The map above shows Kentucky and Wisconsin side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Wisconsin Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Wisconsin has 54,168 square miles (140,294 km²). Wisconsin's land area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Wisconsin: 65,497 square miles (169,636 km²), including inland and coastal water. Wisconsin's total area is 1.6 times (62%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Wisconsin is 368 miles (593 km). Wisconsin's north-south length is 1.4 times (43%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Wisconsin spans 323 miles (521 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.3 times (29%) wider than Wisconsin's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Wisconsin's is Timms Hill at 1,946 feet (593 m). Black Mountain is 2,188 feet higher than Timms Hill.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Wisconsin's is Lake Michigan at 577 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 307 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Wisconsin Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Wisconsin has 5,960,975 (2024). Wisconsin's population is 1.3 times (30%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Wisconsin: 110.0. Kentucky's population density is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Wisconsin's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Wisconsin's is Milwaukee with 563,531. Louisville's population is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Milwaukee's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Wisconsin's Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (3,757,952). Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's population is 1.6 times (63%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Wisconsin: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 56 years.
Kentucky vs Wisconsin Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Wisconsin's $453.3 billion. Wisconsin's economic output is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Wisconsin: $76,044. Wisconsin's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Wisconsin: $67,755 average income per person (per capita personal income). Wisconsin's average income is 1.2 times (16%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Wisconsin Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Wisconsin has 72. Kentucky's county count is 1.7 times (67%) higher than Wisconsin's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Wisconsin's is Marathon County at 1,545 square miles. Marathon County's land area is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Wisconsin: Pepin County (232 sq mi). Pepin County's land area is 2.4 times (136%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Wisconsin: Milwaukee County (924,740 people). Milwaukee County's population is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Wisconsin: Menominee County (4,286 people). Menominee County's population is 1.8 times (80%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Wisconsin: Ozaukee County ($109,947). Ozaukee County's income is 1.3 times (26%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Wisconsin: Menominee County ($43,696). Menominee County's income is 1.4 times (37%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Wisconsin Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Wisconsin has a top income tax rate of 7.65%. Wisconsin's top rate is 4.15 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Wisconsin: 1.25% of home value per year. Wisconsin's rate is 0.54 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Wisconsin: 5.72%. Kentucky's combined rate is 0.28 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Wisconsin official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Wisconsin 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.