The map above shows Alaska and Kentucky side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Kentucky Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Kentucky has 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²). Alaska's land area is 14.5 times larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 16.5 times larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km). Alaska's north-south length is 4.7 times (367%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km). Alaska's east-west width is 3.7 times (269%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Kentucky's is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m). Denali is 16,101 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Kentucky's is Mississippi River at 270 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 270 feet lower.
Alaska vs Kentucky Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Kentucky has 4,588,372 (2024). Kentucky's population is 6.2 times (520%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Kentucky: 116.2. Kentucky's population density is 89.4 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Kentucky's is Louisville with 640,796. Louisville's population is 2.2 times (121%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Kentucky's Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 5.7 times (466%) larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th 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 167 years.
Alaska vs Kentucky Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Kentucky's $295.4 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 4.1 times (313%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Kentucky: $64,375. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (50%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Kentucky: $58,256 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.3 times (31%) higher than Kentucky's.
Alaska vs Kentucky Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Kentucky has 120. Kentucky's county count is 4.0 times (300%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Kentucky's is Pike County at 786 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 185.4 times larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 4.5 times (351%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people). Jefferson County's population is 2.7 times (174%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people). Robertson County's population is 3.5 times (245%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.8 times (82%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817). Kusilvak Census Area's income is 1.2 times (19%) richer than Elliott County's.
Alaska vs Kentucky Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%. Kentucky's top rate is 3.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Kentucky: 0.71% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.35 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Kentucky: 6%. Kentucky's combined rate is 4.18 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Kentucky official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska 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.