Is Kentucky's population growing or shrinking?
Updated annually
It grew by 37,800 between 2023 and 2024. That’s more than the population of Elizabethtown. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Kentucky’s 0.83% annual increase was primarily driven by immigration to the state. In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Kentucky’s population grew by 3.6%.
+37.8K
population change (2023 to 2024)
+0.83%
percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Kentucky's population increased in 23 of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2023 and 2024, when it gained 37,800 residents. The state's largest decline during the 21st century occurred between 2020 and 2021 when it lost 735 residents.
Kentucky gained 37,800 residents between 2023 and 2024.
Annual population change
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 to 2024 natural population change was negative in Kentucky, with deaths exceeding births by 892.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Kentucky’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 31,400 more people coming from another country to Kentucky than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: Kentucky’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 7,300 more people moving to Kentucky from other states than leaving.
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Between 2023 and 2024, immigration was the primary driver of population growth in Kentucky.
Components of population change
Among 120 county equivalents, Jefferson County had the largest population growth in Kentucky, welcoming 10,500 new residents. Pike County lost the most, with a loss of 568 residents.
Warren County led Kentucky in percent population increase between 2023 and 2024 at 2.8%. Martin County ranked last with a 2.1% decline.
Between 2023 and 2024, Warren County gained 2.8% in population, the largest increase in Kentucky.
Population change
Between 2014 and 2024, Kentucky’s population has increased by 3.6%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.5%. Kentucky ranks 32nd among states in population growth over that decade.
Kentucky ranked 32nd in population growth between 2014 and 2024.
Percent change in population
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
