2025

Cities in Kentucky ranked by Black Population

This list ranks the 417 cities in Kentucky based on their Black or African American population, as estimated by the United States Census Bureau. It also highlights population changes in these cities over the past five years.
Updated Feb 10, 2025

Top 5 cities with the largest Black population in Kentucky

View All
  • 1
    Bowling Green
    Black population in Bowling Green is 11,924
    15.11% of Bowling Green population is Black
  • 2
    Hopkinsville
    Black population in Hopkinsville is 10,525
    31.26% of Hopkinsville population is Black
  • 3
    Shively
    Black population in Shively is 9,614
    58.78% of Shively population is Black
  • 4
    Radcliff
    Black population in Radcliff is 6,625
    26.27% of Radcliff population is Black
  • 5
    Paducah
    Black population in Paducah is 6,246
    21.84% of Paducah population is Black

List of 417 cities in Kentucky by Black Population

View Methodology
-
Rank by Black Population
City
Black Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total Kentucky Black Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Bowling Green 11,924 15.11% 7.37%
2 Hopkinsville 10,525 31.26% 6.51%
3 Shively 9,614 58.78% 5.94%
4 Radcliff 6,625 26.27% 4.10%
5 Paducah 6,246 21.84% 3.86%
6 Covington 5,247 11.88% 3.24%
7 Owensboro 5,226 8.24% 3.23%
8 5,176 14.73% 3.20%
9 5,141 16.79% 3.18%
10 4,312 13.90% 2.67%
11 3,595 12.18% 2.22%
12 3,417 8.34% 2.11%
13 3,186 15.26% 1.97%
14 2,819 7.41% 1.74%
15 2,430 13.16% 1.50%
16 2,349 6.84% 1.45%
17 2,323 24.79% 1.44%
18 2,293 6.83% 1.42%
19 2,066 17.70% 1.28%
20 1,957 13.69% 1.21%
21 1,864 9.45% 1.15%
22 1,819 9.14% 1.12%
23 1,545 9.37% 0.96%
24 1,524 13.94% 0.94%
25 1,506 12.34% 0.93%
26 1,504 8.08% 0.93%
27 1,358 18.51% 0.84%
28 1,338 13.36% 0.83%
29 1,309 6.22% 0.81%
30 1,237 10.90% 0.76%
30 1,237 11.35% 0.76%
31 1,194 17.90% 0.74%
32 1,154 6.24% 0.71%
33 1,134 10.40% 0.70%
34 1,047 40.27% 0.65%
35 1,029 10.37% 0.64%
36 1,027 10.65% 0.63%
37 1,018 6.74% 0.63%
38 989 48.50% 0.61%
39 883 2.95% 0.55%
40 850 11.32% 0.53%
41 775 8.42% 0.48%
42 769 11.85% 0.48%
43 745 3.34% 0.46%
44 726 35.64% 0.45%
45 722 4.40% 0.45%
46 698 5.58% 0.43%
47 697 7.15% 0.43%
48 679 3.73% 0.42%
48 679 5.58% 0.42%
49 650 11.53% 0.40%
50 630 18.30% 0.39%
51 627 33.48% 0.39%
52 603 4.07% 0.37%
53 573 24.52% 0.35%
54 571 5.30% 0.35%
55 551 18.21% 0.34%
56 548 14.68% 0.34%
57 538 21.60% 0.33%
58 515 11.98% 0.32%
59 489 4.96% 0.30%
60 467 5.06% 0.29%
61 466 15.84% 0.29%
62 457 14.95% 0.28%
63 455 5.92% 0.28%
64 433 9.24% 0.27%
65 431 14.87% 0.27%
66 421 32.81% 0.26%
67 414 27.79% 0.26%
68 412 6.50% 0.25%
68 412 8.61% 0.25%
69 408 6.05% 0.25%
70 400 5.92% 0.25%
71 373 9.78% 0.23%
72 371 10.30% 0.23%
73 348 7.15% 0.22%
74 339 1.76% 0.21%
75 331 5.48% 0.20%
76 328 24.30% 0.20%
77 318 11.28% 0.20%
78 315 10.43% 0.19%
78 315 4.94% 0.19%
79 309 4.36% 0.19%
80 305 5.04% 0.19%
81 294 2.72% 0.18%
82 280 8.60% 0.17%
83 279 4.57% 0.17%
84 271 23.98% 0.17%
85 262 4.92% 0.16%
86 253 4.84% 0.16%
87 251 11.59% 0.16%
88 248 29.84% 0.15%
89 242 4.56% 0.15%
90 236 34.96% 0.15%
91 234 5.10% 0.14%
92 232 7.13% 0.14%
93 228 3.49% 0.14%
94 227 6.10% 0.14%
95 222 11.81% 0.14%
96 215 5.60% 0.13%
97 207 10.42% 0.13%
98 197 3.02% 0.12%
98 197 2.52% 0.12%
99 196 17.52% 0.12%
100 193 15.49% 0.12%
101 190 4.81% 0.12%
102 188 10.16% 0.12%
103 186 7.00% 0.11%
103 186 2.80% 0.11%
104 182 8.45% 0.11%
105 180 4.55% 0.11%
106 171 12.25% 0.11%
107 167 3.76% 0.10%
108 165 7.44% 0.10%
109 161 15.72% 0.10%
110 156 8.82% 0.10%
110 156 4.74% 0.10%
111 152 14.14% 0.09%
112 151 30.82% 0.09%
112 151 3.59% 0.09%
113 148 3.40% 0.09%
114 144 7.71% 0.09%
115 139 9.45% 0.09%
115 139 1.57% 0.09%
116 137 17.65% 0.08%
116 137 6.96% 0.08%
117 132 5.53% 0.08%
117 132 5.58% 0.08%
118 131 5.37% 0.08%
118 131 5.42% 0.08%
118 131 14.40% 0.08%
119 128 2.58% 0.08%
119 128 6.58% 0.08%
119 128 5.60% 0.08%
120 125 4.66% 0.08%
121 124 1.78% 0.08%
122 121 5.81% 0.07%
122 121 7.61% 0.07%
122 121 16.20% 0.07%
123 120 1.55% 0.07%
123 120 2.62% 0.07%
124 117 15.64% 0.07%
125 115 14.15% 0.07%
126 114 3.46% 0.07%
127 112 5.26% 0.07%
127 112 15.84% 0.07%
128 111 3.78% 0.07%
129 109 11.27% 0.07%
130 108 28.20% 0.07%
130 108 11.99% 0.07%
131 99 13.43% 0.06%
132 92 3.01% 0.06%
132 92 2.34% 0.06%
133 90 2.99% 0.06%
134 89 18.39% 0.06%
135 87 1.62% 0.05%
136 86 2.73% 0.05%
136 86 1.43% 0.05%
137 85 16.47% 0.05%
138 83 1.05% 0.05%
138 83 2.58% 0.05%
139 82 3.51% 0.05%
140 81 2.93% 0.05%
140 81 3.40% 0.05%
140 81 6.38% 0.05%
141 80 4.42% 0.05%
142 79 3.94% 0.05%
143 78 7.43% 0.05%
143 78 4.14% 0.05%
144 75 11.05% 0.05%
144 75 6.37% 0.05%
145 74 8.20% 0.05%
145 74 7.79% 0.05%
145 74 4.04% 0.05%
146 73 11.46% 0.05%
147 72 9.97% 0.04%
147 72 0.96% 0.04%
148 71 9.07% 0.04%
149 69 2.75% 0.04%
149 69 1.20% 0.04%
150 66 7.54% 0.04%
151 65 5.95% 0.04%
151 65 8.56% 0.04%
152 62 2.89% 0.04%
153 60 4.35% 0.04%
153 60 6.27% 0.04%
154 59 4.67% 0.04%
155 57 5.17% 0.04%
156 55 0.64% 0.03%
156 55 4.03% 0.03%
157 53 7.11% 0.03%
158 49 7.20% 0.03%
159 46 7.49% 0.03%
159 46 4.24% 0.03%
160 45 10.59% 0.03%
160 45 11.14% 0.03%
161 44 1.95% 0.03%
161 44 6.04% 0.03%
161 44 1.34% 0.03%
162 43 4.06% 0.03%
162 43 1.59% 0.03%
163 41 3.15% 0.03%
163 41 1.72% 0.03%
163 41 8.63% 0.03%
164 40 2.01% 0.02%
164 40 9.78% 0.02%
165 39 9.18% 0.02%
166 38 7.36% 0.02%
166 38 8.58% 0.02%
167 37 4.71% 0.02%
168 36 5.83% 0.02%
168 36 3.74% 0.02%
168 36 1.65% 0.02%
169 34 2.28% 0.02%
170 33 4.09% 0.02%
170 33 1.70% 0.02%
171 32 4.56% 0.02%
171 32 1.91% 0.02%
172 31 3.69% 0.02%
172 31 10.06% 0.02%
173 30 3.81% 0.02%
173 30 5.39% 0.02%
173 30 7.09% 0.02%
174 29 5.52% 0.02%
174 29 1.27% 0.02%
174 29 4.46% 0.02%
174 29 5.60% 0.02%
175 28 11.11% 0.02%
175 28 1.45% 0.02%
175 28 1.08% 0.02%
175 28 3.91% 0.02%
175 28 3.27% 0.02%
176 27 2.39% 0.02%
177 26 2.56% 0.02%
177 26 6.82% 0.02%
178 25 4.45% 0.02%
179 24 1.92% 0.01%
179 24 1.59% 0.01%
179 24 4.12% 0.01%
179 24 0.55% 0.01%
179 24 3.07% 0.01%
180 23 2.73% 0.01%
180 23 6.34% 0.01%
181 22 9.52% 0.01%
181 22 1.54% 0.01%
182 20 1.31% 0.01%
182 20 2.89% 0.01%
182 20 5.83% 0.01%
183 19 2.11% 0.01%
183 19 0.65% 0.01%
183 19 0.64% 0.01%
183 19 0.81% 0.01%
184 18 1.38% 0.01%
184 18 1.11% 0.01%
184 18 0.61% 0.01%
185 17 4.37% 0.01%
185 17 5.38% 0.01%
185 17 0.23% 0.01%
185 17 2.53% 0.01%
186 16 2.01% 0.01%
186 16 2.07% 0.01%
187 15 5.15% 0.01%
187 15 1.79% 0.01%
187 15 10.20% 0.01%
187 15 1.71% 0.01%
187 15 1.59% 0.01%
187 15 13.16% 0.01%
188 14 3.46% 0.01%
188 14 2.18% 0.01%
189 13 0.50% 0.01%
189 13 7.18% 0.01%
190 12 4.56% 0.01%
190 12 3.08% 0.01%
190 12 1.50% 0.01%
190 12 5.88% 0.01%
190 12 1.46% 0.01%
191 11 15.94% 0.01%
191 11 3.57% 0.01%
191 11 1.89% 0.01%
191 11 1.60% 0.01%
191 11 0.99% 0.01%
191 11 4.78% 0.01%
192 10 0.49% 0.01%
192 10 2.99% 0.01%
192 10 2.10% 0.01%
192 10 1.39% 0.01%
192 10 4.57% 0.01%
192 10 1.21% 0.01%
192 10 0.78% 0.01%
193 9 1.22% 0.01%
193 9 1.65% 0.01%
193 9 1.90% 0.01%
193 9 1.88% 0.01%
193 9 0.73% 0.01%
193 9 0.45% 0.01%
194 8 4.02% -
194 8 3.01% -
194 8 2.39% -
194 8 0.27% -
194 8 1.90% -
194 8 1.37% -
195 7 2.71% -
195 7 0.51% -
195 7 1.07% -
195 7 1.76% -
195 7 1.38% -
195 7 1.67% -
195 7 1.30% -
195 7 4.09% -
196 6 1.37% -
196 6 1.97% -
196 6 1.07% -
196 6 0.54% -
196 6 1.37% -
196 6 4.14% -
196 6 1.50% -
196 6 0.72% -
196 6 0.31% -
196 6 0.74% -
196 6 3.57% -
196 6 1.31% -
196 6 0.91% -
197 5 0.80% -
197 5 0.31% -
197 5 4.24% -
197 5 1.10% -
197 5 1.03% -
197 5 2.38% -
197 5 1.60% -
198 4 0.35% -
198 4 1.31% -
198 4 1.10% -
198 4 0.97% -
198 4 3.51% -
198 4 0.67% -
198 4 1.75% -
198 4 0.63% -
198 4 0.36% -
198 4 2.33% -
198 4 0.20% -
199 3 0.37% -
199 3 1.12% -
199 3 0.28% -
199 3 0.37% -
199 3 1.03% -
199 3 0.79% -
200 2 1.26% -
200 2 4.76% -
200 2 1.59% -
200 2 0.45% -
200 2 3.39% -
201 1 1.37% -
201 1 0.12% -
201 1 0.53% -
201 1 0.24% -
201 1 0.79% -
201 1 0.03% -
201 1 0.32% -
201 1 0.28% -
201 1 0.39% -

List of cities with no Black Population in Kentucky

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, the following cities in Kentucky have no recorded Black population*:
  • Bedford
  • Berry
  • Blackey
  • Blaine
  • Booneville
  • California
  • Cambridge
  • Caneyville
  • Clay
  • Concord
  • Crossgate
  • Druid Hills
  • Ekron
  • Elkhorn City
  • Ewing
  • Fairview
  • Ferguson
  • Fox Chase
  • Glenview Manor
  • Grand Rivers
  • Gratz
  • Inez
  • Jackson
  • Kenton Vale
  • Livingston
  • Louisa
  • Mchenry
  • Mackville
  • Maryhill Estates
  • Mentor
  • Monterey
  • Mortons Gap
  • Mount Olivet
  • Old Brownsboro Place
  • Raywick
  • Richlawn
  • Rochester
  • Rockport
  • Rolling Fields
  • Ryland Heights
  • Salt Lick
  • Sandy Hook
  • Smithfield
  • Sonora
  • South Carrollton
  • South Shore
  • Ten Broeck
  • Wallins Creek
  • Warfield
  • Water Valley
  • Waverly
  • Wheatcroft
  • White Plains
  • Woodbury
  • Worthville
  • Eubank
  • Germantown
* These cities were not included in the ranking above, as they do not meet the population criteria. It is possible that a small population exists but was not reported or captured due to limitations or variations in Census data collection and reporting.

Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks cities in Kentucky by their Black or African American population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census Defines Black Population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their race, meaning individuals can choose one or more racial categories when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as Black, whether alone or in combination with another race.
Here are a few important things to know about how race is reported:
  • Some people identify as Black alone, while others identify as Black along with another race (such as Black and White).
  • Hispanic / Latino origin is reported separately from race, so someone can be both Hispanic and Black .
  • We’ve used the “Black alone or in combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Black population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Black alone or in combination in cities. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as Black .
  2. % of Total Kentucky Black Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Black population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small Black populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • Cities that don’t have any reported Black population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where Black populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.