13946−5%

46Martin County, KYKY10,69747−15%

47Bath County, KYKY13,17647+19%

48Adair County, KYKY19,42348+13%

49Hancock County, KYKY9,05048+8%

50Hart County, KYKY20,11749+15%

51Rockcastle County, KYKY16,14851−3%

52Logan County, KYKY28,66952+8%

53Harlan County, KYKY24,72553−26%

54Pendleton County, KYKY14,80053+3%

55Grayson County, KYKY27,40655+14%

56Estill County, KYKY13,96255−9%

57Henry County, KYKY16,44757+9%

58Larue County, KYKY15,18458+14%

59Marion County, KYKY20,11559+10%

60Trimble County, KYKY8,70159+7%

61Letcher County, KYKY19,95259−21%

62Bell County, KYKY22,82964−24%

63Carter County, KYKY26,14964−3%

64Harrison County, KYKY19,62764+9%

65Muhlenberg County, KYKY30,63466−4%

66Allen County, KYKY22,53666+27%

67Graves County, KYKY37,05067+0%

68Pike County, KYKY54,72170−20%

69Bourbon County, KYKY20,24370+5%

70Mason County, KYKY16,93671+1%

71Powell County, KYKY12,81272−3%

72Russell County, KYKY18,60873+14%

73Lincoln County, KYKY25,35376+9%

74Knox County, KYKY29,53276−7%

75Perry County, KYKY26,55578−10%

76Garrard County, KYKY18,20779+23%

77Hopkins County, KYKY45,12783−3%

78Johnson County, KYKY22,05184−6%

79Whitley County, KYKY37,29785+4%

80Carroll County, KYKY11,14187+10%

81Rowan County, KYKY24,47687+11%

82Floyd County, KYKY34,40187−19%

83Simpson County, KYKY20,78889+27%

84Gallatin County, KYKY8,84090+12%

85Barren County, KYKY45,64194+20%

86Mercer County, KYKY23,73395+14%

87Christian County, KYKY70,11598−3%

88Taylor County, KYKY26,763100+17%

89Meade County, KYKY30,699100+17%

90Henderson County, KYKY44,255101−1%

91Grant County, KYKY26,181101+17%

92Greenup County, KYKY35,213102−5%

93Pulaski County, KYKY67,384102+20%

94Calloway County, KYKY39,421102+15%

95Marshall County, KYKY31,659105+5%

96Spencer County, KYKY20,998112+78%

97Nelson County, KYKY49,036117+31%

98Anderson County, KYKY25,225125+32%

99Shelby County, KYKY51,243135+54%

100Montgomery County, KYKY28,822146+28%

101Laurel County, KYKY63,746147+21%

102Woodford County, KYKY27,883147+20%

103Clark County, KYKY37,888150+14%

104Boyle County, KYKY31,632175+14%

105Hardin County, KYKY113,482182+21%

106Scott County, KYKY62,262221+88%

107Daviess County, KYKY104,898229+15%

108Madison County, KYKY101,696232+43%

109Franklin County, KYKY52,649253+10%

110McCracken County, KYKY67,553272+3%

111Warren 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 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES