Kentucky’s population grew in 2024, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates. And over 80% of that growth was due to the migration of people from other countries.
The Census makes yearly estimates of population changes at the state and county level. Here are five items to note from the report on 2024:
- Kentucky added a net 37,777 people last year, an increase of .8%. At the end of last year, Kentucky had a population of 4,588,372, according to the Census.
- Kentucky had more deaths (53,140) than births (52,248) in 2024. That loss was made up by a net increase in domestic migration of 7,294 people. (More people moved into Kentucky from other states than moved out.)
- The largest contributor to Kentucky’s population growth was international migration. The state gained 31,430 people in the net exchange of people between Kentucky and other countries. Over 80% of the net gain in Kentucky’s population came from international migration.
- Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, 38 lost population in 2024. A large number of these are places that have been dependent on coal mining.
- The state’s two largest counties (Jefferson and Fayette) both had decreases in domestic migration, but gained population overall because of international migration. For example, Jefferson lost just over 4,600 people to domestic migration, but gained 13,807 people from other counties. (Counties surrounding these two metro counties gained from domestic migration; some of that growth likely came from moving out of the large metro counties.)
The 2024 report is a snapshot of population trends. And in many ways, Kentucky is like the rest of the nation. For example, most of the population growth in the U.S. in 2024 was due to international migration.
Top 10 counties in increase in absolute population, percent increase
- Jefferson, 1.3%
- Fayette, 1.5%
- Warren, 2.8%
- Boone, 1.9%
- Kenton, 1.5%
- Madison, 2.0%
- Scott, 1.8%
- Jessamine, 1.8%
- Bullitt, 0.9%
- Nelson, 1.5%
Top 10 counties in decrease in absolute population, percent loss
- Pike, -1.0%
- Floyd, -1.3%
- Perry, -1.3%
- Letcher, -1.3%
- Harlan, -1.0%
- McCreary, -1.4%
- Martin, -2.1%
- Christian, -0.3%
- Knott, -1.6%
- Larue, -1.3%
This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.
The Daily Yonder is a nonprofit newsroom that provides news, commentary and analysis about and for rural America. It is the news platform for the Center for Rural Strategies, which has offices in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and Knoxville, Tennessee.
