The map above shows Kentucky and Mississippi side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Mississippi Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Mississippi has 46,925 square miles (121,534 km²). Mississippi's land area is 1.2 times (19%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Mississippi: 48,436 square miles (125,448 km²), including inland and coastal water. Mississippi's total area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Mississippi is 337 miles (542 km). Mississippi's north-south length is 1.3 times (31%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Mississippi spans 340 miles (547 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.2 times (23%) wider than Mississippi's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Mississippi's is Woodall Mountain at 805 feet (245 m). Black Mountain is 3,329 feet higher than Woodall Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Mississippi's is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet. Mississippi's lowest point is 270 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Mississippi Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Mississippi has 2,943,045 (2024). Kentucky's population is 1.6 times (56%) larger than Mississippi's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Mississippi: 62.7. Kentucky's population density is 1.9 times (85%) higher than Mississippi's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Mississippi's is Jackson with 141,449. Louisville's population is 4.5 times (353%) larger than Jackson's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Mississippi's Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 1.7 times (72%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Mississippi: Admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 25 years.
Kentucky vs Mississippi Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Mississippi's $158.2 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 1.9 times (87%) larger than Mississippi's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Mississippi: $53,751. Kentucky's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (20%) higher than Mississippi's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Mississippi: $52,074 average income per person (per capita personal income). Kentucky's average income is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Mississippi's.
Kentucky vs Mississippi Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Mississippi has 82. Kentucky's county count is 1.5 times (46%) higher than Mississippi's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Mississippi's is Yazoo County at 922 square miles. Yazoo County's land area is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Mississippi: Alcorn County (400 sq mi). Alcorn County's land area is 4.1 times (307%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Mississippi: Harrison County (213,730 people). Jefferson County's population is 3.7 times (271%) larger than Harrison County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Mississippi: Issaquena County (1,295 people). Robertson County's population is 1.8 times (84%) larger than Issaquena County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Mississippi: Madison County ($90,668). Oldham County and Madison County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Mississippi: Issaquena County ($27,264). Elliott County's income is 1.2 times (17%) richer than Issaquena County's.
Kentucky vs Mississippi Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Mississippi has a top income tax rate of 4%. Mississippi's top rate is 0.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Mississippi: 0.65% of home value per year. Kentucky's rate is 0.06 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Mississippi: 7.06%. Mississippi's combined rate is 1.06 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Mississippi official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Mississippi 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.