The map above shows Kentucky and Michigan side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Michigan Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Michigan has 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²). Michigan's land area is 1.4 times (43%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 2.4 times (139%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Michigan is 489 miles (786 km). Michigan's north-south length is 1.9 times (90%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km). Michigan's east-west width is 1.1 times (8%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Michigan's is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m). Black Mountain is 2,120 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Michigan's is Lake Erie at 571 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 301 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Michigan Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Michigan has 10,140,459 (2024). Michigan's population is 2.2 times (121%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Michigan: 179.1. Michigan's population density is 1.5 times (54%) higher than Kentucky's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Michigan's is Detroit with 645,705. Louisville and Detroit have about the same population.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Michigan's Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's population is 1.9 times (91%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Michigan: Admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 45 years.
Kentucky vs Michigan Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Michigan's $702.5 billion. Michigan's economic output is 2.4 times (138%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Michigan: $69,274. Michigan's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (8%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Michigan: $63,690 average income per person (per capita personal income). Michigan's average income is 1.1 times (9%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Michigan Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Michigan has 83. Kentucky's county count is 1.4 times (45%) higher than Michigan's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Michigan's is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles. Marquette County's land area is 2.3 times (130%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi). Benzie County's land area is 3.3 times (225%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people). Wayne County's population is 2.2 times (123%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people). Robertson County's population is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Keweenaw County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579). Oakland County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Michigan: Lake County ($39,505). Lake County's income is 1.2 times (24%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Michigan Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%. Michigan's top rate is 0.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Michigan: 1.18% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.47 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Michigan: 6%. The two are essentially equal.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Michigan official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Michigan 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.