What are the largest metro areas in Kentucky?
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN is the largest metro area in Kentucky, with 2,312,858 residents in 2025 (Census PEP). Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (1,402,509) and Lexington-Fayette, KY (535,174) come next.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 9 ranked Kentucky metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Residents 2025 | Change 2020–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 2,312,858 | +2.7% |
| 2 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,402,509 | +2.9% |
| 3 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 535,174 | +3.4% |
| 4 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 365,965 | −2.6% |
| 5 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 349,001 | +8.4% |
| 6 | Bowling Green, KY | 197,180 | +9.5% |
| 7 | Elizabethtown, KY | 128,666 | +2.3% |
| 8 | Owensboro, KY | 113,962 | +1.3% |
| 9 | Paducah, KY-IL | 102,259 | −1.2% |
How this is ranked
The Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates for 2025, largest first, with the change since 2020. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states. Areas without an estimate for the same year as the others are not ranked.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
What is the largest metro area in Kentucky?
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN is the largest metro area in Kentucky, with 2,312,858 residents in 2025 (Census PEP). Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (1,402,509) and Lexington-Fayette, KY (535,174) come next.
How is this ranking calculated?
The Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates for 2025, largest first, with the change since 2020. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states. Areas without an estimate for the same year as the others are not ranked.