The map above shows Kansas and Kentucky side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kansas vs Kentucky Geography
Land area: Kansas has a land area of 81,759 square miles (211,754 km²), while Kentucky has 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²). Kansas' land area is 2.1 times (107%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kansas: 82,278 square miles (213,100 km²) vs Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²), including inland and coastal water. Kansas' total area is 2.0 times (104%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kansas is 207 miles (334 km) long from north to south; Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km). Kentucky's north-south length is 1.2 times (24%) longer than Kansas'.
Width: Kansas spans 401 miles (645 km) east to west; Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km). Kansas and Kentucky have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Kansas's highest point is Mount Sunflower at 4,040 feet (1,231 m); Kentucky's is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m). Black Mountain is 94 feet higher than Mount Sunflower.
Lowest point: Kansas's lowest point is Verdigris River at 679 feet; Kentucky's is Mississippi River at 270 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 409 feet lower.
Kansas vs Kentucky Population and History
Population: Kansas has a population of 2,970,606 (2024), while Kentucky has 4,588,372 (2024). Kentucky's population is 1.5 times (54%) larger than Kansas'.
Population density: Kansas: 36.3 people per square mile vs Kentucky: 116.2. Kentucky's population density is 3.2 times (220%) higher than Kansas'.
Biggest city: Kansas's biggest city is Wichita with 400,991 people; Kentucky's is Louisville with 640,796. Louisville's population is 1.6 times (60%) larger than Wichita's.
Largest metro area: Kansas's largest metropolitan area is Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (2,253,579 people) vs Kentucky's Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815). Kansas City, MO-KS metro area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area have about the same population.
History: Kansas: Admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861, as the 34th 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 69 years.
Kansas vs Kentucky Economy
GDP: Kansas's GDP is $230.5 billion (2024) vs Kentucky's $295.4 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 1.3 times (28%) larger than Kansas'.
GDP per capita: Kansas: $77,601 per person vs Kentucky: $64,375. Kansas' GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kansas: $65,856 vs Kentucky: $58,256 average income per person (per capita personal income). Kansas' average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kansas vs Kentucky Counties
Number of counties: Kansas has 105 counties, while Kentucky has 120. Kentucky's county count is 1.1 times (14%) higher than Kansas'.
Biggest county by area: Kansas's largest county is Butler County at 1,430 square miles; Kentucky's is Pike County at 786 square miles. Butler County's land area is 1.8 times (82%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kansas: Wyandotte County (152 sq mi) vs Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi). Wyandotte County's land area is 1.5 times (54%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kansas: Johnson County (632,276 people) vs Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people). Jefferson County's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Johnson County's.
Least populous county: Kansas: Greeley County (1,152 people) vs Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people). Robertson County's population is 2.1 times (107%) larger than Greeley County's.
Richest county: Kansas: Greeley County ($134,780 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137). Greeley County's income is 1.5 times (55%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kansas: Wyandotte County ($42,878 per capita income) vs Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817). Wyandotte County's income is 1.3 times (35%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kansas vs Kentucky Taxes
State income tax: Kansas has a top income tax rate of 5.58%, while Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%. Kansas's top rate is 2.08 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kansas: 1.25% effective rate vs Kentucky: 0.71% of home value per year. Kansas's rate is 0.54 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kansas: 8.71% combined state and average local rate vs Kentucky: 6%. Kansas's combined rate is 2.71 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kansas official website · Kentucky official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kansas 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.