| City | Rank | Annual Change ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkton | 1 | 2.76% | 2,453 | 2,061 |
| Richmond | 2 | 2.63% | 41,732 | 35,317 |
| Elizabethtown | 3 | 2.17% | 36,218 | 31,408 |
| Crescent Springs | 4 | 1.89% | 4,797 | 4,290 |
| Bowling Green | 5 | 1.88% | 79,982 | 72,473 |
| Cadiz | 6 | 1.7% | 2,818 | 2,577 |
| Georgetown | 7 | 1.68% | 41,569 | 37,802 |
| Nicholasville | 8 | 1.61% | 34,402 | 31,143 |
| Scottsville | 9 | 1.6% | 4,748 | 4,275 |
| Villa Hills | 10 | 1.36% | 7,903 | 7,308 |
| Berea | 11 | 1.24% | 16,868 | 15,592 |
| Walton | 12 | 1.21% | 5,939 | 5,504 |
| Union | 13 | 1.21% | 8,033 | 7,451 |
| Auburn | 14 | 1.21% | 1,763 | 1,584 |
| Orchard Grass Hills | 15 | 1.17% | 1,642 | 1,538 |
| Lebanon | 16 | 1.16% | 6,777 | 6,294 |
| Simpsonville | 17 | 1.16% | 3,220 | 2,989 |
| Crestwood | 18 | 1.15% | 6,658 | 6,236 |
| La Grange | 19 | 1.14% | 10,791 | 10,088 |
| Vine Grove | 20 | 1.14% | 7,098 | 6,609 |
| Shelbyville | 21 | 1.13% | 18,661 | 17,355 |
| Florence | 22 | 1.12% | 34,400 | 32,088 |
| Fort Wright | 23 | 1.11% | 6,309 | 5,803 |
| Pewee Valley | 24 | 1.08% | 1,686 | 1,586 |
| Springfield | 25 | 1.06% | 3,065 | 2,867 |
| Independence | 26 | 1.05% | 30,516 | 28,780 |
| Taylorsville | 27 | 1.05% | 1,347 | 1,256 |
| Wilmore | 28 | 1% | 6,444 | 6,016 |
| Murray | 29 | 1% | 19,154 | 17,769 |
| Lawrenceburg | 30 | 1% | 12,452 | 11,737 |
| Shepherdsville | 31 | 0.98% | 15,078 | 14,219 |
| Mount Washington | 32 | 0.98% | 19,175 | 18,113 |
| Alexandria | 33 | 0.97% | 11,101 | 10,370 |
| Southgate | 34 | 0.96% | 3,905 | 3,654 |
| Cold Spring | 35 | 0.95% | 6,703 | 6,259 |
| Lancaster | 36 | 0.95% | 4,150 | 3,907 |
| Lebanon Junction | 37 | 0.93% | 1,854 | 1,755 |
| Silver Grove | 38 | 0.9% | 1,345 | 1,262 |
| Pioneer Village | 39 | 0.89% | 2,819 | 2,674 |
| Somerset | 40 | 0.89% | 12,808 | 12,014 |
| Russell Springs | 41 | 0.88% | 2,853 | 2,727 |
| Hardinsburg | 42 | 0.88% | 2,535 | 2,390 |
| Bellevue | 43 | 0.87% | 5,898 | 5,547 |
| Dayton | 44 | 0.87% | 6,026 | 5,671 |
| Hillview | 45 | 0.85% | 9,097 | 8,648 |
| Hebron Estates | 46 | 0.85% | 1,065 | 1,012 |
| Jeffersonville | 47 | 0.84% | 2,155 | 2,059 |
| Bardstown | 48 | 0.84% | 14,280 | 13,575 |
| Franklin | 49 | 0.83% | 10,848 | 10,213 |
| Harrodsburg | 50 | 0.82% | 9,655 | 9,173 |
| Campbellsville | 51 | 0.79% | 11,876 | 11,451 |
| Russellville | 52 | 0.76% | 7,511 | 7,191 |
| Cynthiana | 53 | 0.73% | 6,624 | 6,343 |
| Versailles | 54 | 0.69% | 10,808 | 10,361 |
| Taylor Mill | 55 | 0.69% | 7,193 | 6,879 |
| Eminence | 56 | 0.67% | 2,842 | 2,709 |
| Camargo | 57 | 0.67% | 1,058 | 1,021 |
| Brandenburg | 58 | 0.67% | 3,023 | 2,898 |
| Irvington | 59 | 0.64% | 1,405 | 1,350 |
| Greensburg | 60 | 0.62% | 2,262 | 2,176 |
| Cloverport | 61 | 0.61% | 1,160 | 1,118 |
| Watterson Park | 62 | 0.58% | 1,037 | 1,003 |
| Guthrie | 63 | 0.57% | 1,403 | 1,337 |
| Heritage Creek | 64 | 0.56% | 1,251 | 1,210 |
| Midway | 65 | 0.56% | 1,797 | 1,734 |
| Leitchfield | 66 | 0.56% | 7,054 | 6,783 |
| Crestview Hills | 67 | 0.55% | 3,319 | 3,243 |
| Crittenden | 68 | 0.53% | 4,207 | 4,031 |
| Erlanger | 69 | 0.52% | 20,263 | 19,683 |
| Glasgow | 70 | 0.51% | 15,380 | 15,027 |
| Stanford | 71 | 0.51% | 3,780 | 3,649 |
| Worthington Hills | 72 | 0.5% | 1,601 | 1,556 |
| Prospect | 73 | 0.49% | 4,728 | 4,594 |
| Carrollton | 74 | 0.48% | 3,983 | 3,892 |
| Middletown | 75 | 0.47% | 9,991 | 9,715 |
| Junction City | 76 | 0.47% | 2,357 | 2,276 |
| Munfordville | 77 | 0.46% | 1,738 | 1,683 |
| Coldstream | 78 | 0.45% | 1,331 | 1,294 |
| Hurstbourne Acres | 79 | 0.45% | 2,012 | 1,958 |
| Dry Ridge | 80 | 0.44% | 2,259 | 2,173 |
| Lyndon | 81 | 0.44% | 11,351 | 11,059 |
| Horse Cave | 82 | 0.44% | 2,286 | 2,217 |
| Hurstbourne | 83 | 0.44% | 4,808 | 4,687 |
| Burkesville | 84 | 0.43% | 1,395 | 1,366 |
| Douglass Hills | 85 | 0.43% | 5,599 | 5,458 |
| Jamestown | 86 | 0.42% | 1,909 | 1,856 |
| Covington | 87 | 0.42% | 42,021 | 40,948 |
| Edmonton | 88 | 0.41% | 1,720 | 1,681 |
| Windy Hills | 89 | 0.4% | 2,486 | 2,429 |
| Flemingsburg | 90 | 0.4% | 3,017 | 2,943 |
| Indian Hills | 91 | 0.37% | 2,950 | 2,886 |
| Louisville | 92 | 0.36% | 644,291 | 631,872 |
| West Buechel | 93 | 0.36% | 1,407 | 1,374 |
| Anchorage | 94 | 0.35% | 2,556 | 2,500 |
| St. Matthews | 95 | 0.35% | 17,931 | 17,557 |
| Williamstown | 96 | 0.35% | 4,044 | 3,915 |
| St. Regis Park | 97 | 0.34% | 1,466 | 1,434 |
| Lexington | 98 | 0.34% | 330,863 | 322,620 |
| Elsmere | 99 | 0.34% | 9,553 | 9,165 |
| Winchester | 100 | 0.33% | 19,579 | 19,168 |
| Shively | 101 | 0.33% | 15,947 | 15,638 |
| Barbourmeade | 102 | 0.32% | 1,245 | 1,220 |
| Beechwood Village | 103 | 0.31% | 1,301 | 1,277 |
| Audubon Park | 104 | 0.27% | 1,461 | 1,436 |
| Danville | 105 | 0.26% | 17,782 | 17,321 |
| Cave City | 106 | 0.25% | 2,404 | 2,359 |
| Hodgenville | 107 | 0.24% | 3,386 | 3,349 |
| Mount Sterling | 108 | 0.2% | 7,601 | 7,542 |
| Corbin | 109 | 0.19% | 7,926 | 7,829 |
| West Liberty | 110 | 0.18% | 3,345 | 3,230 |
| Oak Grove | 111 | 0.18% | 7,844 | 7,938 |
| Edgewood | 112 | 0.16% | 8,517 | 8,439 |
| Park Hills | 113 | 0.16% | 3,193 | 3,175 |
| Fort Mitchell | 114 | 0.13% | 8,762 | 8,701 |
| Owensboro | 115 | 0.12% | 60,968 | 60,272 |
| Jeffersontown | 116 | 0.08% | 29,216 | 29,225 |
| Lakeside Park | 117 | 0.07% | 2,849 | 2,846 |
| Williamsburg | 118 | 0.06% | 5,374 | 5,319 |
| Mount Vernon | 119 | 0.04% | 2,456 | 2,452 |
| Morgantown | 120 | 0.04% | 2,513 | 2,497 |
| London | 121 | 0.03% | 7,639 | 7,554 |
| Frankfort | 122 | 0.02% | 28,664 | 28,618 |
| Ludlow | 123 | 0% | 4,391 | 4,392 |
| Owingsville | 124 | 0% | 1,612 | 1,588 |
| Beaver Dam | 125 | -0.03% | 3,536 | 3,534 |
| Paris | 126 | -0.03% | 10,127 | 10,197 |
| Calvert City | 127 | -0.04% | 2,509 | 2,517 |
| Warsaw | 128 | -0.06% | 1,756 | 1,751 |
| Hartford | 129 | -0.08% | 2,663 | 2,665 |
| Earlington | 130 | -0.08% | 1,261 | 1,261 |
| Falmouth | 131 | -0.09% | 2,198 | 2,214 |
| Augusta | 132 | -0.09% | 1,098 | 1,098 |
| Owenton | 133 | -0.12% | 1,688 | 1,684 |
| Monticello | 134 | -0.16% | 5,712 | 5,758 |
| Brodhead | 135 | -0.18% | 1,114 | 1,118 |
| Princeton | 136 | -0.19% | 6,156 | 6,263 |
| Flatwoods | 137 | -0.22% | 7,423 | 7,495 |
| Albany | 138 | -0.23% | 1,725 | 1,751 |
| Liberty | 139 | -0.25% | 2,016 | 2,028 |
| Henderson | 140 | -0.25% | 27,752 | 28,133 |
| Benton | 141 | -0.25% | 4,706 | 4,764 |
| Hopkinsville | 142 | -0.26% | 30,333 | 31,171 |
| Madisonville | 143 | -0.26% | 19,377 | 19,642 |
| Providence | 144 | -0.28% | 2,864 | 2,892 |
| Hawesville | 145 | -0.29% | 1,014 | 1,025 |
| Paducah | 146 | -0.31% | 26,647 | 27,133 |
| Central City | 147 | -0.33% | 5,774 | 5,818 |
| Clay City | 148 | -0.34% | 1,170 | 1,192 |
| Graymoor-Devondale | 149 | -0.35% | 2,822 | 2,847 |
| Carlisle | 150 | -0.38% | 2,114 | 2,103 |
| Marion | 151 | -0.38% | 2,868 | 2,916 |
| Raceland | 152 | -0.39% | 2,293 | 2,336 |
| Lewisport | 153 | -0.4% | 1,740 | 1,773 |
| Radcliff | 154 | -0.42% | 22,481 | 23,021 |
| Maysville | 155 | -0.46% | 8,648 | 8,847 |
| Mayfield | 156 | -0.47% | 9,805 | 9,977 |
| Livermore | 157 | -0.5% | 1,191 | 1,225 |
| Ashland | 158 | -0.52% | 20,886 | 21,592 |
| Newport | 159 | -0.54% | 13,922 | 14,148 |
| Eddyville | 160 | -0.56% | 2,293 | 2,382 |
| Stanton | 161 | -0.57% | 3,135 | 3,241 |
| Catlettsburg | 162 | -0.58% | 1,712 | 1,769 |
| Greenville | 163 | -0.64% | 4,322 | 4,482 |
| Olive Hill | 164 | -0.65% | 1,526 | 1,582 |
| Fort Thomas | 165 | -0.65% | 17,030 | 17,419 |
| Greenup | 166 | -0.65% | 1,062 | 1,097 |
| Beattyville | 167 | -0.66% | 2,100 | 2,170 |
| South Shore | 168 | -0.68% | 1,028 | 1,066 |
| Russell | 169 | -0.69% | 3,603 | 3,737 |
| Muldraugh | 170 | -0.69% | 1,002 | 1,037 |
| Tompkinsville | 171 | -0.72% | 2,219 | 2,298 |
| Vanceburg | 172 | -0.72% | 1,376 | 1,430 |
| Worthington | 173 | -0.76% | 1,436 | 1,498 |
| Clinton | 174 | -0.76% | 1,168 | 1,216 |
| Wilder | 175 | -0.77% | 3,084 | 3,173 |
| Sebree | 176 | -0.78% | 1,534 | 1,576 |
| Grayson | 177 | -0.83% | 3,697 | 3,834 |
| Columbia | 178 | -0.83% | 4,641 | 4,836 |
| Irvine | 179 | -0.88% | 2,253 | 2,356 |
| Hickman | 180 | -0.93% | 2,237 | 2,358 |
| Paintsville | 181 | -1.05% | 4,068 | 4,308 |
| Morganfield | 182 | -1.1% | 3,068 | 3,248 |
| Barbourville | 183 | -1.11% | 3,030 | 3,221 |
| Fulton | 184 | -1.11% | 2,227 | 2,358 |
| Pikeville | 185 | -1.27% | 7,178 | 7,730 |
| Salyersville | 186 | -1.33% | 1,482 | 1,585 |
| Middlesborough | 187 | -1.33% | 8,659 | 9,338 |
| Coal Run Village | 188 | -1.34% | 1,544 | 1,660 |
| Sturgis | 189 | -1.34% | 1,615 | 1,733 |
| Louisa | 190 | -1.39% | 2,485 | 2,662 |
| Morehead | 191 | -1.45% | 6,678 | 7,142 |
| Highland Heights | 192 | -1.47% | 6,248 | 6,644 |
| Pineville | 193 | -1.48% | 1,529 | 1,659 |
| Manchester | 194 | -1.7% | 1,387 | 1,520 |
| Prestonsburg | 195 | -1.71% | 3,556 | 3,893 |
| Jackson | 196 | -1.9% | 2,015 | 2,237 |
| Jenkins | 197 | -1.96% | 1,699 | 1,896 |
| Harlan | 198 | -2.03% | 1,785 | 1,997 |
| Hazard | 199 | -2.09% | 4,694 | 5,244 |
| Whitesburg | 200 | -2.11% | 1,575 | 1,767 |
| Cumberland | 201 | -2.21% | 1,722 | 1,937 |
| Dawson Springs | 202 | -2.47% | 2,176 | 2,451 |
Kentucky's cities with over 1,000 residents show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2025. Elkton leads with 2.76% annualized growth, followed by Richmond (2.63%) and Elizabethtown (2.17%). The largest population centers are Louisville (644,291), Lexington (330,863), and Bowling Green (79,982). Of the 202 cities over 1,000 population, 124 are growing while 78 experienced population decline. Overall, cities averaged 0.14% annualized growth, with total urban population growing by 2.83% annually.