Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Kentucky

Stacker
#50. Bourbon County

- Population: 20,228
- Born in Kentucky: 15,631 (77.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,663 (18.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 79 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 855 (4.2% of population)

#49. Bracken County

- Population: 8,420
- Born in Kentucky: 6,515 (77.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,812 (21.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 36 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 57 (0.7% of population)

#48. Breckinridge County

- Population: 20,528
- Born in Kentucky: 15,889 (77.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,405 (21.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 110 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 124 (0.6% of population)

#47. Wayne County

- Population: 19,666
- Born in Kentucky: 15,244 (77.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,792 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 80 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 550 (2.8% of population)

#46. Bell County

- Population: 24,248
- Born in Kentucky: 18,820 (77.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,368 (22.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 10 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 50 (0.2% of population)

#45. Spencer County

- Population: 19,549
- Born in Kentucky: 15,201 (77.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,165 (21.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 22 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 161 (0.8% of population)

#44. Casey County

- Population: 15,942
- Born in Kentucky: 12,410 (77.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,315 (20.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 72 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 145 (0.9% of population)

#43. Hopkins County

- Population: 45,223
- Born in Kentucky: 35,224 (77.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,967 (19.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 244 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 788 (1.7% of population)

#42. Garrard County

- Population: 17,175
- Born in Kentucky: 13,468 (78.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,224 (18.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 8 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 475 (2.8% of population)

#41. Butler County

- Population: 12,365
- Born in Kentucky: 9,720 (78.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,293 (18.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 18 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 334 (2.7% of population)

#40. Montgomery County

- Population: 28,188
- Born in Kentucky: 22,161 (78.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,535 (19.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 147 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 345 (1.2% of population)

#39. Powell County

- Population: 13,089
- Born in Kentucky: 10,310 (78.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,693 (20.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 33 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 53 (0.4% of population)

#38. Nelson County

- Population: 46,779
- Born in Kentucky: 36,856 (78.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,612 (18.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 424 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 887 (1.9% of population)

#37. Magoffin County

- Population: 11,647
- Born in Kentucky: 9,197 (79.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,370 (20.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 8 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 72 (0.6% of population)

#36. Taylor County

- Population: 26,056
- Born in Kentucky: 20,585 (79.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,154 (19.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 28 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 289 (1.1% of population)

#35. Muhlenberg County

- Population: 30,735
- Born in Kentucky: 24,572 (79.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,407 (17.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 99 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 657 (2.1% of population)

#34. Elliott County

- Population: 7,378
- Born in Kentucky: 5,901 (80.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,464 (19.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 9 (0.1% of population)

#33. Monroe County

- Population: 11,331
- Born in Kentucky: 9,065 (80.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,035 (18.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 74 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 157 (1.4% of population)

#32. Anderson County

- Population: 23,839
- Born in Kentucky: 19,082 (80.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,358 (18.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 120 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 279 (1.2% of population)

#31. Ohio County

- Population: 23,782
- Born in Kentucky: 19,060 (80.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,911 (16.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 127 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 684 (2.9% of population)

#30. Bath County

- Population: 12,739
- Born in Kentucky: 10,210 (80.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,464 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 31 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 34 (0.3% of population)

#29. Johnson County

- Population: 22,631
- Born in Kentucky: 18,209 (80.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,043 (17.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 55 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 324 (1.4% of population)

#28. Harrison County

- Population: 18,803
- Born in Kentucky: 15,146 (80.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,429 (18.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 85 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 143 (0.8% of population)

#27. Fleming County

- Population: 15,111
- Born in Kentucky: 12,226 (80.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,684 (17.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 35 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 166 (1.1% of population)

#26. Green County

- Population: 11,198
- Born in Kentucky: 9,086 (81.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,044 (18.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 35 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 33 (0.3% of population)

#25. Bullitt County

- Population: 82,482
- Born in Kentucky: 66,965 (81.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 13,007 (15.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 484 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,026 (2.5% of population)

#24. LaRue County

- Population: 14,902
- Born in Kentucky: 12,103 (81.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,534 (17.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 77 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 188 (1.3% of population)

#23. Morgan County

- Population: 13,840
- Born in Kentucky: 11,252 (81.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,351 (17.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 58 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 179 (1.3% of population)

#22. Edmonson County

- Population: 12,179
- Born in Kentucky: 9,934 (81.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,197 (18.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 27 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 21 (0.2% of population)

#21. Lincoln County

- Population: 24,320
- Born in Kentucky: 19,887 (81.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,126 (17.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 94 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 213 (0.9% of population)

#20. Clay County

- Population: 20,322
- Born in Kentucky: 16,633 (81.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,485 (17.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 27 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 177 (0.9% of population)

#19. Washington County

- Population: 12,025
- Born in Kentucky: 9,866 (82.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,028 (16.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 38 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 93 (0.8% of population)

#18. Harlan County

- Population: 26,589
- Born in Kentucky: 21,853 (82.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,548 (17.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 74 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 114 (0.4% of population)

#17. Knox County

- Population: 30,207
- Born in Kentucky: 24,867 (82.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,095 (16.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 19 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 226 (0.7% of population)

#16. Jackson County

- Population: 13,002
- Born in Kentucky: 10,734 (82.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,167 (16.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 58 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 43 (0.3% of population)

#15. Knott County

- Population: 14,282
- Born in Kentucky: 11,794 (82.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,372 (16.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 45 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 71 (0.5% of population)

#14. Letcher County

- Population: 21,490
- Born in Kentucky: 17,853 (83.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,491 (16.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 54 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 92 (0.4% of population)

#13. Grayson County

- Population: 26,465
- Born in Kentucky: 22,148 (83.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,055 (15.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 47 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 215 (0.8% of population)

#12. McLean County

- Population: 9,173
- Born in Kentucky: 7,713 (84.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,352 (14.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 55 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 53 (0.6% of population)

#11. Rockcastle County

- Population: 16,171
- Born in Kentucky: 13,606 (84.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,517 (15.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 19 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 29 (0.2% of population)

#10. Nicholas County

- Population: 7,613
- Born in Kentucky: 6,407 (84.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,180 (15.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 26 (0.3% of population)

#9. Marion County

- Population: 19,627
- Born in Kentucky: 16,578 (84.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,512 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 154 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 383 (2.0% of population)

#8. Owsley County

- Population: 4,054
- Born in Kentucky: 3,430 (84.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 553 (13.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 65 (1.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 6 (0.1% of population)

#7. Floyd County

- Population: 35,780
- Born in Kentucky: 30,369 (84.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,148 (14.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 93 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 170 (0.5% of population)

#6. Robertson County

- Population: 2,207
- Born in Kentucky: 1,888 (85.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 315 (14.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 4 (0.2% of population)

#5. Perry County

- Population: 28,136
- Born in Kentucky: 24,239 (86.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,628 (12.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 25 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 244 (0.9% of population)

#4. Breathitt County

- Population: 13,580
- Born in Kentucky: 11,728 (86.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,680 (12.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 56 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 116 (0.9% of population)

#3. Estill County

- Population: 14,138
- Born in Kentucky: 12,233 (86.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,717 (12.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 4 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 184 (1.3% of population)

#2. Wolfe County

- Population: 6,573
- Born in Kentucky: 5,726 (87.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 842 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 0 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 5 (0.1% of population)

#1. Leslie County

- Population: 10,468
- Born in Kentucky: 9,574 (91.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 838 (8.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 22 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 34 (0.3% of population)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.

Ground Picture // Shutterstock