The map above shows Kentucky and Nebraska side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Nebraska Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Nebraska has 76,815 square miles (198,950 km²). Nebraska's land area is 1.9 times (95%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Nebraska: 77,347 square miles (200,329 km²), including inland and coastal water. Nebraska's total area is 1.9 times (91%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Nebraska is 497 miles (800 km). Nebraska's north-south length is 1.9 times (93%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Nebraska spans 464 miles (747 km). Nebraska's east-west width is 1.1 times (11%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Nebraska's is Panorama Point at 5,428 feet (1,654 m). Panorama Point is 1,294 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Nebraska's is Missouri River at 840 feet. Kentucky's lowest point is 570 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Nebraska Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Nebraska has 2,005,465 (2024). Kentucky's population is 2.3 times (129%) larger than Nebraska's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Nebraska: 26.1. Kentucky's population density is 4.5 times (345%) higher than Nebraska's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Nebraska's is Omaha with 489,265. Louisville's population is 1.3 times (31%) larger than Omaha's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Nebraska's Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 2.3 times (130%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Nebraska: Admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867, as the 37th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 75 years.
Kentucky vs Nebraska Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Nebraska's $189.2 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 1.6 times (56%) larger than Nebraska's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Nebraska: $94,363. Nebraska's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (47%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Nebraska: $72,701 average income per person (per capita personal income). Nebraska's average income is 1.2 times (25%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Nebraska Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Nebraska has 93. Kentucky's county count is 1.3 times (29%) higher than Nebraska's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Nebraska's is Cherry County at 5,960 square miles. Cherry County's land area is 7.6 times (658%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Nebraska: Sarpy County (238 sq mi). Sarpy County's land area is 2.4 times (142%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Nebraska: Douglas County (601,158 people). Jefferson County's population is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Douglas County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Nebraska: McPherson County (376 people). Robertson County's population is 6.3 times (534%) larger than McPherson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Nebraska: Pierce County ($112,729). Pierce County's income is 1.3 times (29%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Nebraska: Johnson County ($45,756). Johnson County's income is 1.4 times (44%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Nebraska Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Nebraska has a top income tax rate of 4.55%. Nebraska's top rate is 1.05 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Nebraska: 1.42% of home value per year. Nebraska's rate is 0.71 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Nebraska: 6.98%. Nebraska's combined rate is 0.98 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Nebraska official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Nebraska 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.