The map above shows Indiana and Kentucky side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Indiana vs Kentucky Geography
Land area: Indiana has a land area of 35,825 square miles (92,787 km²), while Kentucky has 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²). Kentucky's land area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Indiana's.
Total area: Indiana: 36,421 square miles (94,331 km²) vs Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²), including inland and coastal water. Kentucky's total area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Indiana's.
Length: Indiana is 276 miles (444 km) long from north to south; Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km). Indiana's north-south length is 1.1 times (7%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Indiana spans 193 miles (310 km) east to west; Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 2.2 times (117%) wider than Indiana's.
Highest point: Indiana's highest point is Hoosier Hill at 1,255 feet (383 m); Kentucky's is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m). Black Mountain is 2,879 feet higher than Hoosier Hill.
Lowest point: Indiana's lowest point is Ohio River at 330 feet; Kentucky's is Mississippi River at 270 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 60 feet lower.
Indiana vs Kentucky Population and History
Population: Indiana has a population of 6,924,275 (2024), while Kentucky has 4,588,372 (2024). Indiana's population is 1.5 times (51%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Indiana: 193.3 people per square mile vs Kentucky: 116.2. Indiana's population density is 1.7 times (66%) higher than Kentucky's.
Biggest city: Indiana's biggest city is Indianapolis with 891,484 people; Kentucky's is Louisville with 640,796. Indianapolis' population is 1.4 times (39%) larger than Louisville's.
Largest metro area: Indiana's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs Kentucky's Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 4.1 times (309%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Indiana: Admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816, as the 19th 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 24 years.
Indiana vs Kentucky Economy
GDP: Indiana's GDP is $519.5 billion (2024) vs Kentucky's $295.4 billion. Indiana's economic output is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Indiana: $75,028 per person vs Kentucky: $64,375. Indiana's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Indiana: $64,077 vs Kentucky: $58,256 average income per person (per capita personal income). Indiana's average income is 1.1 times (10%) higher than Kentucky's.
Indiana vs Kentucky Counties
Number of counties: Indiana has 92 counties, while Kentucky has 120. Kentucky's county count is 1.3 times (30%) higher than Indiana's.
Biggest county by area: Indiana's largest county is Allen County at 657 square miles; Kentucky's is Pike County at 786 square miles. Pike County's land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Allen County's.
Smallest county by area: Indiana: Ohio County (86 sq mi) vs Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi). Gallatin County's land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Ohio County's.
Most populous county: Indiana: Marion County (981,628 people) vs Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people). Marion County's population is 1.2 times (24%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Indiana: Ohio County (5,996 people) vs Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people). Ohio County's population is 2.5 times (152%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Indiana: Hamilton County ($104,283 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137). Hamilton County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Indiana: Miami County ($44,940 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817). Miami County's income is 1.4 times (41%) richer than Elliott County's.
Indiana vs Kentucky Taxes
State income tax: Indiana has a top income tax rate of 2.95%, while Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%. Kentucky's top rate is 0.55 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Indiana: 0.74% effective rate vs Kentucky: 0.71% of home value per year. Indiana's rate is 0.03 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Indiana: 7% combined state and average local rate vs Kentucky: 6%. Indiana's combined rate is 1 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Indiana official website · Kentucky official website
More Size Comparisons
All Indiana 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.