The map above shows Arkansas and Kentucky side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Kentucky Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Kentucky has 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²). Arkansas' land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arkansas' total area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km). Kentucky's north-south length is 1.1 times (6%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.5 times (50%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Kentucky's is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m). Black Mountain is 1,382 feet higher than Mount Magazine.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Kentucky's is Mississippi River at 270 feet. Arkansas's lowest point is 215 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Kentucky Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Kentucky has 4,588,372 (2024). Kentucky's population is 1.5 times (49%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Kentucky: 116.2. Kentucky's population density is 2.0 times (96%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Kentucky's is Louisville with 640,796. Louisville's population is 3.1 times (213%) larger than Little Rock's.
Largest metro area: Arkansas's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs Kentucky's Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 1.7 times (72%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 44 years.
Arkansas vs Kentucky Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Kentucky's $295.4 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Kentucky: $64,375. Kentucky's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Kentucky: $58,256 average income per person (per capita personal income). Arkansas and Kentucky have about the same average income.
Arkansas vs Kentucky Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Kentucky has 120. Kentucky's county count is 1.6 times (60%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Kentucky's is Pike County at 786 square miles. Union County's land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 5.4 times (439%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people). Jefferson County's population is 2.0 times (98%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people). Calhoun County's population is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137). Benton County's income is 1.4 times (38%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817). Lincoln County's income is 1.1 times (13%) richer than Elliott County's.
Arkansas vs Kentucky Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%. Arkansas's top rate is 0.4 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Kentucky: 0.71% of home value per year. Kentucky's rate is 0.19 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Kentucky: 6%. Arkansas's combined rate is 3.48 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Kentucky official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Kentucky size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.