The area of Kentucky was originally part of Virginia within the original United States. Virginia ceded the district of Kentucky to the United States in 1792, and this area was included briefly in the Southwest Territory ("territory . . . south of the Ohio River"). Upon resolution of a boundary dispute with Tennessee in 1820, Kentucky assumed generally the same boundary as the present state.

Kentucky is one of four states that are legally described as a commonwealth. Although it was still part of Virginia, census data for Kentucky are available separately beginning with the 1790 census. The population shown for Kentucky in the 1790-1820 censuses is based on the present state boundary, not the territory claimed by Kentucky from Tennessee along its southern boundary. The population of the entire legally established state of Virginia (of which the area of Kentucky was a part) in 1790 was 821,287.

Data for the legally established state of Kentucky are available beginning with the 1800 census, minus claimed territory. 

Metropolitan And Micropolitan Statistical Areas And Related Statistical Areas

There are 9 metropolitan statistical areas, 17 micropolitan statistical areas, and 6 combined statistical areas.

Counties

There are 120 counties in Kentucky. Two counties are not considered to be functioning because they have consolidated governmental functions with an incorporated place. Fayette County consolidated with the former Lexington city to form the incorporated place of Lexington-Fayette urban county. Jefferson County consolidated with the former Louisville city to form the consolidated city of Louisville/Jefferson County metro government. The other counties are each governed by a county judge executive and a board of commissioners.

County Subdivisions

There are 493 county subdivisions in Kentucky. They are all census county divisions (CCDs), which are delineated for statistical purposes, have no legal function, and are not governmental units.  CCDs were first established in the 1960 census. Prior to 1960, the minor civil divisions used in the census include magisterial districts, election districts, and voting precincts.

Places

Kentucky has 524 places; 422 incorporated places and 102 census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 420 cities, 1 urban county, and 1 balance of county representing the area of the Louisville/Jefferson consolidated city outside of the incorporated places. Kentucky has one consolidated city — Louisville/Jefferson County consolidated city. Louisville/Jefferson metro government is a consolidated city because it contains 83 separately incorporated places. There are four governmentally inactive cities in Kentucky. The minimum population required for incorporation is 300 people.

Census Tracts/Block Groups/Blocks

Kentucky has 1,115 census tracts, 3,285 block groups, and 161,672 blocks.

Congressional Districts

For the 111^th Congress (January 2009-January 2011), Kentucky had six congressional districts.  For the 113^th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), Kentucky continues to have six congressional districts as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.

School Districts

Kentucky has 3 elementary school districts, 3 secondary school districts, and 174 unified school districts.  Two of the unified school districts are run by the Department of Defense.

State Legislative Districts

There are 38 state senate districts and 100 state house districts in Kentucky.

Urban Areas

Kentucky has 81 urban areas; 9 urbanized areas and 72 urban clusters.

Zip Code Tabulation Areas

There are 770 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Kentucky.

¹  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
²  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
³  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
⁴  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁵  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁶  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data