What states are people in moving to and from?

Updated May. 13, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, most people moving to Kentucky came from Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana. The top states people from Kentucky left for were Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana. Overall, about 82,600 people left Kentucky for another state. Meanwhile 95,800 moved in from elsewhere in the US. Newcomers from other states accounted for 2.1% of Kentucky's population.
Kentucky ranked 13th among states in total domestic net migration, with a gain of 13,200 residents.

1 in 47

people living in Kentucky moved in 2024 from another state

13th

Kentucky's rank in net state-to-state migration (2024)
Along with immigration and natural population change, state-to-state migration is one of the three ways a state's population may shift. In 2024, Kentucky had positive net migration with 30 states and Puerto Rico.
Kentucky had a net increase of 6,400 residents with Tennessee, the highest among all states. The largest net decrease in 2024 was with Indiana at -2,400.

Kentucky had positive net migration with 26 states in 2024.

Net migration between Kentucky and other states, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How many people from Kentucky moved to another state in the past year?

In 2024, 40.3% of the 81,900 people who left Kentucky for another state moved to just three destinations: Ohio (13,400), Indiana (10,200), and Florida (9,400).

In 2024, people leaving Kentucky most often moved to Ohio, Indiana, and Florida.

People moving from Kentucky to another state, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How many people from another state moved to Kentucky in the past year?

Of the 96,200 people moving to Kentucky from another state between 2023 and 2024, 37.8% came from three states: Ohio (+14,400 residents), Tennessee (+14,200), and Indiana (+7,800).

In 2024, newcomers arrived in Kentucky most often from Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana.

People moving to Kentucky from another state, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How does the share of people who moved from another state vary across Kentucky's 120 counties?

From 2020 to 2024, Christian County had the highest share of newcomers from other states, averaging 7.9% of its population each year. At the other end, Robertson County recorded the lowest share, with 0.2% of residents moving in from another state.

The share of the population that moved from another state in a given year varies throughout Kentucky.

Annual average of share of population 1 year or older who moved from another state in the previous year (2020–2024)

Migration routes between Kentucky and other states (2024)

Migration routes between Kentucky and other states (2024)
Residence 1 year agoEstimate
1.

Ohio 

14,400
2.

Tennessee 

14,200
3.

Indiana 

7,800
4.

Florida 

7,300
5.

California 

6,900
6.

Georgia 

5,100
7.

North Carolina

3,500
8.

Illinois 

3,100
9.

West Virginia

2,900
10.

Texas 

2,800

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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.