Is being in an area of Kentucky that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) and Lexington-Fayette urban county, while others want peace and quiet like in Hazard and Williamsburg, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Kentucky have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Bluegrass State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Kentucky For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Kentucky for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Mount Washington ranks as the fastest-growing city in Kentucky. If you happen to be a resident of Mount Washington, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Kentucky grow like weeds.
For more Kentucky state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Kentucky
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kentucky
- Most Dangerous Cities In Kentucky
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Kentucky For 2026
1. Mount Washington
/10
Population: 18,480
Population 2010: 9,049
Percent Growth 104.2%
Absolute Growth: 9,431
More on Mount Washington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Walton
/10
Population: 5,730
Population 2010: 3,467
Percent Growth 65.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,263
More on Walton: Data | Movers
3. Wilmore
/10
Population: 6,057
Population 2010: 3,740
Percent Growth 62.0%
Absolute Growth: 2,317
More on Wilmore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Vine Grove
/10
Population: 6,830
Population 2010: 4,310
Percent Growth 58.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,520
More on Vine Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Union
/10
Population: 7,642
Population 2010: 5,018
Percent Growth 52.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,624
More on Union: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Crestwood
/10
Population: 6,356
Population 2010: 4,248
Percent Growth 49.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,108
More on Crestwood: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Georgetown
/10
Population: 39,117
Population 2010: 27,268
Percent Growth 43.5%
Absolute Growth: 11,849
More on Georgetown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Middletown
/10
Population: 9,763
Population 2010: 6,953
Percent Growth 40.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,810
More on Middletown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Shepherdsville
/10
Population: 14,533
Population 2010: 10,813
Percent Growth 34.4%
Absolute Growth: 3,720
More on Shepherdsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Bowling Green
/10
Population: 75,388
Population 2010: 56,407
Percent Growth 33.7%
Absolute Growth: 18,981
More on Bowling Green: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Bluegrass State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 80 Kentucky cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Bluegrass State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Kentucky.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Kentucky with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Kentucky, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Kentucky are led by Mount Washington which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Kentucky are Mount Washington, Walton, Wilmore, Vine Grove, Union, Crestwood, Georgetown, Middletown, Shepherdsville, and Bowling Green.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Middlesborough
- Newport
- Monticello
For more Kentucky reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Kentucky
- Safest Places In Kentucky
- Worst Places To Live In Kentucky
Fastest Growing Places In Kentucky For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Washington | 18,480 | 9,049 | 104.2% | 9,431 |
| 2 | Walton | 5,730 | 3,467 | 65.3% | 2,263 |
| 3 | Wilmore | 6,057 | 3,740 | 62.0% | 2,317 |
| 4 | Vine Grove | 6,830 | 4,310 | 58.5% | 2,520 |
| 5 | Union | 7,642 | 5,018 | 52.3% | 2,624 |
| 6 | Crestwood | 6,356 | 4,248 | 49.6% | 2,108 |
| 7 | Georgetown | 39,117 | 27,268 | 43.5% | 11,849 |
| 8 | Middletown | 9,763 | 6,953 | 40.4% | 2,810 |
| 9 | Shepherdsville | 14,533 | 10,813 | 34.4% | 3,720 |
| 10 | Bowling Green | 75,388 | 56,407 | 33.7% | 18,981 |