The map above shows Kentucky and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Kentucky's land area is 1.6 times (64%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Kentucky's total area is 1.7 times (67%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Kentucky's north-south length is 1.0 times (5%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Kentucky's east-west width is 1.5 times (51%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 729 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 30 feet lower.
Kentucky vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Kentucky's population is 2.6 times (159%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Kentucky's population density is 1.6 times (58%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Kentucky's biggest city is Louisville with 640,796 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Louisville's population is 13.8 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs West Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's population is 2.8 times (180%) larger than Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 71 years.
Kentucky vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 2.8 times (177%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Kentucky's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Kentucky's average income is 1.1 times (5%) higher than West Virginia's.
Kentucky vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Kentucky has 120 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Kentucky's county count is 2.2 times (118%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Kentucky's largest county is Pike County at 786 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Randolph County's land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Pike County's.
Smallest county by area: Kentucky: Gallatin County (98 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Gallatin County's land area is 1.2 times (19%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Kentucky: Jefferson County (793,881 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Jefferson County's population is 4.6 times (357%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Kentucky: Robertson County (2,382 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 2.1 times (107%) larger than Robertson County's.
Richest county: Kentucky: Oldham County ($87,137 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Oldham County's income is 1.2 times (24%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Kentucky: Elliott County ($31,817 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Webster County's income is 1.1 times (10%) richer than Elliott County's.
Kentucky vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Kentucky has a top income tax rate of 3.5%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 1.32 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kentucky: 0.71% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Kentucky's rate is 0.19 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kentucky: 6% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. West Virginia's combined rate is 0.6 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky size comparisons · All West Virginia 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.