Is Kentucky's population growing or shrinking?
Refreshed annually
It grew by 22,800 between 2024 and 2025. That’s more than the population of the city of Radcliff. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Kentucky’s 0.5% annual increase was primarily driven by immigration to the state. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, Kentucky’s population grew by 3.7%.
+22.8K
population change (2024 to 2025)
+0.5%
percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, Kentucky's population increased in 25 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2006 and 2007, when it gained 37,400 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2020 and 2021 when it gained 77 residents.
Kentucky gained 22,800 residents between 2024 and 2025.
Annual population change, 1901–2025
What contributes to population change in Kentucky?
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 2024 to 2025 natural population change was negative in Kentucky, with deaths exceeding births by 83.
- 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 15,700 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.
Between 2024 and 2025, immigration was the primary driver of population growth in Kentucky.
Components of population change, 2011–2025
Which counties in Kentucky are growing? Which are shrinking?
Among 120 county equivalents, Warren County had the largest population growth in Kentucky, welcoming 2,809 new residents. Christian County lost the most, with a loss of 1,321 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2025.
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Nicholas County led Kentucky in percent population increase between 2024 and 2025 at 2.5 percent. Union County ranked last with a 2.2 percent decline.
Between 2024 and 2025, Nicholas County gained 2.5% in population, the largest increase in Kentucky.
Population change
How does population change in Kentucky compare to other states?
Between 2015 and 2025, Kentucky’s population has increased by 3.7%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. Kentucky ranks 29th among states in population growth over that decade.
Kentucky ranked 29th in population growth between 2015 and 2025.
Percent change in population
Population change between 2024 and 2025, by county in Kentucky
| County | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nicholas County, KY | +2.5% |
| 2. | Madison County, KY | +2.1% |
| 3. | Allen County, KY | +2% |
| 4. | Warren County, KY | +1.9% |
| 5. | Simpson County, KY | +1.8% |
| 6. | Grant County, KY | +1.7% |
| 7. | Menifee County, KY | +1.6% |
| 8. | Bath County, KY | +1.6% |
| 9. | Henry County, KY | +1.5% |
| 10. | Shelby County, KY | +1.5% |
Population change between 2015 and 2025, by state
| State | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idaho | +22% |
| 2. | Utah | +17.9% |
| 3. | Florida | +16.5% |
| 4. | Texas | +15.8% |
| 5. | Nevada | +14.9% |
| 6. | South Carolina | +14.8% |
| 7. | Arizona | +13.7% |
| 8. | North Carolina | +12.4% |
| 9. | Delaware | +12.2% |
| 10. | Washington state | +11.4% |
How is the US population changing?
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
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.
