Kentucky statistical areas The United States Commonwealth of Kentucky currently has 32 statistical areas that have been delineated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). On July 21, 2023, the OMB delineated 8 combined statistical areas , 9 metropolitan statistical areas , and 15 micropolitan statistical areas in Kentucky.[ 1] As of 2023, the largest of these is the Louisville-Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN CSA , comprising greater Louisville , Kentucky's largest city.
Background
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas for the United States and Puerto Rico .[ 2] These statistical areas are important geographic delineations of population clusters used by the OMB, the United States Census Bureau , planning organizations, and federal, state, and local government entities.
The OMB defines a core-based statistical area (commonly referred to as a CBSA ) as the county or counties (or county-equivalents ) surrounding at least one densely-settled core of at least 10,000 population,[ 2] "plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core".[ 2] The OMB further divides core-based statistical areas based on population into metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for those with at least 50,000 and micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) for those with 10,000 to 49,999 people.[ 2]
The OMB defines a combined statistical area (CSA) as two or more adjacent core-based statistical areas where the employment interchange rate (% commuting from A to B plus % commuting from B to A) is at least 15%.[ 2] The primary statistical areas (PSAs) include all combined statistical areas and any core-based statistical area that is not a constituent of a combined statistical area.
Table
The 32 United States statistical areas and 120 counties of the Commonwealth of Kentucky [ a]
Combined statistical area[ 1]
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
Core-based statistical area[ 1]
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
County
2023 population (est.)[ 3]
Louisville/Jefferson County–-Elizabethtown, KY-IN CSA
1,493,133 1,218,646 (KY )
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA
1,365,557 1,091,070 (KY)
Jefferson County, Kentucky
772,144
Clark County, Indiana
125,467
Bullitt County, Kentucky
84,863
Floyd County, Indiana
80,809
Oldham County, Kentucky
70,183
Shelby County, Kentucky
49,515
Nelson County, Kentucky
47,730
Harrison County, Indiana
40,006
Meade County, Kentucky
30,131
Washington County, Indiana
28,205
Spencer County, Kentucky
20,531
Henry County, Kentucky
15,973
Elizabethtown, KY MSA
127,576
Hardin County, Kentucky
112,273
LaRue County, Kentucky
15,303
Lexington-Fayette--Richmond--Frankfort, KY CSA
770,951
Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA
520,045
Fayette County, Kentucky
320,154
Scott County, Kentucky
60,168
Jessamine County, Kentucky
55,017
Clark County, Kentucky
37,304
Woodford County, Kentucky
27,268
Bourbon County, Kentucky
20,134
Richmond-Berea, KY μSA
126,861
Madison County, Kentucky
96,735
Rockcastle County, Kentucky
16,190
Estill County, Kentucky
13,936
Frankfort, KY μSA
76,257
Franklin County, Kentucky
51,644
Anderson County, Kentucky
24,613
Mount Sterling, KY μSA
47,788
Montgomery County, Kentucky
28,527
Bath County, Kentucky
12,975
Menifee County, Kentucky
6,286
Cincinnati-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN CSA
2,313,417 463,166 (KY)
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN MSA
2,271,479 463,166 (KY)
Hamilton County, Ohio
827,058
Butler County, Ohio
393,043
Warren County, Ohio
252,148
Clermont County, Ohio
211,972
Kenton County, Kentucky
171,321
Boone County, Kentucky
140,496
Campbell County, Kentucky
93,702
Dearborn County, Indiana
51,215
Brown County, Ohio
43,777
Grant County, Kentucky
25,619
Franklin County, Indiana
23,096
Pendleton County, Kentucky
14,810
Gallatin County, Kentucky
8,792
Bracken County, Kentucky
8,426
Ohio County, Indiana
6,004
Wilmington, OH μSA
41,938
Clinton County, Ohio
41,938
Bowling Green-Glasgow, KY CSA
264,525
Bowling Green, KY MSA
188,840
Warren County, Kentucky
142,229
Allen County, Kentucky
21,788
Edmonson County, Kentucky
12,448
Butler County, Kentucky
12,375
Glasgow, KY μSA
55,490
Barren County, Kentucky
45,008
Metcalfe County, Kentucky
10,482
Franklin, KY μSA
20,195
Simpson County, Kentucky
20,195
Middlesborough-Corbin, KY CSA
172,880
Corbin, KY μSA
149,563
Laurel County, Kentucky
63,296
Whitley County, Kentucky
36,825
Knox County, Kentucky
29,794
Clay County, Kentucky
19,648
Middlesborough, KY μSA
23,317
Bell County, Kentucky
23,317
Charleston-Huntington-Ashland, WV-OH-KY CSA
643,394 125,413 (KY)
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH MSA
368,261 125,413 (KY)
Cabell County, West Virginia
92,082
Putnam County, West Virginia
56,962
Lawrence County, Ohio
56,118
Boyd County, Kentucky
47,826
Wayne County, West Virginia
37,686
Greenup County, Kentucky
35,221
Carter County, Kentucky
26,366
Lawrence County, Kentucky
16,000
Charleston, WV MSA
203,164
Kanawha County, West Virginia
174,805
Boone County, West Virginia
20,576
Clay County, West Virginia
7,783
Portsmouth, OH μSA
71,969
Scioto County, Ohio
71,969
Paducah-Mayfield, KY-IL CSA
138,728 125,067 (KY)
Paducah, KY-IL MSA
102,226 88,606 (KY)
McCracken County, Kentucky
67,428
Massac County, Illinois
13,661
Livingston County, Kentucky
8,892
Ballard County, Kentucky
7,582
Carlisle County, Kentucky
4,704
Mayfield, KY μSA
36,461
Graves County, Kentucky
36,461
none
Owensboro, KY MSA
112,512
Daviess County, Kentucky
103,458
McLean County, Kentucky
9,054
Pikeville, KY μSA
90,396
Pike County, Kentucky
55,973
Floyd County, Kentucky
34,423
Clarksville, TN-KY MSA
340,495 86,401 (KY)
Montgomery County, Tennessee
239,872
Christian County, Kentucky
72,032
Trigg County, Kentucky
14,369
Stewart County, Tennessee
14,222
Somerset, KY μSA
66,191
Pulaski County, Kentucky
66,191
Evansville-Henderson, IN-KY CSA
327,562 56,845 (KY)
Evansville, IN MSA
270,717
Vanderburgh County, Indiana
179,810
Warrick County, Indiana
65,867
Posey County, Indiana
25,040
Henderson, KY μSA
56,845
Henderson County, Kentucky
44,119
Webster County, Kentucky
12,726
none
Danville, KY μSA
55,764
Boyle County, Kentucky
30,988
Lincoln County, Kentucky
24,776
Madisonville, KY μSA
44,929
Hopkins County, Kentucky
44,929
Murray, KY μSA
38,280
Calloway County, Kentucky
38,280
Campbellsville, KY μSA
37,911
Taylor County, Kentucky
26,443
Green County, Kentucky
11,468
none
Marshall County, Kentucky
31,744
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
30,568
Logan County, Kentucky
28,283
Perry County, Kentucky
27,133
Grayson County, Kentucky
26,427
Harlan County, Kentucky
26,825
Rowan County, Kentucky
24,409
Ohio County, Kentucky
23,626
Mercer County, Kentucky
23,097
Johnson County, Kentucky
22,116
Breckinridge County, Kentucky
21,124
Letcher County, Kentucky
20,423
Marion County, Kentucky
19,834
Hart County, Kentucky
19,724
Wayne County, Kentucky
19,580
Harrison County, Kentucky
19,415
Adair County, Kentucky
19,264
Russell County, Kentucky
18,279
Garrard County, Kentucky
17,829
McCreary County, Kentucky
17,050
Mason County, Kentucky
16,841
Casey County, Kentucky
15,918
Fleming County, Kentucky
15,442
Morgan County, Kentucky
14,283
Knott County, Kentucky
13,659
Union County, Kentucky
13,106
Jackson County, Kentucky
13,104
Lewis County, Kentucky
12,973
Powell County, Kentucky
12,972
Breathitt County, Kentucky
12,953
Caldwell County, Kentucky
12,551
Todd County, Kentucky
12,494
Washington County, Kentucky
12,267
Owen County, Kentucky
11,313
Monroe County, Kentucky
11,306
Magoffin County, Kentucky
11,228
Carroll County, Kentucky
10,987
Martin County, Kentucky
10,928
Leslie County, Kentucky
9,864
Lyon County, Kentucky
9,187
Clinton County, Kentucky
9,148
Crittenden County, Kentucky
8,974
Hancock County, Kentucky
8,920
Trimble County, Kentucky
8,607
Nicholas County, Kentucky
7,686
Lee County, Kentucky
7,293
Elliott County, Kentucky
7,245
Fulton County, Kentucky
6,338
Wolfe County, Kentucky
6,282
Cumberland County, Kentucky
6,000
Hickman County, Kentucky
4,447
Owsley County, Kentucky
4,001
Robertson County, Kentucky
2,313
Commonwealth of Kentucky
4,526,154
Primary statistical areas
Primary statistical areas (PSAs) include all combined statistical areas and any core-based statistical area that is not a constituent of a combined statistical area. Of the 32 statistical areas of Kentucky, 16 are PSAs comprising eight combined statistical areas, two metropolitan statistical areas and six micropolitan statistical areas.
The 16 primary statistical areas of the Commonwealth of Kentucky[ b]
2020 rank
Primary statistical area [ 1]
Population
2023 estimate[ 3]
Change
2020 Census [ 4]
Change
2010 Census [ 5]
1
Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN CSA (KY)
1,218,646
+0.03 %
1,218,336
+6.68 %
1,142,057
2
Lexington-Fayette--Richmond--Frankfort, KY CSA
770,951
+1.16 %
762,082
+10.77 %
687,962
3
Cincinnati-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN CSA (KY)
463,166
+1.84 %
454,783
+6.89 %
425,483
4
Bowling Green-Glasgow-Franklin, KY CSA
264,525
+4.14 %
254,004
+11.31 %
228,198
5
Middlesborough-Corbin, KY CSA
172,880
−0.62 %
173,960
−1.60 %
176,790
6
Charleston-Huntington-Ashland, WV-OH-KY CSA (KY)
125,413
−1.36 %
127,143
−2.22 %
130,032
7
Paducah-Mayfield, KY-IL CSA (KY)
125,067
−0.71 %
125,966
+0.32 %
125,558
8
Owensboro, KY MSA
112,512
+0.04 %
112,464
+5.91 %
106,187
9
Pikeville, KY μSA
90,396
−4.46 %
94,611
−9.44 %
104,475
10
Clarksville, TN-KY MSA (KY)
86,401
−0.58 %
86,909
−1.57 %
88,294
11
Somerset, KY μSA
66,191
+1.78 %
65,034
+3.08 %
63,093
12
Evansville-Henderson, IN-KY CSA (KY)
56,845
−1.67 %
57,810
−3.44 %
59,871
13
Danville, KY μSA
55,764
+1.59 %
54,889
+3.23 %
53,174
14
Madisonville, KY μSA
44,929
−1.09 %
45,423
−3.19 %
46,920
15
Campbellsville, KY μSA
37,911
+2.10 %
37,130
+3.80 %
35,770
16
Murray, KY μSA
38,280
+3.17 %
37,103
−0.24 %
37,191
Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN CSA
1,493,133
+0.36 %
1,487,749
+6.69 %
1,394,493
Cincinnati-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN CSA
2,313,417
+0.94 %
2,291,815
+5.51 %
2,172,191
Charleston-Huntington-Ashland, WV-OH-KY CSA
643,394
−2.63 %
660,768
−4.70 %
693,345
Paducah-Mayfield, KY-IL CSA
138,728
−1.00 %
140,135
−0.60 %
140,987
Clarksville, TN-KY CSA
340,495
+6.23 %
320,535
+17.01 %
273,949
Evansville-Henderson, IN-KY CSA
327,562
+0.15 %
327,066
+0.58 %
325,173
See also
Notes
^ An out-of-state area and its population are displayed in green. An area that extends into more than one state is displayed in purple. A purple population number over a black population number show the total population versus the in-state population. The state's abbreviation is also shown next to the in-state total.
^ For PSAs comprising populations from multiple states, they are listed twice to show both their intrastate population within that PSA as well as the PSA's total population. Only the intrastate population is ranked.
References
^ a b c d Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas (July 21, 2023). "0MB BULLETIN NO. 23-01" (PDF) . Office of Management and Budget . Retrieved October 23, 2023 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )
^ a b c d e "2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas" . Office of Management and Budget . July 16, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021 .
^ a b c d "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023" . United States Census Bureau , Population Division. March 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ "PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS" . U.S. Census Bureau . 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019" . U.S. Census Bureau . 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
External links
37°32′05″N 85°18′08″W / 37.5347°N 85.3021°W / 37.5347; -85.3021 (Commonwealth of Kentucky )