The map above shows Kentucky and Rhode Island side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Rhode Island Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Rhode Island has 1,034 square miles (2,678 km²). Kentucky's land area is 38.2 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Rhode Island: 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²), including inland and coastal water. Kentucky's total area is 26.1 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Rhode Island is 61 miles (98 km). Kentucky's north-south length is 4.2 times (321%) longer than Rhode Island's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Rhode Island spans 42 miles (67 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 10.0 times (895%) wider than Rhode Island's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Rhode Island's is Jerimoth Hill at 811 feet (247 m). Black Mountain is 3,323 feet higher than Jerimoth Hill.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Rhode Island's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Rhode Island's lowest point is 270 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Rhode Island Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Rhode Island has 1,112,308 (2024). Kentucky's population is 4.1 times (313%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Rhode Island: 1,075.8. Rhode Island's population density is 9.3 times (826%) higher than Kentucky's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Rhode Island's is Providence with 194,706. Louisville's population is 3.3 times (229%) larger than Providence's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Rhode Island's Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (1,700,901). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 1.4 times (35%) larger than Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Rhode Island: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th state. In its current form, Rhode Island is the older of the two by 2 years.
Kentucky vs Rhode Island Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Rhode Island's $80.4 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 3.7 times (267%) larger than Rhode Island's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Rhode Island: $72,265. Rhode Island's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Rhode Island: $70,622 average income per person (per capita personal income). Rhode Island's average income is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Rhode Island Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Rhode Island has 5. Kentucky's county count is 24.0 times higher than Rhode Island's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Rhode Island's is Providence County at 410 square miles. Pike County's land area is 1.9 times (92%) larger than Providence County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Rhode Island: Bristol County (24 sq mi). Gallatin County's land area is 4.1 times (308%) larger than Bristol County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Rhode Island: Providence County (675,912 people). Jefferson County's population is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Providence County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Rhode Island: Bristol County (50,145 people). Bristol County's population is 21.1 times larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Rhode Island: Bristol County ($99,923). Bristol County's income is 1.1 times (15%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Rhode Island: Providence County ($61,040). Providence County's income is 1.9 times (92%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Rhode Island Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Rhode Island has a top income tax rate of 5.99%. Rhode Island's top rate is 2.49 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Rhode Island: 1.07% of home value per year. Rhode Island's rate is 0.36 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Rhode Island: 7%. Rhode Island's combined rate is 1 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Rhode Island official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Rhode Island 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.