Kentucky · 79 places of 5,000+

Fastest-growing cities in Kentucky, 2020 to 2024

Short answer

Richmond is the fastest-growing city of 5,000+ in Kentucky, +12.1% from 2020 to 2024. Elizabethtown (+10.0%) is second.
Fastest
+12.1%
Growing
58
Shrinking
21

The 20 fastest-growing

Richmond grew fastest, from 35,295 in July 2020 to 39,581 in July 2024, +12.1%. It is the 7th largest of the 79 places ranked. 58 places grew and 21 shrank or held flat; the median change was +2.0%.

By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Louisville/Jefferson County, +8,949 people. At the other end, Highland Heights changed by -5.5%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.

  1. 01Richmond+12.1%
  2. 02Elizabethtown+10.0%
  3. 03Bowling Green+9.1%
  4. 04Nicholasville+7.5%
  5. 05Georgetown+7.2%
  6. 06Villa Hills+6.2%
  7. 07Union+5.7%
  8. 08Walton+5.4%
  9. 09Berea+5.4%
  10. 10Florence+5.2%
  11. 11Fort Wright+5.1%
  12. 12Independence+4.9%
  13. 13Vine Grove+4.9%
  14. 14Crestwood+4.8%
  15. 15La Grange+4.7%
  16. 16Murray+4.4%
  17. 17Cold Spring+4.4%
  18. 18Wilmore+4.4%
  19. 19Alexandria+4.3%
  20. 20Lebanon+4.2%
Change in population, July 2020 to July 2024, places of 5,000+ in 2024.

Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Richmond, ranked first.

All 79 places of 5,000+ ranked

#Place2024Since 2020County
1Richmond39,581+12.1%Madison County
2Elizabethtown34,565+10.0%Hardin County
3Bowling Green79,076+9.1%Warren County
4Nicholasville33,458+7.5%Jessamine County
5Georgetown40,518+7.2%Scott County
6Villa Hills7,763+6.2%Kenton County
7Union7,874+5.7%Boone County
8Walton5,803+5.4%Boone County +1
9Berea16,436+5.4%Madison County
10Florence33,763+5.2%Boone County
11Fort Wright6,096+5.1%Kenton County
12Independence30,196+4.9%Kenton County
13Vine Grove6,933+4.9%Hardin County
14Crestwood6,493+4.8%Oldham County
15La Grange10,541+4.7%Oldham County
16Murray18,567+4.4%Calloway County
17Cold Spring6,499+4.4%Campbell County
18Wilmore6,268+4.4%Jessamine County
19Alexandria10,819+4.3%Campbell County
20Lebanon6,558+4.2%Marion County
21Shepherdsville14,837+4.2%Bullitt County
22Mount Washington18,863+4.1%Bullitt County
23Shelbyville18,048+4.0%Shelby County
24Lawrenceburg12,189+3.9%Anderson County
25Bardstown14,104+3.8%Nelson County
26Hillview8,962+3.6%Bullitt County
27Harrodsburg9,491+3.5%Mercer County
28Taylor Mill7,116+3.4%Kenton County
29Bellevue5,738+3.4%Campbell County
30Dayton5,854+3.4%Campbell County
31Cynthiana6,557+3.4%Harrison County
32Somerset12,389+3.4%Pulaski County
33Campbellsville11,820+3.4%Taylor County
34Russellville7,431+3.3%Logan County
35Franklin10,524+3.1%Simpson County
36Versailles10,656+2.9%Woodford County
37Glasgow15,388+2.5%Barren County
38Erlanger20,172+2.5%Kenton County
39Lexington-Fayette329,437+2.1%Fayette County
40Middletown9,908+2.0%Jefferson County
41Lyndon11,221+2.0%Jefferson County
42Elsmere9,337+1.8%Kenton County
43Douglass Hills5,558+1.8%Jefferson County
44Leitchfield6,895+1.7%Grayson County
45Covington41,611+1.6%Kenton County
46Louisville/Jefferson County640,796+1.4%Jefferson County
47St. Matthews17,806+1.4%Jefferson County
48Danville17,562+1.4%Boyle County
49Shively15,850+1.3%Jefferson County
50Winchester19,413+1.2%Clark County
51Edgewood8,526+1.0%Kenton County
52Corbin7,891+0.9%Whitley County +1
53Mount Sterling7,588+0.7%Montgomery County
54Fort Mitchell8,766+0.7%Kenton County
55Owensboro60,675+0.6%Daviess County
56Oak Grove7,973+0.5%Christian County
57Jeffersontown29,388+0.4%Jefferson County
58Williamsburg5,332+0.1%Whitley County
59Frankfort28,610-0.0%Franklin County
60London7,573-0.0%Laurel County
61Paris10,185-0.1%Bourbon County
62Monticello5,726-0.5%Wayne County
63Princeton6,223-0.6%Caldwell County
64Madisonville19,502-0.7%Hopkins County
65Flatwoods7,250-0.7%Greenup County
66Hopkinsville30,800-1.2%Christian County
67Central City5,744-1.3%Muhlenberg County
68Henderson27,750-1.4%Henderson County
69Radcliff22,706-1.4%Hardin County
70Paducah26,712-1.6%McCracken County
71Maysville8,711-1.6%Mason County
72Mayfield9,805-1.7%Graves County
73Ashland21,066-2.4%Boyd County
74Newport13,792-2.5%Campbell County
75Fort Thomas16,914-2.9%Campbell County
76Pikeville7,366-4.7%Pike County
77Middlesborough8,899-4.8%Bell County
78Morehead6,789-5.1%Rowan County
79Highland Heights6,292-5.5%Campbell County
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates. Counties from the SUMLEV 157 county parts.

Questions people ask

What is the fastest-growing city in Kentucky?

Richmond, up 12.1% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 39,581 residents.

Which Kentucky city added the most people?

Louisville/Jefferson County, which gained 8,949 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.

How many Kentucky cities are shrinking?

21 of 79 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.

Why use places of 5,000 or more?

Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.

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.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, places

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.