Kentucky is officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was originally part of Virginia before becoming the 15th state to join the Union on June 1, 1792, making it the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains to achieve statehood.
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The state of Kentucky is divided into 120 counties and has a population of approximately 4.6 million as of 2024. Its municipal organization includes 420 incorporated cities, one urban county (Lexington-Fayette), and one consolidated city (Louisville/Jefferson County).
These municipalities are classified based on population and governance structures outlined in Section 156a of the Kentucky Constitution, whereby Cities operate under three primary forms of government: mayor-council, commission, or city manager systems. Only Louisville and Lexington have unique governance models, with Louisville operating under a consolidated local government and Lexington under an urban county government.
The distinction between cities, towns, and villages in Kentucky is rooted in historical classifications that were repealed in 1994 for more flexible governance. Thus, all municipalities, regardless of size, are referred to as cities.
State Information Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Municipalities | 422 incorporated places (420 cities, 1 urban county, 1 consolidated city) |
| Number of Cities | 420 |
| Number of Towns | Classified as cities since 1994 |
| Number of Villages | Classified as cities since 1994 |
| State Capital | Frankfort (Population: 28,000; Area: 15 sq mi) |
| Number of Counties | 120 |
| Largest Municipality | Louisville (Population: 630,782; Area: 397 sq mi) |
| Smallest Municipality | Bandana (Population: 300; Area: ~sq mi) |
Cities and Towns by Alphabetical Letter
Cities in Kentucky that start with A
- Adairville
- Ages
- Albany
- Alexandria
- Allen
- Allensville
- Anchorage
- Annville
- Anthoston
- Arjay
- Arlington
- Artemus
- Ashland
- Auburn
- Audubon Park
- Augusta
- Auxier
Cities in Kentucky that start with B
- Bancroft
- Bandana
- Barbourmeade
- Barbourville
- Bardstown
- Bardwell
- Barlow
- Beattyville
- Beaver Dam
- Bedford
- Beech Grove
- Beechmont
- Beechwood Village
- Belfry
- Bellefonte
- Bellemeade
- Belleview
- Bellevue
- Bellewood
- Benham
- Benton
- Berea
- Berry
- Betsy Layne
- Big Clifty
- Blackey
- Blaine
- Blandville
- Bloomfield
- Blue Ridge Manor
- Bonnieville
- Booneville
- Boston
- Bowling Green
- Bradfordsville
- Brandenburg
- Breckinridge Center
- Bremen
- Briarwood
- Brodhead
- Broeck Pointe
- Bromley
- Brooks
- Brooksville
- Brownsboro Farm
- Brownsboro Village
- Brownsville
- Buckhorn
- Buckner
- Buffalo
- Burgin
- Burkesville
- Burlington
- Burna
- Burnside
- Butler
Cities in Kentucky that start with C
- Cadiz
- Calhoun
- California
- Calvert City
- Camargo
- Cambridge
- Campbellsburg
- Campbellsville
- Campton
- Caneyville
- Cannonsburg
- Carlisle
- Carrollton
- Carrsville
- Catlettsburg
- Cave City
- Cawood
- Cayce
- Cecilia
- Centertown
- Central City
- Cerulean
- Chaplin
- Clarkson
- Claryville
- Clay
- Clay City
- Cleaton
- Clinton
- Cloverport
- Coal Run Village
- Coldiron
- Cold Spring
- Coldstream
- Columbia
- Columbus
- Combs
- Concord
- Corbin
- Corinth
- Corydon
- Covington
- Coxton
- Crab Orchard
- Crayne
- Creekside
- Crescent Springs
- Crestview
- Crestview Hills
- Crestwood
- Crittenden
- Crofton
- Crossgate
- Cumberland
- Cunningham
- Curdsville
- Cynthiana
Cities in Kentucky that start with D
- Danville
- Dawson Springs
- Dayton
- Dexter
- Diablock
- Dixon
- Doe Valley
- Douglass Hills
- Dover
- Drakesboro
- Druid Hills
- Dry Ridge
- Dunmor
- Dwale
Cities in Kentucky that start with E
- Earlington
- East Bernstadt
- Eddyville
- Edgewood
- Edmonton
- Ekron
- Elizabethtown
- Elizaville
- Elk Creek
- Elkhorn City
- Elkton
- Elsmere
- Eminence
- Emlyn
- Erlanger
- Eubank
- Evarts
- Ewing
- Ezel
Cities in Kentucky that start with F
- Fairfield
- Fairview CDP
- Fairview city
- Falmouth
- Fancy Farm
- Farley
- Farmers
- Farmington
- Ferguson
- Fincastle
- Flat Lick
- Flatwoods
- Fleming-Neon
- Flemingsburg
- Florence
- Fordsville
- Forest Hills
- Fort Campbell North
- Fort Knox
- Fort Mitchell
- Fort Thomas
- Fort Wright
- Fountain Run
- Fox Chase
- Francisville
- Frankfort
- Franklin
- Fredonia
- Freeburn
- Frenchburg
- Fulton
Cities in Kentucky that start with G
- Gamaliel
- Garrison
- Georgetown
- Germantown
- Ghent
- Gilbertsville
- Glasgow
- Glencoe
- Glenview
- Glenview Hills
- Glenview Manor
- Goose Creek
- Goshen
- Gracey
- Grand Rivers
- Gratz
- Graymoor-Devondale
- Grayson
- Greensburg
- Green Spring
- Greenup
- Greenville
- Guthrie
Cities in Kentucky that start with H
- Hanson
- Hardin
- Hardinsburg
- Hardyville
- Harlan
- Harrodsburg
- Hartford
- Hawesville
- Hazard
- Hazel
- Hazel Green
- Hebron
- Hebron Estates
- Henderson
- Hendron
- Heritage Creek
- Hickman
- Hickory
- Hickory Hill
- High Bridge
- Highland Heights
- Hills and Dales
- Hillview
- Hindman
- Hiseville
- Hodgenville
- Hollow Creek
- Hollyvilla
- Hopkinsville
- Horse Cave
- Houston Acres
- Hunters Hollow
- Hurstbourne
- Hurstbourne Acres
- Hustonville
- Hyden
Cities in Kentucky that start with I
- Independence
- Indian Hills
- Inez
- Ironville
- Irvine
- Irvington
- Island
Cities in Kentucky that start with J
- Jackson
- Jamestown
- Jeff
- Jeffersontown
- Jeffersonville
- Jenkins
- Junction City
Cities in Kentucky that start with K
- Keene
- Kenton Vale
- Kenvir
- Kevil
- Kingsley
- Knottsville
- Kuttawa
Cities in Kentucky that start with L
- La Center
- LaFayette
- La Grange
- Lakeside Park
- Lakeview Heights
- Lancaster
- Langdon Place
- Lawrenceburg
- Lebanon
- Lebanon Junction
- Ledbetter
- Leitchfield
- Lewisburg
- Lewisport
- Lexington-Fayette
- Liberty
- Lincolnshire
- Livermore
- Livingston
- London
- Loretto
- Louisa
- Louisville/Jefferson County metro government
- Lovelaceville
- Lowes
- Loyall
- Ludlow
- Lynch
- Lyndon
- Lynnview
Cities in Kentucky that start with M
- Maceo
- Mackville
- Madisonville
- Magnolia
- Manchester
- Manitou
- Manor Creek
- Marion
- Marrowbone
- Martin
- Maryhill Estates
- Masonville
- Massac
- Mayfield
- Mayking
- Mays Lick
- Maysville
- Maytown
- McCarr
- McDowell
- McHenry
- McKee
- McKinney
- McRoberts
- Meadowbrook Farm
- Meadow Vale
- Meadowview Estates
- Melbourne
- Mentor
- Middlesborough
- Middletown
- Midway
- Millersburg
- Millstone
- Milton
- Mockingbird Valley
- Monterey
- Monticello
- Moorland
- Morehead
- Morganfield
- Morgantown
- Mortons Gap
- Moseleyville
- Mount Olivet
- Mount Sterling
- Mount Vernon
- Mount Washington
- Muldraugh
- Munfordville
- Murray
- Murray Hill
Cities in Kentucky that start with N
- Nebo
- New Castle
- New Haven
- New Hope
- Newport
- Nicholasville
- Norbourne Estates
- North Corbin
- Northfield
- North Middletown
- Nortonville
- Norwood
Cities in Kentucky that start with O
- Oakbrook
- Oak Grove
- Oakland
- Old Brownsboro Place
- Olive Hill
- Oneida
- Onton
- Orchard Grass Hills
- Owensboro
- Owenton
- Owingsville
Cities in Kentucky that start with P
- Paducah
- Paintsville
- Paris
- Park City
- Park Hills
- Parkway Village
- Pathfork
- Payne Gap
- Pembroke
- Perryville
- Petersburg
- Pewee Valley
- Phelps
- Philpot
- Pikeville
- Pine Knot
- Pineville
- Pioneer Village
- Pippa Passes
- Plano
- Plantation
- Pleasant Ridge
- Pleasant View
- Pleasureville
- Plum Springs
- Poole
- Poplar Hills
- Powderly
- Prestonsburg
- Prestonville
- Princeton
- Prospect
- Providence
- Pryorsburg
Cities in Kentucky that start with R
- Rabbit Hash
- Raceland
- Radcliff
- Ravenna
- Raywick
- Reidland
- Richlawn
- Richmond
- Rineyville
- River Bluff
- Riverwood
- Robards
- Rochester
- Rockholds
- Rockport
- Rolling Fields
- Rolling Hills
- Rosine
- Russell
- Russell Springs
- Russellville
- Ryland Heights
Cities in Kentucky that start with S
- Sacramento
- Sadieville
- Salem
- Salt Lick
- Salvisa
- Salyersville
- Sanders
- Sandy Hook
- Sardis
- Science Hill
- Scottsville
- Sebree
- Sedalia
- Seneca Gardens
- Sharpsburg
- Shelbyville
- Shepherdsville
- Shively
- Silver Grove
- Simpsonville
- Slaughters
- Smithfield
- Smithland
- Smiths Grove
- Somerset
- Sonora
- Sorgho
- South Carrollton
- Southgate
- South Shore
- South Wallins
- South Williamson
- Sparta
- Spottsville
- Springfield
- Spring Mill
- Spring Valley
- Stamping Ground
- Stanford
- Stanley
- Stanton
- St. Charles
- Stearns
- St. Joseph
- St. Mary
- St. Matthews
- Strathmoor Manor
- Strathmoor Village
- St. Regis Park
- Sturgis
- Summer Shade
- Summersville
- Sycamore
- Symsonia
Cities in Kentucky that start with T
- Taylor Mill
- Taylorsville
- Ten Broeck
- Thornhill
- Thruston
- Tolu
- Tompkinsville
- Trenton
Cities in Kentucky that start with U
- Union
- Uniontown
- Upton
- Utica
Cities in Kentucky that start with V
- Vanceburg
- Van Lear
- Verona
- Versailles
- Vicco
- Villa Hills
- Vine Grove
- Virgie
Cities in Kentucky that start with W
- Wallins Creek
- Walton
- Warfield
- Warsaw
- Water Valley
- Watterson Park
- Waverly
- Wayland
- Wellington
- West Buechel
- West Liberty
- West Louisville
- West Point
- Westport
- West Van Lear
- Westwood CDP
- Westwood city
- Wheatcroft
- Wheelwright
- White Plains
- Whitesburg
- Whitesville
- Whitley City
- Wickliffe
- Wilder
- Wildwood
- Williamsburg
- Williamstown
- Willisburg
- Wilmore
- Winchester
- Windy Hills
- Wingo
- Woodburn
- Woodbury
- Woodland Hills
- Woodlawn
- Woodlawn Park
- Worthington
- Worthington Hills
- Worthville
- Wurtland
Cities in Kentucky that start with Y
- Yelvington
Note
Kentucky has no towns in alphabetical order, beginning with the letters Q, X, and Z
Interactive Kentucky Map
FAQS
How many towns and cities are in Kentucky?
Kentucky has approximately 420 incorporated cities, with all municipalities now referred to as cities.
What is the nicest part of Kentucky to live in?
The nicest parts of Kentucky to live in vary based on personal preferences, but several areas stand out for their quality of life, amenities, and charm. Some of the top places include Fort Thomas, Lexington, Covington, and Paducah
Which state is close to Kentucky?
Kentucky is bordered by seven states:
- Illinois to the northwest
- Indiana to the north
- Ohio to the north
- West Virginia to the northeast
- Virginia to the east
- Tennessee to the south
- Missouri to the west
