Bordering states
Kentucky vs Ohio
Short answer
- KY
- 4,588,372
- OH
- 11,883,304
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Kentucky
Ohio
- < 41
- < 67
- < 101
- < 210
- ≥ 210
Side by side
| Measure | Kentucky | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 4,588,372 | 11,883,304 |
| Rank by population | 26th | 7th |
| Land, sq mi | 39,485 | 40,859 |
| People per sq mi | 116.2 | 290.8 |
| County-equivalents | 120 | 88 |
| Median county residents | 19,740 | 58,250 |
| Median county income | $55,510 | $65,205 |
| Most populous county | Jefferson County | Franklin County |
| Largest county by land | Pike County | Ashtabula County |
| Capital | Frankfort | Columbus |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 49 min | 15 h 01 min |
| Census division | East South Central | East North Central |
Population and density
Ohio has 11,883,304 residents, 2.6 times Kentucky's 4,588,372. Kentucky ranks 26th and Ohio 7th of the 50 states and DC. Ohio is the more crowded, with 290.8 people per square mile against 116.2, 2.5 times.
Land area
Ohio has 40,859 square miles of land, about the same as Kentucky's 39,485. The largest county-equivalent in Kentucky is Pike County at 786 square miles; in Ohio it is Ashtabula County at 702.
Counties
Kentucky is divided into 120 county-equivalents and Ohio into 88, so an average Kentucky county covers 329 square miles against 464. The typical county in Kentucky has 19,740 residents, against 58,250 in Ohio. The most populous are Jefferson County (793,881) and Franklin County (1,356,303).
30 county names appear on both sides of the border: Allen, Butler, Carroll, Clark, Clinton, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Shelby, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in Ohio has a household income of $65,205, 17% above Kentucky's $55,510. The highest county incomes are Oldham County ($120,818) in Kentucky and Delaware County ($128,300) in Ohio, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Frankfort and Columbus are 159 miles apart in a straight line; from Frankfort the initial bearing is 39°, NE. On June 21, 2026, Frankfort gets 14 h 49 min of daylight and Columbus 15 h 01 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 30 min and 9 h 20 min. Month by month tables are on the Frankfort and Columbus daylight pages.
Where they sit
The border between them is also a Census region boundary: Kentucky is in the South and Ohio in the Midwest. By county internal points, Kentucky spans 2 UTM zones and Ohio 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Kentucky or Ohio?
Ohio, with 40,859 square miles of land against 39,485, 1.03 times as large.
Which has more people, Kentucky or Ohio?
Ohio has 11,883,304 residents, 2.6 times Kentucky's 4,588,372.
How far is Frankfort from Columbus?
159 miles in a straight line, heading NE (39°) from Frankfort.
Do Kentucky and Ohio have counties with the same name?
Yes, 30: Allen, Butler, Carroll, Clark, Clinton, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Shelby, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.