KY · 2026 Census Gazetteer

Kentucky counties by area

Official, comparable measurements for 120 counties and county equivalents.

Source fields preservedGEOID · ALAND · AWATER

County equivalents120

Combined land39,485.8 mi²

Combined water920.1 mi²

Largest by landPike County

Understanding Kentucky’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Gallatin County at 98.3 mi² to Pike County at 786.2 mi². The largest has 8 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 2% of the combined county land in Kentucky.

The median county-equivalent land area is 306 mi², below the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

Lyon County has the most assigned water area, at 42.7 mi². It also has the highest water share, with water making up 16.7% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 120 entries, water accounts for 2.3% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in Kentucky to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

Complete area table

Sorted from largest to smallest land area.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share
1	Pike CountyGEOID 21195	786.2 mi²	2.3 mi²	0.3%
2	Christian CountyGEOID 21047	717.8 mi²	6.2 mi²	0.9%
3	Pulaski CountyGEOID 21199	658.1 mi²	19 mi²	2.8%
4	Hardin CountyGEOID 21093	623.9 mi²	6.2 mi²	1%
5	Ohio CountyGEOID 21183	587.1 mi²	9.1 mi²	1.5%
6	Breckinridge CountyGEOID 21027	569.7 mi²	15.9 mi²	2.7%
7	Logan CountyGEOID 21141	552.2 mi²	4.8 mi²	0.9%
8	Graves CountyGEOID 21083	551.8 mi²	5 mi²	0.9%
9	Hopkins CountyGEOID 21107	542.3 mi²	12.1 mi²	2.2%
10	Warren CountyGEOID 21227	541.7 mi²	5.8 mi²	1.1%
11	Grayson CountyGEOID 21085	499.5 mi²	11.5 mi²	2.2%
12	Breathitt CountyGEOID 21025	492.4 mi²	2.8 mi²	0.6%
13	Barren CountyGEOID 21009	487.4 mi²	12.6 mi²	2.5%
14	Lewis CountyGEOID 21135	482.9 mi²	12.3 mi²	2.5%
15	Clay CountyGEOID 21051	469.3 mi²	1.8 mi²	0.4%
16	Muhlenberg CountyGEOID 21177	467.3 mi²	12.1 mi²	2.5%
17	Harlan CountyGEOID 21095	465.8 mi²	2.3 mi²	0.5%
18	Daviess CountyGEOID 21059	458.4 mi²	18.1 mi²	3.8%
19	Wayne CountyGEOID 21231	458 mi²	26.1 mi²	5.4%
20	Casey CountyGEOID 21045	444.3 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.3%
21	Trigg CountyGEOID 21221	441.4 mi²	39.9 mi²	8.3%
22	Madison CountyGEOID 21151	437.9 mi²	5.3 mi²	1.2%
23	Whitley CountyGEOID 21235	437.9 mi²	7.2 mi²	1.6%
24	Henderson CountyGEOID 21101	436.4 mi²	29.2 mi²	6.3%
25	Laurel CountyGEOID 21125	433.7 mi²	10 mi²	2.3%
26	McCreary CountyGEOID 21147	426.7 mi²	4.2 mi²	1%
27	Butler CountyGEOID 21031	426.1 mi²	5.4 mi²	1.2%
28	Nelson CountyGEOID 21179	418.7 mi²	5.4 mi²	1.3%
29	Lawrence CountyGEOID 21127	415.6 mi²	4.5 mi²	1.1%
30	Hart CountyGEOID 21099	412.7 mi²	5.2 mi²	1.2%
31	Carter CountyGEOID 21043	409.5 mi²	2.6 mi²	0.6%
32	Adair CountyGEOID 21001	405.3 mi²	7.1 mi²	1.7%
33	Leslie CountyGEOID 21131	400.9 mi²	3.5 mi²	0.9%
34	Floyd CountyGEOID 21071	393.3 mi²	2.4 mi²	0.6%
35	Knox CountyGEOID 21121	386.3 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.4%
36	Calloway CountyGEOID 21035	384.9 mi²	25.8 mi²	6.3%
37	Morgan CountyGEOID 21175	381.1 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.7%
38	Jefferson CountyGEOID 21111	380.8 mi²	16.8 mi²	4.2%
39	Shelby CountyGEOID 21211	379.8 mi²	5.9 mi²	1.5%
40	Todd CountyGEOID 21219	374.5 mi²	2.5 mi²	0.7%
41	Crittenden CountyGEOID 21055	359.6 mi²	11.7 mi²	3.2%
42	Bell CountyGEOID 21013	359 mi²	2.1 mi²	0.6%
43	Knott CountyGEOID 21119	351.5 mi²	1.3 mi²	0.4%
44	Owen CountyGEOID 21187	350.5 mi²	3.8 mi²	1.1%
45	Fleming CountyGEOID 21069	348.7 mi²	2.6 mi²	0.8%
46	Jackson CountyGEOID 21109	345.2 mi²	1.3 mi²	0.4%
47	Caldwell CountyGEOID 21033	344.8 mi²	3.3 mi²	1%
48	Greenup CountyGEOID 21089	344.5 mi²	10 mi²	2.8%
49	Allen CountyGEOID 21003	343.7 mi²	8.1 mi²	2.3%
50	Marion CountyGEOID 21155	343.6 mi²	3.3 mi²	1%
51	Union CountyGEOID 21225	342.9 mi²	20.3 mi²	5.6%
52	Perry CountyGEOID 21193	339.7 mi²	2.9 mi²	0.8%
53	Letcher CountyGEOID 21133	337.9 mi²	1.1 mi²	0.3%
54	Lincoln CountyGEOID 21137	332.9 mi²	3.5 mi²	1%
55	Webster CountyGEOID 21233	332 mi²	3.6 mi²	1.1%
56	Monroe CountyGEOID 21171	329.5 mi²	2.6 mi²	0.8%
57	Rockcastle CountyGEOID 21203	316.6 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.5%
58	Livingston CountyGEOID 21139	313 mi²	29.2 mi²	8.5%
59	Magoffin CountyGEOID 21153	308.4 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.2%
60	Harrison CountyGEOID 21097	306.5 mi²	3.4 mi²	1.1%
61	Meade CountyGEOID 21163	305.5 mi²	18.9 mi²	5.8%
62	Cumberland CountyGEOID 21057	305.1 mi²	5.8 mi²	1.9%
63	Edmonson CountyGEOID 21061	302.8 mi²	5.2 mi²	1.7%
64	Marshall CountyGEOID 21157	302.1 mi²	38 mi²	11.2%
65	Washington CountyGEOID 21229	297.3 mi²	3.9 mi²	1.3%
66	Bullitt CountyGEOID 21029	297.1 mi²	3.2 mi²	1.1%
67	Bourbon CountyGEOID 21017	289.8 mi²	1.9 mi²	0.6%
68	Metcalfe CountyGEOID 21169	289.7 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.5%
69	Henry CountyGEOID 21103	286.3 mi²	4.9 mi²	1.7%
70	Green CountyGEOID 21087	286 mi²	2.8 mi²	1%
71	Fayette CountyGEOID 21067	283.9 mi²	1.7 mi²	0.6%
72	Scott CountyGEOID 21209	282.2 mi²	3.2 mi²	1.1%
73	Rowan CountyGEOID 21205	279.9 mi²	6.4 mi²	2.2%
74	Bath CountyGEOID 21011	278 mi²	6 mi²	2.1%
75	Pendleton CountyGEOID 21191	277.1 mi²	4.8 mi²	1.7%
76	Taylor CountyGEOID 21217	266.4 mi²	10.4 mi²	3.8%
77	Johnson CountyGEOID 21115	262 mi²	2.2 mi²	0.8%
78	Larue CountyGEOID 21123	261.1 mi²	2.6 mi²	1%
79	Grant CountyGEOID 21081	258 mi²	2.8 mi²	1.1%
80	Russell CountyGEOID 21207	253.3 mi²	29.6 mi²	10.5%
81	Estill CountyGEOID 21065	253.1 mi²	2.5 mi²	1%
82	McLean CountyGEOID 21149	252.5 mi²	3.7 mi²	1.4%
83	Clark CountyGEOID 21049	252.5 mi²	2.7 mi²	1.1%
84	Mercer CountyGEOID 21167	249.4 mi²	3.9 mi²	1.5%
85	McCracken CountyGEOID 21145	248.8 mi²	19.1 mi²	7.1%
86	Ballard CountyGEOID 21007	247.1 mi²	26.9 mi²	9.8%
87	Boone CountyGEOID 21015	246.3 mi²	10.2 mi²	4%
88	Hickman CountyGEOID 21105	242.3 mi²	10.7 mi²	4.2%
89	Mason CountyGEOID 21161	240.1 mi²	6.3 mi²	2.6%
90	Elliott CountyGEOID 21063	234.3 mi²	1 mi²	0.4%
91	Simpson CountyGEOID 21213	234.2 mi²	2.3 mi²	1%
92	Garrard CountyGEOID 21079	229.9 mi²	4 mi²	1.7%
93	Martin CountyGEOID 21159	229.6 mi²	1 mi²	0.4%
94	Wolfe CountyGEOID 21237	222.2 mi²	0.6 mi²	0.3%
95	Lyon CountyGEOID 21143	213.8 mi²	42.7 mi²	16.7%
96	Lee CountyGEOID 21129	208.8 mi²	2.4 mi²	1.2%
97	Franklin CountyGEOID 21073	207.9 mi²	4.1 mi²	1.9%
98	Fulton CountyGEOID 21075	205.9 mi²	24.7 mi²	10.7%
99	Menifee CountyGEOID 21165	203.5 mi²	2.4 mi²	1.2%
100	Bracken CountyGEOID 21023	202.7 mi²	6.3 mi²	3%
101	Anderson CountyGEOID 21005	202.3 mi²	2 mi²	1%
102	Owsley CountyGEOID 21189	197.4 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.4%
103	Montgomery CountyGEOID 21173	197.4 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.7%
104	Clinton CountyGEOID 21053	197.1 mi²	8.4 mi²	4.1%
105	Nicholas CountyGEOID 21181	195.3 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.8%
106	Woodford CountyGEOID 21239	189.6 mi²	2.5 mi²	1.3%
107	Carlisle CountyGEOID 21039	189.5 mi²	9.5 mi²	4.8%
108	Hancock CountyGEOID 21091	187.7 mi²	11.2 mi²	5.7%
109	Oldham CountyGEOID 21185	187.3 mi²	9.1 mi²	4.6%
110	Spencer CountyGEOID 21215	186.7 mi²	5 mi²	2.6%
111	Boyle CountyGEOID 21021	180.3 mi²	2.5 mi²	1.4%
112	Powell CountyGEOID 21197	179 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.6%
113	Jessamine CountyGEOID 21113	172.1 mi²	2.4 mi²	1.4%
114	Kenton CountyGEOID 21117	160.4 mi²	3.9 mi²	2.4%
115	Boyd CountyGEOID 21019	159.9 mi²	2.2 mi²	1.3%
116	Campbell CountyGEOID 21037	151.3 mi²	8.1 mi²	5.1%
117	Trimble CountyGEOID 21223	147.8 mi²	8.2 mi²	5.3%
118	Carroll CountyGEOID 21041	128.7 mi²	8.6 mi²	6.2%
119	Robertson CountyGEOID 21201	99.6 mi²	0.5 mi²	0.5%
120	Gallatin CountyGEOID 21077	98.3 mi²	6.4 mi²	6.1%

How to read this table. Land and water areas are Census statistical measurements in square miles. Adding county rows can differ slightly from separately published state totals because of rounding and geographic treatment.