202 cities
| City | Rank | Annual Change ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkton | 1 | 2.8% | 2,463 | 2,064 |
| Richmond | 2 | 2.64% | 41,724 | 35,295 |
| Elizabethtown | 3 | 2.23% | 36,141 | 31,412 |
| Bowling Green | 4 | 2.05% | 82,378 | 72,472 |
| Crescent Springs | 5 | 1.96% | 4,895 | 4,331 |
| Cadiz | 6 | 1.72% | 2,837 | 2,548 |
| Nicholasville | 7 | 1.71% | 34,621 | 31,131 |
| Georgetown | 8 | 1.66% | 41,882 | 37,789 |
| Scottsville | 9 | 1.53% | 4,715 | 4,291 |
| Villa Hills | 10 | 1.43% | 7,989 | 7,310 |
| Union | 11 | 1.33% | 8,085 | 7,451 |
| Walton | 12 | 1.28% | 5,952 | 5,504 |
| Berea | 13 | 1.26% | 16,855 | 15,598 |
| Auburn | 14 | 1.24% | 1,715 | 1,591 |
| Florence | 15 | 1.22% | 34,598 | 32,092 |
| Taylorsville | 16 | 1.2% | 1,349 | 1,253 |
| Fort Wright | 17 | 1.2% | 6,244 | 5,799 |
| Independence | 18 | 1.16% | 30,901 | 28,786 |
| Vine Grove | 19 | 1.16% | 7,094 | 6,611 |
| Crestwood | 20 | 1.13% | 6,640 | 6,198 |
| La Grange | 21 | 1.11% | 10,777 | 10,068 |
| Orchard Grass Hills | 22 | 1.11% | 1,646 | 1,538 |
| Lancaster | 23 | 1.09% | 4,172 | 3,905 |
| Cold Spring | 24 | 1.05% | 6,636 | 6,225 |
| Murray | 25 | 1.05% | 18,960 | 17,780 |
| Wilmore | 26 | 1.04% | 6,399 | 6,006 |
| Alexandria | 27 | 1.02% | 11,042 | 10,373 |
| Simpsonville | 28 | 1.02% | 3,182 | 2,993 |
| Pewee Valley | 29 | 1.01% | 1,693 | 1,590 |
| Lebanon | 30 | 1.01% | 6,691 | 6,291 |
| Shepherdsville | 31 | 1% | 15,137 | 14,236 |
| Southgate | 32 | 0.99% | 3,877 | 3,652 |
| Silver Grove | 33 | 0.98% | 1,235 | 1,162 |
| Mount Washington | 34 | 0.97% | 19,232 | 18,124 |
| Shelbyville | 35 | 0.96% | 18,397 | 17,350 |
| Hardinsburg | 36 | 0.96% | 2,534 | 2,393 |
| Jeffersonville | 37 | 0.95% | 1,806 | 1,703 |
| Hebron Estates | 38 | 0.94% | 1,070 | 1,012 |
| Springfield | 39 | 0.93% | 3,026 | 2,857 |
| Lebanon Junction | 40 | 0.93% | 1,851 | 1,752 |
| Lawrenceburg | 41 | 0.93% | 12,416 | 11,734 |
| Bardstown | 42 | 0.92% | 14,365 | 13,582 |
| Hillview | 43 | 0.86% | 9,118 | 8,649 |
| Harrodsburg | 44 | 0.84% | 9,650 | 9,172 |
| Pioneer Village | 45 | 0.83% | 2,810 | 2,672 |
| Taylor Mill | 46 | 0.82% | 7,233 | 6,881 |
| Cynthiana | 47 | 0.82% | 6,664 | 6,342 |
| Somerset | 48 | 0.82% | 12,592 | 11,983 |
| Campbellsville | 49 | 0.81% | 12,013 | 11,433 |
| Dayton | 50 | 0.81% | 5,950 | 5,662 |
| Bellevue | 51 | 0.81% | 5,832 | 5,549 |
| Russellville | 52 | 0.8% | 7,550 | 7,192 |
| Franklin | 53 | 0.75% | 10,682 | 10,207 |
| Crestview Hills | 54 | 0.71% | 3,386 | 3,242 |
| Greensburg | 55 | 0.71% | 2,277 | 2,181 |
| Russell Springs | 56 | 0.71% | 2,847 | 2,726 |
| Versailles | 57 | 0.69% | 10,804 | 10,360 |
| Eminence | 58 | 0.68% | 2,825 | 2,711 |
| Camargo | 59 | 0.66% | 1,062 | 1,020 |
| Carlisle | 60 | 0.65% | 2,179 | 2,095 |
| Heritage Creek | 61 | 0.64% | 1,256 | 1,210 |
| Midway | 62 | 0.61% | 1,802 | 1,735 |
| Glasgow | 63 | 0.6% | 15,573 | 15,017 |
| Erlanger | 64 | 0.6% | 20,413 | 19,689 |
| Hurstbourne Acres | 65 | 0.6% | 2,028 | 1,959 |
| Watterson Park | 66 | 0.58% | 1,039 | 1,003 |
| Horse Cave | 67 | 0.57% | 2,295 | 2,220 |
| Brandenburg | 68 | 0.57% | 3,008 | 2,905 |
| Worthington Hills | 69 | 0.56% | 1,615 | 1,564 |
| Junction City | 70 | 0.56% | 2,355 | 2,277 |
| Crittenden | 71 | 0.55% | 4,171 | 4,032 |
| Prospect | 72 | 0.55% | 4,747 | 4,594 |
| Coldstream | 73 | 0.53% | 1,336 | 1,294 |
| Cloverport | 74 | 0.52% | 1,156 | 1,120 |
| Munfordville | 75 | 0.52% | 1,738 | 1,687 |
| Lexington | 76 | 0.51% | 332,841 | 322,628 |
| Guthrie | 77 | 0.51% | 1,375 | 1,335 |
| Irvington | 78 | 0.5% | 1,397 | 1,354 |
| Middletown | 79 | 0.48% | 10,003 | 9,717 |
| Lyndon | 80 | 0.48% | 11,328 | 11,006 |
| Hurstbourne | 81 | 0.46% | 4,821 | 4,689 |
| Dry Ridge | 82 | 0.45% | 2,227 | 2,167 |
| Douglass Hills | 83 | 0.45% | 5,607 | 5,459 |
| Elsmere | 84 | 0.45% | 9,421 | 9,169 |
| Leitchfield | 85 | 0.43% | 6,954 | 6,777 |
| Burkesville | 86 | 0.43% | 1,397 | 1,364 |
| West Buechel | 87 | 0.43% | 1,404 | 1,370 |
| St. Regis Park | 88 | 0.41% | 1,470 | 1,437 |
| Edmonton | 89 | 0.41% | 1,719 | 1,677 |
| Windy Hills | 90 | 0.4% | 2,491 | 2,430 |
| Carrollton | 91 | 0.4% | 3,986 | 3,892 |
| Barbourmeade | 92 | 0.4% | 1,246 | 1,219 |
| Williamstown | 93 | 0.4% | 4,002 | 3,909 |
| Covington | 94 | 0.4% | 41,945 | 40,942 |
| Flemingsburg | 95 | 0.4% | 3,027 | 2,955 |
| Anchorage | 96 | 0.39% | 2,558 | 2,498 |
| Cave City | 97 | 0.37% | 2,411 | 2,360 |
| Indian Hills | 98 | 0.37% | 2,956 | 2,889 |
| Jamestown | 99 | 0.37% | 1,898 | 1,856 |
| Stanford | 100 | 0.35% | 3,728 | 3,649 |
| Louisville | 101 | 0.35% | 645,270 | 631,847 |
| St. Matthews | 102 | 0.34% | 17,928 | 17,561 |
| Danville | 103 | 0.34% | 17,682 | 17,322 |
| Shively | 104 | 0.33% | 15,955 | 15,639 |
| Beechwood Village | 105 | 0.31% | 1,301 | 1,277 |
| Winchester | 106 | 0.3% | 19,530 | 19,178 |
| Edgewood | 107 | 0.25% | 8,567 | 8,443 |
| Hodgenville | 108 | 0.24% | 3,394 | 3,348 |
| Corbin | 109 | 0.21% | 7,925 | 7,823 |
| West Liberty | 110 | 0.21% | 3,270 | 3,231 |
| Audubon Park | 111 | 0.21% | 1,454 | 1,439 |
| Mount Sterling | 112 | 0.17% | 7,614 | 7,535 |
| Fort Mitchell | 113 | 0.17% | 8,795 | 8,707 |
| Owensboro | 114 | 0.16% | 60,870 | 60,284 |
| Morgantown | 115 | 0.16% | 2,518 | 2,493 |
| Park Hills | 116 | 0.16% | 3,201 | 3,170 |
| Oak Grove | 117 | 0.13% | 7,992 | 7,935 |
| Lakeside Park | 118 | 0.11% | 2,858 | 2,840 |
| Jeffersontown | 119 | 0.1% | 29,446 | 29,271 |
| Augusta | 120 | 0.09% | 1,102 | 1,098 |
| Warsaw | 121 | 0.06% | 1,759 | 1,756 |
| Williamsburg | 122 | 0.02% | 5,334 | 5,328 |
| Beaver Dam | 123 | 0% | 3,535 | 3,534 |
| Calvert City | 124 | 0% | 2,517 | 2,517 |
| Frankfort | 125 | 0% | 28,609 | 28,612 |
| London | 126 | 0% | 7,572 | 7,575 |
| Ludlow | 127 | 0% | 4,390 | 4,390 |
| Mount Vernon | 128 | 0% | 2,458 | 2,457 |
| Owingsville | 129 | 0% | 1,589 | 1,588 |
| Paris | 130 | -0.02% | 10,180 | 10,194 |
| Earlington | 131 | -0.08% | 1,255 | 1,260 |
| Falmouth | 132 | -0.09% | 2,201 | 2,215 |
| Hartford | 133 | -0.11% | 2,646 | 2,664 |
| Owenton | 134 | -0.12% | 1,678 | 1,689 |
| Monticello | 135 | -0.12% | 5,711 | 5,756 |
| Princeton | 136 | -0.14% | 6,204 | 6,261 |
| Madisonville | 137 | -0.17% | 19,436 | 19,634 |
| Albany | 138 | -0.17% | 1,738 | 1,755 |
| Flatwoods | 139 | -0.18% | 7,223 | 7,303 |
| Brodhead | 140 | -0.18% | 1,107 | 1,121 |
| Benton | 141 | -0.19% | 4,707 | 4,764 |
| Clay City | 142 | -0.26% | 1,169 | 1,190 |
| Hawesville | 143 | -0.3% | 1,005 | 1,026 |
| Hopkinsville | 144 | -0.3% | 30,615 | 31,169 |
| Providence | 145 | -0.32% | 2,838 | 2,891 |
| Graymoor-Devondale | 146 | -0.32% | 2,791 | 2,847 |
| Central City | 147 | -0.33% | 5,706 | 5,819 |
| Henderson | 148 | -0.35% | 27,557 | 28,136 |
| Marion | 149 | -0.35% | 2,855 | 2,917 |
| Radcliff | 150 | -0.35% | 22,547 | 23,023 |
| Liberty | 151 | -0.35% | 1,986 | 2,028 |
| Raceland | 152 | -0.39% | 2,282 | 2,338 |
| Paducah | 153 | -0.39% | 26,501 | 27,134 |
| Lewisport | 154 | -0.4% | 1,728 | 1,772 |
| Maysville | 155 | -0.41% | 8,639 | 8,855 |
| Livermore | 156 | -0.42% | 1,193 | 1,225 |
| Mayfield | 157 | -0.44% | 9,718 | 9,978 |
| Eddyville | 158 | -0.52% | 2,307 | 2,382 |
| Beattyville | 159 | -0.52% | 2,103 | 2,169 |
| Stanton | 160 | -0.57% | 3,134 | 3,245 |
| South Shore | 161 | -0.58% | 1,029 | 1,068 |
| Catlettsburg | 162 | -0.58% | 1,705 | 1,764 |
| Muldraugh | 163 | -0.59% | 1,004 | 1,040 |
| Ashland | 164 | -0.63% | 20,804 | 21,589 |
| Newport | 165 | -0.65% | 13,614 | 14,147 |
| Wilder | 166 | -0.65% | 3,050 | 3,173 |
| Sebree | 167 | -0.66% | 1,509 | 1,571 |
| Tompkinsville | 168 | -0.67% | 2,209 | 2,298 |
| Russell | 169 | -0.69% | 3,588 | 3,737 |
| Greenville | 170 | -0.72% | 4,290 | 4,479 |
| Greenup | 171 | -0.75% | 1,063 | 1,110 |
| Fort Thomas | 172 | -0.75% | 16,662 | 17,418 |
| Worthington | 173 | -0.76% | 1,429 | 1,498 |
| Clinton | 174 | -0.77% | 1,162 | 1,216 |
| Columbia | 175 | -0.77% | 4,612 | 4,830 |
| Olive Hill | 176 | -0.79% | 1,509 | 1,581 |
| Irvine | 177 | -0.79% | 2,251 | 2,359 |
| Vanceburg | 178 | -0.8% | 1,362 | 1,430 |
| Hickman | 179 | -0.84% | 2,243 | 2,359 |
| Grayson | 180 | -0.87% | 3,637 | 3,832 |
| Morganfield | 181 | -0.97% | 3,070 | 3,253 |
| Fulton | 182 | -0.98% | 2,223 | 2,358 |
| Coal Run Village | 183 | -1.01% | 1,563 | 1,662 |
| Barbourville | 184 | -1.08% | 3,014 | 3,215 |
| Paintsville | 185 | -1.1% | 4,038 | 4,311 |
| Pikeville | 186 | -1.24% | 7,186 | 7,726 |
| Middlesborough | 187 | -1.27% | 8,675 | 9,346 |
| Sturgis | 188 | -1.29% | 1,612 | 1,740 |
| Morehead | 189 | -1.36% | 6,606 | 7,155 |
| Salyersville | 190 | -1.42% | 1,456 | 1,585 |
| Highland Heights | 191 | -1.47% | 6,109 | 6,657 |
| Pineville | 192 | -1.49% | 1,520 | 1,658 |
| Louisa | 193 | -1.54% | 2,432 | 2,663 |
| Manchester | 194 | -1.56% | 1,389 | 1,521 |
| Jackson | 195 | -1.6% | 2,034 | 2,235 |
| Prestonsburg | 196 | -1.85% | 3,505 | 3,903 |
| Jenkins | 197 | -1.97% | 1,688 | 1,894 |
| Harlan | 198 | -2.06% | 1,756 | 1,980 |
| Cumberland | 199 | -2.17% | 1,711 | 1,942 |
| Whitesburg | 200 | -2.2% | 1,555 | 1,765 |
| Dawson Springs | 201 | -2.27% | 2,154 | 2,454 |
| Hazard | 202 | -2.28% | 4,593 | 5,237 |
Kentucky's cities with over 1,000 residents show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2025. Elkton leads with 2.8% annualized growth, followed by Richmond (2.64%) and Elizabethtown (2.23%). The largest population centers are Louisville (645,270), Lexington (332,841), and Bowling Green (82,378). Of the 202 cities over 1,000 population, 129 are growing while 73 experienced population decline. Overall, cities averaged 0.17% annualized growth, with total urban population growing by 3% annually.