Scottish Population in Kentucky by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Scottish population in Kentucky totals 84,635, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Bowling Green (1,774), followed by Owensboro (1,335) and Elizabethtown (949), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how Scottish residents are distributed across Kentucky''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Scottish population in Kentucky

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  • 1
    Bowling Green
    Scottish population in Bowling Green is 1,774
    2.41% of Bowling Green population is Scottish
  • 2
    Owensboro
    Scottish population in Owensboro is 1,335
    2.22% of Owensboro population is Scottish
  • 3
    Elizabethtown
    Scottish population in Elizabethtown is 949
    2.98% of Elizabethtown population is Scottish
  • 4
    Hopkinsville
    Scottish population in Hopkinsville is 942
    3.04% of Hopkinsville population is Scottish
  • 5
    Jeffersontown
    Scottish population in Jeffersontown is 792
    2.73% of Jeffersontown population is Scottish

Overview of Scottish population in Kentucky

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey documents Kentucky with 84,635 Scottish residents (1.9% of 4.5 million total state population), ranking the state at the 54th percentile nationally among U.S. jurisdictions for Scottish demographic representation.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census data records indicate Kentucky's Scottish population of 1.9% exceeds the national average of 1.6% by a factor of 1.2.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey document Kentucky's 84,635 Scottish residents constitute 1.6% of the nation's total Scottish population of 5.3 million, providing the state with a measurable but modest share of the national demographic community.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data show Kentucky maintains 2.1 Scottish Americans per square mile compared to the national average of 1.5, indicating higher demographic concentration relative to national averages.
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294 Cities in Kentucky Ranked by Scottish Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Scottish population in Kentucky present in Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Elizabethtown, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in Kentucky ranked by Scottish population count
Rank by Scottish Population
City
Scottish Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total Kentucky Scottish Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Bowling Green 1,774 2.41% 2.10%
2 Owensboro 1,335 2.22% 1.58%
3 Elizabethtown 949 2.98% 1.12%
4 Hopkinsville 942 3.04% 1.11%
5 Jeffersontown 792 2.73% 0.94%
6 Frankfort 755 2.65% 0.89%
7 Georgetown 744 1.95% 0.88%
8 707 1.99% 0.84%
9 684 1.67% 0.81%
10 611 3.54% 0.72%
11 594 2.78% 0.70%
12 591 3.38% 0.70%
13 576 3.01% 0.68%
14 560 2.85% 0.66%
15 553 1.71% 0.65%
16 526 3.02% 0.62%
17 524 1.81% 0.62%
18 517 1.63% 0.61%
19 469 3.34% 0.55%
20 454 1.98% 0.54%
21 436 1.56% 0.52%
22 414 3.97% 0.49%
23 404 3.94% 0.48%
24 320 2.34% 0.38%
25 298 1.53% 0.35%
25 298 4.43% 0.35%
26 295 1.71% 0.35%
27 285 2.35% 0.34%
28 278 3.17% 0.33%
29 275 1.02% 0.32%
30 268 4.70% 0.32%
30 268 17.17% 0.32%
31 266 2.91% 0.31%
32 255 2.15% 0.30%
33 254 1.63% 0.30%
34 247 2.44% 0.29%
35 244 1.70% 0.29%
36 230 1.52% 0.27%
36 230 1.26% 0.27%
37 217 2.09% 0.26%
38 216 3.44% 0.26%
39 210 2.12% 0.25%
40 209 2.17% 0.25%
41 206 7.29% 0.24%
42 186 2.95% 0.22%
43 179 2.46% 0.21%
44 178 2.57% 0.21%
45 176 0.98% 0.21%
46 174 3.11% 0.21%
47 172 1.88% 0.20%
48 168 3.29% 0.20%
49 166 1.79% 0.20%
50 164 1.42% 0.19%
51 161 1.84% 0.19%
52 158 10.44% 0.19%
52 158 3.50% 0.19%
53 148 1.35% 0.17%
54 142 5.00% 0.17%
55 141 2.16% 0.17%
56 139 2.91% 0.16%
57 138 1.83% 0.16%
58 134 1.77% 0.16%
59 122 1.90% 0.14%
59 122 1.65% 0.14%
60 121 2.11% 0.14%
61 116 5.14% 0.14%
62 108 1.49% 0.13%
63 106 1.85% 0.13%
64 105 2.39% 0.12%
65 103 6.44% 0.12%
66 102 1.35% 0.12%
66 102 1.69% 0.12%
67 98 0.63% 0.12%
68 97 1.12% 0.11%
69 96 3.04% 0.11%
69 96 1.74% 0.11%
70 95 2.49% 0.11%
71 92 1.23% 0.11%
72 90 3.57% 0.11%
72 90 5.54% 0.11%
73 88 0.86% 0.10%
74 84 1.22% 0.10%
75 82 4.45% 0.10%
76 80 1.71% 0.09%
76 80 10.72% 0.09%
77 77 2.68% 0.09%
78 76 2.53% 0.09%
79 74 0.88% 0.09%
79 74 7.37% 0.09%
79 74 1.19% 0.09%
80 73 2.75% 0.09%
80 73 5.15% 0.09%
81 72 1.12% 0.09%
82 71 2.18% 0.08%
83 70 1.19% 0.08%
84 68 3.36% 0.08%
85 67 2.77% 0.08%
85 67 4.01% 0.08%
85 67 1.71% 0.08%
86 66 0.78% 0.08%
86 66 3.33% 0.08%
87 65 1.02% 0.08%
88 64 3.73% 0.08%
89 63 1.71% 0.07%
89 63 2.00% 0.07%
90 62 2.63% 0.07%
91 59 1.33% 0.07%
92 58 2.94% 0.07%
93 57 2.15% 0.07%
93 57 2.62% 0.07%
94 56 3.20% 0.07%
95 53 1.65% 0.06%
96 50 1.72% 0.06%
96 50 1.86% 0.06%
96 50 2.29% 0.06%
97 49 4.44% 0.06%
98 48 0.92% 0.06%
99 47 1.46% 0.06%
100 45 5.98% 0.05%
101 44 3.13% 0.05%
101 44 6.29% 0.05%
102 43 2.09% 0.05%
102 43 2.30% 0.05%
103 42 4.90% 0.05%
104 41 2.84% 0.05%
105 40 1.01% 0.05%
106 39 0.72% 0.05%
106 39 2.18% 0.05%
106 39 5.65% 0.05%
106 39 1.07% 0.05%
106 39 1.19% 0.05%
107 37 1.37% 0.04%
107 37 1.40% 0.04%
107 37 1.36% 0.04%
108 36 2.85% 0.04%
108 36 0.82% 0.04%
109 35 2.90% 0.04%
109 35 3.38% 0.04%
109 35 0.44% 0.04%
110 34 3.32% 0.04%
110 34 4.30% 0.04%
110 34 1.88% 0.04%
111 33 3.19% 0.04%
111 33 1.41% 0.04%
112 32 3.60% 0.04%
112 32 1.55% 0.04%
113 31 1.35% 0.04%
114 30 3.47% 0.04%
115 29 0.66% 0.03%
116 28 2.15% 0.03%
116 28 2.25% 0.03%
116 28 1.26% 0.03%
116 28 1.39% 0.03%
116 28 3.70% 0.03%
117 27 5.78% 0.03%
118 26 1.52% 0.03%
118 26 0.54% 0.03%
118 26 0.68% 0.03%
119 25 0.79% 0.03%
119 25 1.28% 0.03%
119 25 4.55% 0.03%
119 25 0.87% 0.03%
120 24 3.34% 0.03%
120 24 2.16% 0.03%
120 24 2.17% 0.03%
120 24 1.61% 0.03%
120 24 0.87% 0.03%
120 24 3.26% 0.03%
120 24 1.20% 0.03%
121 23 1.84% 0.03%
121 23 2.20% 0.03%
121 23 0.98% 0.03%
121 23 2.47% 0.03%
121 23 1.21% 0.03%
122 22 1.12% 0.03%
122 22 1.74% 0.03%
122 22 2.50% 0.03%
122 22 1.40% 0.03%
122 22 2.18% 0.03%
122 22 3.52% 0.03%
123 21 3.61% 0.02%
123 21 0.95% 0.02%
123 21 1.06% 0.02%
123 21 2.15% 0.02%
123 21 0.79% 0.02%
124 20 1.90% 0.02%
124 20 1.80% 0.02%
124 20 0.49% 0.02%
124 20 0.89% 0.02%
124 20 0.68% 0.02%
124 20 1.07% 0.02%
125 19 1.74% 0.02%
126 18 2.23% 0.02%
126 18 0.74% 0.02%
126 18 0.98% 0.02%
127 17 3.06% 0.02%
127 17 0.57% 0.02%
127 17 2.78% 0.02%
127 17 2.69% 0.02%
127 17 0.53% 0.02%
128 16 1.27% 0.02%
129 15 0.35% 0.02%
129 15 1.85% 0.02%
129 15 3.44% 0.02%
130 14 0.48% 0.02%
130 14 1.10% 0.02%
130 14 2.03% 0.02%
130 14 1.72% 0.02%
130 14 0.89% 0.02%
131 13 2.63% 0.02%
131 13 0.96% 0.02%
131 13 0.60% 0.02%
131 13 1.71% 0.02%
131 13 1.19% 0.02%
131 13 1.12% 0.02%
131 13 2.21% 0.02%
131 13 1.63% 0.02%
131 13 1.01% 0.02%
132 12 4.15% 0.01%
132 12 2.34% 0.01%
132 12 0.59% 0.01%
132 12 1.83% 0.01%
132 12 1.96% 0.01%
132 12 1.35% 0.01%
132 12 1.52% 0.01%
133 11 1.40% 0.01%
133 11 1.44% 0.01%
133 11 0.46% 0.01%
133 11 2.67% 0.01%
133 11 0.60% 0.01%
134 10 1.65% 0.01%
134 10 1.55% 0.01%
134 10 1.23% 0.01%
134 10 1.63% 0.01%
134 10 2.10% 0.01%
134 10 0.27% 0.01%
134 10 1.80% 0.01%
135 9 0.67% 0.01%
135 9 0.84% 0.01%
135 9 1.66% 0.01%
135 9 0.35% 0.01%
135 9 1.52% 0.01%
135 9 1.23% 0.01%
135 9 1.24% 0.01%
135 9 1.48% 0.01%
136 8 1.17% 0.01%
136 8 1.93% 0.01%
136 8 1.23% 0.01%
136 8 0.38% 0.01%
136 8 1.14% 0.01%
136 8 0.28% 0.01%
136 8 0.71% 0.01%
137 7 0.85% 0.01%
137 7 0.71% 0.01%
137 7 2.01% 0.01%
137 7 0.74% 0.01%
137 7 0.74% 0.01%
137 7 1.11% 0.01%
138 6 1.18% 0.01%
138 6 0.32% 0.01%
138 6 0.27% 0.01%
138 6 0.29% 0.01%
138 6 0.84% 0.01%
138 6 0.32% 0.01%
139 5 0.67% 0.01%
139 5 0.19% 0.01%
139 5 0.92% 0.01%
139 5 0.84% 0.01%
140 4 0.58% 0.00%
140 4 0.35% 0.00%
140 4 0.14% 0.00%
140 4 0.38% 0.00%
140 4 0.59% 0.00%
141 3 0.37% 0.00%
141 3 0.33% 0.00%
141 3 0.22% 0.00%
141 3 0.25% 0.00%
141 3 0.27% 0.00%
141 3 0.41% 0.00%
141 3 0.44% 0.00%
142 2 0.25% 0.00%
142 2 0.29% 0.00%
142 2 0.24% 0.00%
142 2 0.20% 0.00%
142 2 0.31% 0.00%
143 1 0.13% 0.00%
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
144 0 - -
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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 city in Kentucky by their Scottish population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Scottish population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having Scottish ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as Scottish alone, while others identify as Scottish along with another race (such as Scottish and German).
  • We’ve used the “Scottish alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Scottish population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Scottish alone or in combination in city. 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 Scottish .
  2. % of Total Kentucky Scottish Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Scottish 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 Scottish 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.
  • City that don’t have any reported Scottish 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 Scottish populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.