Discover the 6 Fastest-Shrinking Counties in Kentucky

Kentucky is a beautiful southern state with a wide assortment of wildlife living within its borders. According to the 2020 Census, Kentucky has about 4,505,893 people living in the state. However, more recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that the state had a slow-growing population. Yet, the state did not grow evenly, so we are going to show you the fastest-shrinking counties in Kentucky!

Discover which parts of the Bluegrass State saw a population drop in the last few years and see if the counties have anything in common!

6. Floyd County

Floyd County is in the eastern part of Kentucky. This area is home to Dewey Lake, one of the biggest lakes that is known for offering great swimming opportunities. Prestonsburg is the largest town in the county, and it has a population of about 3,700 people.

Floyd County lost 970 people between 2020 and 2022. The change represents a drop of 2.7% of the total population, a fairly significant drop. The county started 2020 with a population of 35,804 people and fell to 34,978 residents.

Floyd County only lost 970 residents between 2020 and 2022. Despite this somewhat small loss, this county still ranks among the fastest-shrinking counties in Kentucky. This county’s inclusion on the list demonstrates just how few counties lost population in the state as its number of residents creeps higher.

5. Perry County

Perry County, Kentucky is in the southeastern area of the state. Hazard is the largest town in this county, and it has a population of about 5,263 people as of 2020.

The population in Perry County was 28,465 in 2020. However, the population in this county fell a fair amount over the next two years. Ultimately, the 2022 estimates for this region showed that just 27,361 people lived in the area. That means the region lost 1,104 people or 3.9% of its population. This is a large decrease relative to the population of the county, but not all that large overall.

4. Harlan County

Harlan County is also in southeastern Kentucky. The county shares a border with the western part of Virginia. Black Mountain, the highest point in Kentucky, is in this county.

Harlan County had a population of 26,833 people during the last census. In 2022, the estimated population in this region dropped to 25,662 people. The number of residents in this area fell by 1,171 people or 4.4% of the total population.

3. Fayette County

Fayette County is in the northeastern part of the state. Fayette County is one of the most populous in Kentucky. The county’s population in 2020 reached 322,567 people. Yet, the population fell by 2,220 people between 2020 and 2022. As a result, this area lost 0.7% of its residents, leaving 320,347 people in the county.

Lexington, a city known for its horse-raising culture, is in this part of the state. Lexington is the second-largest city by population in the state, and it is home to over 300,000 people. The southern border of this city-county is along the Kentucky River.

2. Pike County

Pike County is the easternmost county in the Bluegrass State. This county shares borders with both West Virginia and Virginia.

Pike County’s population was only 58,663 in 2020. Yet, this became one of the fastest-shrinking counties in Kentucky over the following two years. Between 2020 and 2022, an estimated 2,377 residents left this area. The number of people that left this region is equal to 4.1% of the population. As of 2022, the population of the county was estimated at 56,286.

1. Jefferson County

Jefferson County is the most populous one in the state, and it’s also the leader of the fastest-shrinking counties in Kentucky. This county is in the northwestern part of the state, and it shares a border with Indiana along the Ohio River. The county contains Louisville, a city with a population of about 630,000 people.

The population in this region was 782,956 people in 2020. The population plummeted over the next two years, dropping to 773,399 people in July 2022. The county experienced a 1.2% population loss.

Like many other states, people have been moving away from the highly populated counties in Kentucky. Places like Louisville and Lexington lost residents as the cost of living rose throughout cities. However, many other reasons likely exist for people departing from these counties. The next census should give greater insight into the reasons that people have left these counties behind.

Summary of the Fastest-Shrinking Counties in Kentucky