Racial diversity in Kentucky is a mixed bag.
There are parts of Kentucky where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Kentucky?
To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 80 cities in Kentucky to rank them from most to least diverse.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Here are the 10 most diverse places in Kentucky for 2024:
So what city is the most diverse in Kentucky? According to the most Census data, Oak Grove took the number one over all spot for diversity in Kentucky.
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Kentucky ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.
For more Kentucky reading:
The 10 Most Diverse Places In Kentucky For 2024
/10
Population: 7,895
HHI: 3,724
% White: 54.1%
% African American: 23.7%
% Hispanic: 14.0%
% Asian: 0.6%
More on Oak Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 22,981
HHI: 3,802
% White: 54.6%
% African American: 26.5%
% Hispanic: 8.6%
% Asian: 3.3%
More on Radcliff: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,595
HHI: 4,103
% White: 36.5%
% African American: 52.1%
% Hispanic: 5.5%
% Asian: 0.0%
More on Shively: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 31,042
HHI: 4,392
% White: 59.3%
% African American: 28.6%
% Hispanic: 3.5%
% Asian: 1.5%
More on Hopkinsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 629,176
HHI: 4,585
% White: 62.9%
% African American: 23.6%
% Hispanic: 6.8%
% Asian: 2.7%
More on Louisville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 72,385
HHI: 4,635
% White: 65.8%
% African American: 12.6%
% Hispanic: 8.5%
% Asian: 7.7%
More on Bowling Green: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 17,239
HHI: 4,798
% White: 66.2%
% African American: 8.7%
% Hispanic: 17.8%
% Asian: 1.8%
More on Shelbyville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,997
HHI: 5,061
% White: 68.1%
% African American: 19.0%
% Hispanic: 5.4%
% Asian: 2.0%
More on Lyndon: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,011
HHI: 5,148
% White: 69.3%
% African American: 12.2%
% Hispanic: 13.3%
% Asian: 0.4%
More on Mayfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Kentucky for 2024
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census — and Saturday Night Science. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Kentucky.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2018-2022 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
- Hispanic or Latino
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 80 cities.
We then calculated the HHI for each city by finding the racial breakdown of a city in percent terms, squaring them, and then adding the squares together. This left us with scores ranging from 3,724 (Oak Grove) to 9,414 (Taylor Mill).
Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Oak Grove took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Taylor Mill was the least diverse city.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most diverse places in Kentucky.
Summary: Diversity Across Kentucky
If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Kentucky, this is an accurate list.
The most diverse cities in Kentucky are Oak Grove, Radcliff, Shively, Hopkinsville, Louisville, Bowling Green, Shelbyville, Lyndon, Mayfield, and Lexington.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Kentucky:
- Taylor Mill
- Villa Hills
- Flatwoods
For more Kentucky reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Kentucky
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky
- Most Dangerous Cities In Kentucky
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Kentucky
- Safest Places In Kentucky
- Worst Places To Live In Kentucky
Race By City In Kentucky For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | HHI | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Grove, KY | 7,895 | 3,724 | 54.1% | 23.7% | 14.0% | 0.6% |
| 2 | Radcliff, KY | 22,981 | 3,802 | 54.6% | 26.5% | 8.6% | 3.3% |
| 3 | Shively, KY | 15,595 | 4,103 | 36.5% | 52.1% | 5.5% | 0.0% |
| 4 | Hopkinsville, KY | 31,042 | 4,392 | 59.3% | 28.6% | 3.5% | 1.5% |
| 5 | Louisville, KY | 629,176 | 4,585 | 62.9% | 23.6% | 6.8% | 2.7% |
| 6 | Bowling Green, KY | 72,385 | 4,635 | 65.8% | 12.6% | 8.5% | 7.7% |
| 7 | Shelbyville, KY | 17,239 | 4,798 | 66.2% | 8.7% | 17.8% | 1.8% |
| 8 | Lyndon, KY | 10,997 | 5,061 | 68.1% | 19.0% | 5.4% | 2.0% |
| 9 | Mayfield, KY | 10,011 | 5,148 | 69.3% | 12.2% | 13.3% | 0.4% |
| 10 | Lexington, KY | 321,276 | 5,151 | 69.6% | 14.6% | 7.4% | 4.1% |
| 11 | Paducah, KY | 26,869 | 5,393 | 70.0% | 21.9% | 2.9% | 1.3% |
| 12 | Vine Grove, KY | 6,611 | 5,402 | 71.7% | 13.7% | 4.6% | 1.6% |
| 13 | Frankfort, KY | 28,460 | 5,555 | 73.0% | 12.2% | 6.0% | 2.5% |
| 14 | Lebanon, KY | 6,274 | 5,682 | 73.4% | 14.8% | 7.7% | 0.5% |
| 15 | Versailles, KY | 10,297 | 5,827 | 74.7% | 6.5% | 13.4% | 0.4% |
| 16 | Jeffersontown, KY | 28,796 | 5,838 | 75.1% | 12.3% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| 17 | Elizabethtown, KY | 31,425 | 5,943 | 75.9% | 11.1% | 4.8% | 2.7% |
| 18 | Covington, KY | 40,923 | 6,015 | 76.4% | 9.6% | 8.5% | 1.1% |
| 19 | Madisonville, KY | 19,433 | 6,217 | 77.7% | 12.0% | 3.5% | 1.4% |
| 20 | Hillview, KY | 8,681 | 6,246 | 78.3% | 5.5% | 7.6% | 3.3% |
| 21 | Bardstown, KY | 13,564 | 6,308 | 78.1% | 12.9% | 5.4% | 0.6% |
| 22 | Henderson, KY | 28,166 | 6,452 | 79.4% | 10.9% | 4.4% | 0.4% |
| 23 | Danville, KY | 17,191 | 6,489 | 79.5% | 11.9% | 4.3% | 1.1% |
| 24 | Russellville, KY | 7,186 | 6,566 | 79.7% | 14.0% | 4.2% | 0.9% |
| 25 | Franklin, KY | 10,141 | 6,614 | 80.2% | 12.8% | 3.0% | 0.4% |
| 26 | Middletown, KY | 9,594 | 6,633 | 80.7% | 8.1% | 1.9% | 6.9% |
| 27 | Elsmere, KY | 9,126 | 6,684 | 81.1% | 7.7% | 2.0% | 2.6% |
| 28 | Owensboro, KY | 60,019 | 6,754 | 81.6% | 7.0% | 4.5% | 2.9% |
| 29 | Glasgow, KY | 15,043 | 6,786 | 81.7% | 7.6% | 6.6% | 1.0% |
| 30 | Princeton, KY | 6,248 | 6,846 | 81.8% | 11.6% | 2.3% | 0.0% |
| 31 | Florence, KY | 32,056 | 6,883 | 82.5% | 6.0% | 4.7% | 3.2% |
| 32 | Paris, KY | 10,143 | 6,976 | 82.9% | 8.2% | 4.5% | 0.0% |
| 33 | Harrodsburg, KY | 9,057 | 6,981 | 83.0% | 6.2% | 5.6% | 0.1% |
| 34 | Newport, KY | 14,190 | 7,088 | 83.6% | 7.4% | 5.4% | 0.3% |
| 35 | Murray, KY | 17,414 | 7,127 | 84.0% | 6.4% | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| 36 | Campbellsville, KY | 11,434 | 7,146 | 83.9% | 9.3% | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| 37 | Winchester, KY | 19,080 | 7,147 | 84.1% | 6.5% | 4.6% | 1.2% |
| 38 | Georgetown, KY | 37,510 | 7,162 | 84.2% | 5.8% | 5.0% | 1.0% |
| 39 | Richmond, KY | 34,883 | 7,251 | 84.8% | 6.1% | 3.4% | 1.2% |
| 40 | St. Matthews, KY | 17,511 | 7,368 | 85.5% | 5.0% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| 41 | Erlanger, KY | 19,577 | 7,456 | 86.0% | 4.4% | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| 42 | Crestwood, KY | 6,175 | 7,461 | 85.7% | 1.3% | 10.4% | 0.8% |
| 43 | Somerset, KY | 11,998 | 7,511 | 86.4% | 3.6% | 5.5% | 1.5% |
| 44 | Maysville, KY | 8,831 | 7,569 | 86.6% | 6.9% | 3.3% | 1.1% |
| 45 | Nicholasville, KY | 31,352 | 7,581 | 86.8% | 4.8% | 4.2% | 0.8% |
| 46 | La Grange, KY | 10,073 | 7,715 | 87.6% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 0.6% |
| 47 | Hazard, KY | 5,194 | 7,728 | 87.7% | 1.5% | 2.8% | 3.5% |
| 48 | Central City, KY | 5,740 | 7,734 | 87.7% | 3.0% | 2.4% | 0.5% |
| 49 | Morehead, KY | 7,001 | 7,744 | 87.7% | 3.8% | 5.4% | 1.5% |
| 50 | Monticello, KY | 5,770 | 7,754 | 87.4% | 1.1% | 10.5% | 0.1% |
| 51 | Highland Heights, KY | 6,566 | 7,832 | 88.3% | 4.4% | 0.8% | 3.2% |
| 52 | Walton, KY | 5,492 | 7,867 | 88.4% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 0.2% |
| 53 | Dayton, KY | 5,674 | 7,917 | 88.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 0.1% |
| 54 | Douglass Hills, KY | 5,466 | 7,995 | 89.1% | 6.7% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| 55 | Berea, KY | 15,404 | 8,033 | 89.4% | 2.8% | 4.4% | 0.3% |
| 56 | Fort Wright, KY | 5,841 | 8,090 | 89.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 0.7% |
| 57 | Bellevue, KY | 5,596 | 8,108 | 89.9% | 1.0% | 4.5% | 0.1% |
| 58 | Alexandria, KY | 10,322 | 8,121 | 90.0% | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| 59 | Wilmore, KY | 6,017 | 8,137 | 90.1% | 4.1% | 1.4% | 0.5% |
| 60 | Middlesborough, KY | 9,383 | 8,181 | 90.3% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| 61 | Williamsburg, KY | 5,229 | 8,190 | 90.3% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 1.2% |
| 62 | Lawrenceburg, KY | 11,749 | 8,280 | 90.8% | 5.8% | 1.6% | 0.2% |
| 63 | Cynthiana, KY | 6,355 | 8,283 | 90.9% | 3.3% | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| 64 | Ashland, KY | 21,542 | 8,289 | 90.9% | 1.4% | 3.0% | 0.4% |
| 65 | Fort Mitchell, KY | 8,667 | 8,302 | 91.0% | 1.8% | 4.3% | 0.7% |
| 66 | Union, KY | 7,369 | 8,345 | 91.2% | 0.0% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| 67 | Fort Thomas, KY | 17,310 | 8,433 | 91.7% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| 68 | Pikeville, KY | 7,563 | 8,508 | 92.1% | 3.2% | 1.0% | 2.0% |
| 69 | Shepherdsville, KY | 14,136 | 8,535 | 92.3% | 1.5% | 2.7% | 0.0% |
| 70 | Corbin, KY | 8,611 | 8,569 | 92.4% | 1.0% | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| 71 | London, KY | 7,612 | 8,579 | 92.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| 72 | Mount Washington, KY | 17,987 | 8,668 | 93.0% | 0.3% | 3.5% | 0.5% |
| 73 | Independence, KY | 28,722 | 8,766 | 93.6% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| 74 | Mount Sterling, KY | 7,532 | 8,821 | 93.8% | 4.0% | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| 75 | Edgewood, KY | 8,447 | 8,981 | 94.7% | 3.1% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| 76 | Leitchfield, KY | 6,432 | 9,001 | 94.8% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| 77 | Cold Spring, KY | 6,258 | 9,140 | 95.6% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| 78 | Flatwoods, KY | 7,312 | 9,404 | 97.0% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 79 | Villa Hills, KY | 7,331 | 9,411 | 97.0% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| 80 | Taylor Mill, KY | 6,851 | 9,414 | 97.0% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 0.2% |