The map above shows Kentucky and Minnesota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Minnesota Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Minnesota has 79,632 square miles (206,245 km²). Minnesota's land area is 2.0 times (102%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Minnesota: 86,943 square miles (225,182 km²), including inland and coastal water. Minnesota's total area is 2.2 times (115%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Minnesota is 408 miles (657 km). Minnesota's north-south length is 1.6 times (59%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Minnesota spans 360 miles (580 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.2 times (16%) wider than Minnesota's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Minnesota's is Eagle Mountain at 2,292 feet (699 m). Black Mountain is 1,842 feet higher than Eagle Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Minnesota's is Lake Superior at 601 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 331 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Minnesota Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Minnesota has 5,793,151 (2024). Minnesota's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Minnesota: 72.7. Kentucky's population density is 1.6 times (60%) higher than Minnesota's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Minnesota's is Minneapolis with 428,579. Louisville's population is 1.5 times (50%) larger than Minneapolis'.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Minnesota'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. Minnesota: Admitted to the Union on May 11, 1858, as the 32nd state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 66 years.
Kentucky vs Minnesota Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Minnesota's $507.7 billion. Minnesota's economic output is 1.7 times (72%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Minnesota: $87,636. Minnesota's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (36%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Minnesota: $75,603 average income per person (per capita personal income). Minnesota's average income is 1.3 times (30%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Minnesota Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Minnesota has 87. Kentucky's county count is 1.4 times (38%) higher than Minnesota's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Minnesota's is St. Louis County at 6,248 square miles. St. Louis County's land area is 7.9 times (695%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Minnesota: Ramsey County (152 sq mi). Ramsey County's land area is 1.5 times (55%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Minnesota: Hennepin County (1,273,334 people). Hennepin County's population is 1.6 times (60%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Minnesota: Traverse County (3,134 people). Traverse County's population is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Minnesota: Hennepin County ($100,352). Hennepin County's income is 1.2 times (15%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Minnesota: Pine County ($48,677). Pine County's income is 1.5 times (53%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Minnesota Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Minnesota has a top income tax rate of 9.85%. Minnesota's top rate is 6.35 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Minnesota: 1.02% of home value per year. Minnesota's rate is 0.31 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Minnesota: 8.14%. Minnesota's combined rate is 2.14 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Minnesota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Minnesota 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.