The map above shows Kentucky and Washington side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs Washington Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while Washington has 66,455 square miles (172,119 km²). Washington's land area is 1.7 times (68%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs Washington: 71,301 square miles (184,668 km²), including inland and coastal water. Washington's total area is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; Washington is 238 miles (383 km). Kentucky's north-south length is 1.1 times (8%) longer than Washington's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; Washington spans 399 miles (641 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.0 times (5%) wider than Washington's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); Washington's is Mount Rainier at 14,409 feet (4,392 m). Mount Rainier is 10,275 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; Washington's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. Washington's lowest point is 270 feet lower.
Kentucky vs Washington Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while Washington has 7,958,180 (2024). Washington's population is 1.7 times (73%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs Washington: 119.8. Kentucky and Washington have about the same population density.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; Washington's is Seattle with 780,995. Seattle's population is 1.2 times (22%) larger than Louisville's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs Washington's Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (4,145,494). Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area's population is 1.8 times (80%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. Washington: Admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 97 years.
Kentucky vs Washington Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs Washington's $856.0 billion. Washington's economic output is 2.9 times (190%) larger than Kentucky's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs Washington: $107,564. Washington's GDP per capita is 1.7 times (67%) higher than Kentucky's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs Washington: $85,187 average income per person (per capita personal income). Washington's average income is 1.5 times (46%) higher than Kentucky's.
Kentucky vs Washington Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while Washington has 39. Kentucky's county count is 3.1 times (208%) higher than Washington's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; Washington's is Okanogan County at 5,266 square miles. Okanogan County's land area is 6.7 times (570%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs Washington: San Juan County (174 sq mi). San Juan County's land area is 1.8 times (77%) larger than Gallatin County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs Washington: King County (2,340,211 people). King County's population is 2.9 times (195%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs Washington: Garfield County (2,404 people). Robertson County and Garfield County have about the same population.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs Washington: King County ($128,684). King County's income is 1.5 times (48%) richer than Oldham County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs Washington: Ferry County ($50,456). Ferry County's income is 1.6 times (59%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs Washington Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while Washington has a 9% tax on capital gains only.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs Washington: 0.79% of home value per year. Washington's rate is 0.08 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Washington: 9.57%. Washington's combined rate is 3.57 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · Washington official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All Washington 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.