The map above shows Kentucky and New Mexico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs New Mexico Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while New Mexico has 121,313 square miles (314,198 km²). New Mexico's land area is 3.1 times (207%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs New Mexico: 121,593 square miles (314,925 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Mexico's total area is 3.0 times (201%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; New Mexico is 395 miles (635 km). New Mexico's north-south length is 1.5 times (54%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; New Mexico spans 498 miles (801 km). New Mexico's east-west width is 1.2 times (19%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); New Mexico's is Wheeler Peak at 13,150 feet (4,008 m). Wheeler Peak is 9,016 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; New Mexico's is Red Bluff Reservoir at 2,842 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 2,572 feet lower.
Kentucky vs New Mexico Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while New Mexico has 2,130,256 (2024). Kentucky's population is 2.2 times (115%) larger than New Mexico's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs New Mexico: 17.6. Kentucky's population density is 6.6 times (560%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; New Mexico's is Albuquerque with 560,326. Louisville's population is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Albuquerque's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs New Mexico's Albuquerque, NM metro area (926,303). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 2.5 times (149%) larger than Albuquerque, NM metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. New Mexico: Admitted to the Union on January 6, 1912, as the 47th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 120 years.
Kentucky vs New Mexico Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs New Mexico's $147.1 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 2.0 times (101%) larger than New Mexico's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs New Mexico: $69,046. New Mexico's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs New Mexico: $58,249 average income per person (per capita personal income). Kentucky and New Mexico have about the same average income.
Kentucky vs New Mexico Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while New Mexico has 33. Kentucky's county count is 3.6 times (264%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; New Mexico's is Catron County at 6,924 square miles. Catron County's land area is 8.8 times (781%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County (109 sq mi). Los Alamos County's land area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs New Mexico: Bernalillo County (671,747 people). Jefferson County's population is 1.2 times (18%) larger than Bernalillo County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs New Mexico: Harding County (635 people). Robertson County's population is 3.8 times (275%) larger than Harding County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County ($98,378). Los Alamos County's income is 1.1 times (13%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Cibola County ($36,397). Cibola County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs New Mexico Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while New Mexico has a top income tax rate of 5.9%. New Mexico's top rate is 2.4 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs New Mexico: 0.63% of home value per year. Kentucky's rate is 0.08 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs New Mexico: 7.68%. New Mexico's combined rate is 1.68 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · New Mexico official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All New Mexico 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.