RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 120 SHOWN OF 120

Most sparsely populated, Kentucky counties · 1990

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

01Robertson County, KYKY2,32521−6%

02Cumberland County, KYKY5,99222−5%

03Hickman County, KYKY4,37223+6%

04Trigg County, KYKY14,51223−18%

05Menifee County, KYKY6,43025−22%

06Owsley County, KYKY3,93226+4%

07Crittenden County, KYKY8,80726−2%

08Owen County, KYKY11,60126−14%

09Butler County, KYKY12,52026−14%

10Lewis County, KYKY12,90127−8%

11Elliott County, KYKY7,26528−4%

12Carlisle County, KYKY4,74728−2%

13Breckinridge County, KYKY21,50329−13%

14Livingston County, KYKY8,86329−8%

15Todd County, KYKY12,97229−9%

16Wolfe County, KYKY6,29829−8%

17Morgan County, KYKY14,41531−16%

18Metcalfe County, KYKY10,58331−11%

19Lyon County, KYKY9,12331−18%

20Breathitt County, KYKY12,55832−2%

21Ballard County, KYKY7,59432−5%

22Casey County, KYKY16,20532−8%

23Lawrence County, KYKY15,76534−10%

24Leslie County, KYKY9,62734+10%

25Edmonson County, KYKY12,74934−11%

26Nicholas County, KYKY7,94934−1%

27Monroe County, KYKY11,19135−3%

28Jackson County, KYKY13,32535−11%

29Bath County, KYKY13,17635−13%

30Washington County, KYKY12,36835−4%

31Fleming County, KYKY15,78735−11%

32Lee County, KYKY7,29736−6%

33Ohio County, KYKY23,93436−8%

34Hart County, KYKY20,11736−15%

35Green County, KYKY11,64436−10%

36Spencer County, KYKY20,99836−42%

37McCreary County, KYKY17,12437−9%

38Adair County, KYKY19,42338−11%

39McLean County, KYKY9,06438−3%

40Wayne County, KYKY19,59738−12%

41Bracken County, KYKY8,51138−6%

42Caldwell County, KYKY12,60938+1%

43Fulton County, KYKY6,21840+7%

44Trimble County, KYKY8,70141−25%

45Hancock County, KYKY9,05042−6%

46Webster County, KYKY12,92942−1%

47Grayson County, KYKY27,40642−12%

48Magoffin County, KYKY11,11042−2%

49Allen County, KYKY22,53643−18%

50Pendleton County, KYKY14,80043−16%

51Logan County, KYKY28,66944−8%

52Larue County, KYKY15,18445−13%

53Henry County, KYKY16,44745−15%

54Clay County, KYKY19,46546−11%

55Clinton County, KYKY9,13946−5%

56Rockcastle County, KYKY16,14847−11%

57Marion County, KYKY20,11548−9%

58Union County, KYKY12,83948+6%

59Garrard County, KYKY18,20750−22%

60Knott County, KYKY13,32151+1%

61Harrison County, KYKY19,62753−10%

62Martin County, KYKY10,69755−0%

63Gallatin County, KYKY8,84055−31%

64Estill County, KYKY13,96258−5%

65Russell County, KYKY18,60858−10%

66Carter County, KYKY26,14959−9%

67Lincoln County, KYKY25,35360−14%

68Graves County, KYKY37,05061−9%

69Grant County, KYKY26,18161−30%

70Simpson County, KYKY20,78865−8%

71Powell County, KYKY12,81265−12%

72Shelby County, KYKY51,24365−26%

73Bourbon County, KYKY20,24366−1%

74Muhlenberg County, KYKY30,63467−2%

75Mason County, KYKY16,93669−1%

76Barren County, KYKY45,64170−11%

77Nelson County, KYKY49,03671−21%

78Anderson County, KYKY25,22572−24%

79Carroll County, KYKY11,14172−8%

80Rowan County, KYKY24,47673−8%

81Pulaski County, KYKY67,38475−12%

82Whitley County, KYKY37,29776−7%

83Mercer County, KYKY23,73377−8%

84Knox County, KYKY29,53277−7%

85Harlan County, KYKY24,72579+10%

86Meade County, KYKY30,69979−8%

87Taylor County, KYKY26,76379−8%

88Calloway County, KYKY39,42180−10%

89Letcher County, KYKY19,95280+7%

90Scott County, KYKY62,26285−28%

91Hopkins County, KYKY45,12785−1%

92Bell County, KYKY22,82988+5%

93Johnson County, KYKY22,05189−1%

94Perry County, KYKY26,55589+3%

95Marshall County, KYKY31,65990−10%

96Pike County, KYKY54,72192+6%

97Christian County, KYKY70,11596−5%

98Henderson County, KYKY44,25599−4%

99Montgomery County, KYKY28,82299−13%

100Laurel County, KYKY63,746100−18%

101Woodford County, KYKY27,883105−14%

102Greenup County, KYKY35,213107−0%

103Floyd County, KYKY34,401111+3%

104Clark County, KYKY37,888117−11%

105Madison County, KYKY101,696131−19%

106Warren County, KYKY149,375142−17%

107Boyle County, KYKY31,632142−7%

108Hardin County, KYKY113,482143−5%

109Bullitt County, KYKY86,454160−22%

110Jessamine County, KYKY57,147177−22%

111Oldham County, KYKY70,986178−28%

112Daviess County, KYKY104,898190−5%

113Franklin County, KYKY52,649211−8%

114Boone County, KYKY145,316234−33%

115McCracken County, KYKY67,553253−4%

116Boyd County, KYKY47,751320+3%

117Campbell County, KYKY95,441554−5%

118Fayette County, KYKY329,751794−13%

119Kenton County, KYKY175,779886−6%

120Jefferson County, KYKY795,2221,746−4%

SHOWING 1–120 OF 120

Download CSV (full list, 120 rows)

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