The map above shows Kentucky and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). North Carolina's land area is 1.2 times (23%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Carolina's total area is 1.3 times (33%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Kentucky and North Carolina have about the same north-south length.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.2 times (17%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 2,540 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 270 feet lower.
Kentucky vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 2.4 times (141%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 2.0 times (96%) higher than Kentucky's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Louisville's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 1.3 times (25%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 3 years.
Kentucky vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 2.9 times (186%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (19%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Carolina's average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while North Carolina has 100. Kentucky's county count is 1.2 times (20%) higher than North Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Robeson County's land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Chowan County's land area is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 1.6 times (55%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Tyrrell County's population is 1.5 times (48%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Chatham County's income is 1.1 times (5%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Warren County's income is 1.3 times (29%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. North Carolina's top rate is 0.49 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Kentucky's rate is 0.1 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. North Carolina's combined rate is 1.1 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All North Carolina 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.