Download county-level data here.
According to the 2020 Decennial Census, 93 of Kentucky's counties are predominantly (more than 50 percent) rural. Rural is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as territories not included within an urban area, which are territories encompassing at least 2,000 housing units or having a population of at least 5,000.
While the majority of Kentucky’s total population lives in urban areas, 54 counties are classified as entirely rural, with no designated urban areas within their boundaries.
Top 10 counties with the largest rural population
- Pike - 49,742
- Laurel - 38,189
- Hardin - 37,082
- Warren - 36,740
- Pulaski - 34,202
- Madison – 33,544
- Nelson – 29,056
- Floyd – 28,122
- Barren – 27,626
- Meade – 27,182
Fifty-nine percent of Kentucky’s population live in urban areas; however, this population is concentrated to only a few counties in the state. Approximately 41 percent of the state’s urban population live in the two largest counties – Jefferson and Fayette.
Top 10 counties with the largest urban population
- Jefferson – 770,185
- Fayette – 313,127
- Kenton – 157,703
- Boone – 120,378
- Warren – 97,814
- Campbell – 77,150
- Daviess – 76,433
- Hardin – 73,620
- Madison – 59,157
- Bullitt – 58,002
