10 Most Diverse Cities In Kentucky [2026]

Racial diversity in Kentucky is a mixed bag.

There are parts of Kentucky where there’s a high level of diversity. But where will you find the most diverse places in Kentucky?

To answer that question, we went to the US Census data. Using Saturday Night Science, we measured the Gini coefficient for all 80 cities in Kentucky to rank them from most to least diverse.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

Here are the 10 most diverse places in Kentucky for 2026:

Oak Grove
Radcliff
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance)
Hopkinsville
Bowling Green
Shively
Mayfield
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Shelbyville
Vine Grove

So what city is the most diverse in Kentucky? According to the most Census data, Oak Grove took the number one over all spot for diversity in Kentucky.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. To see where Kentucky ranked as a state, we have a ranking of the most diverse states in Ameria.

For more Kentucky reading:

The 10 Most Diverse Places In Kentucky For 2026

1. Oak Grove

Source: Flickr User isydiavibes | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 7,962
HHI: 3,636
% White: 54.2%
% African American: 20.3%
% Hispanic: 14.4%
% Asian: 1.6%
More on Oak Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

2. Radcliff

Source: Flickr User Brave New Films | CC BY 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 22,864
HHI: 4,051
% White: 58.4%
% African American: 22.6%
% Hispanic: 9.7%
% Asian: 3.3%
More on Radcliff: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

3. Louisville/jefferson County Metro Government (Balance)

Source: Public Domain

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 631,818
HHI: 4,147
% White: 59.4%
% African American: 22.1%
% Hispanic: 9.5%
% Asian: 2.9%
More on Louisville/jefferson County Metro Government (Balance): Movers

4. Hopkinsville

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 30,906
HHI: 4,178
% White: 58.2%
% African American: 26.1%
% Hispanic: 5.0%
% Asian: 1.1%
More on Hopkinsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

5. Bowling Green

Source: Wikipedia User OPMaster at en.wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 75,388
HHI: 4,246
% White: 62.1%
% African American: 14.1%
% Hispanic: 10.6%
% Asian: 7.7%
More on Bowling Green: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

6. Shively

Source: Wikipedia User | CC-BY-2.5

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 15,638
HHI: 4,609
% White: 34.6%
% African American: 58.2%
% Hispanic: 2.7%
% Asian: 0.1%
More on Shively: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

7. Mayfield

Source: Flickr User pasa47 | CC BY 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 9,868
HHI: 4,742
% White: 65.3%
% African American: 12.3%
% Hispanic: 17.4%
% Asian: 0.6%
More on Mayfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

8. Lexington-Fayette Urban County

Source: Public Domain

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 323,725
HHI: 4,793
% White: 66.7%
% African American: 14.4%
% Hispanic: 9.5%
% Asian: 4.3%
More on Lexington-Fayette Urban County: Movers

9. Shelbyville

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 17,668
HHI: 4,950
% White: 67.1%
% African American: 5.6%
% Hispanic: 19.3%
% Asian: 0.8%
More on Shelbyville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

10. Vine Grove

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 6,830
HHI: 5,104
% White: 69.4%
% African American: 13.5%
% Hispanic: 5.7%
% Asian: 3.9%
More on Vine Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Kentucky for 2026

We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census — and Saturday Night Science. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across Kentucky.

That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data from the US Census.

Specifically, we looked at table B03002: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:

White alone*
Black or African American alone*
American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
Asian alone*
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
Some other race alone*
Two or more races*
Hispanic or Latino

* Not Hispanic or latino

We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 80 cities.

We then calculated the HHI for each city by finding the racial breakdown of a city in percent terms, squaring them, and then adding the squares together. This left us with scores ranging from 3,636 (Oak Grove) to 9,165 (Edgewood).

Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Oak Grove took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Edgewood was the least diverse city.

We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most diverse places in Kentucky.

Best States To Live In The United States

Summary: Diversity Across Kentucky

If you’re looking for a scientific breakdown of diversity across Kentucky, this is an accurate list.

The most diverse cities in Kentucky are Oak Grove, Radcliff, Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), Hopkinsville, Bowling Green, Shively, Mayfield, Lexington-Fayette urban county, Shelbyville, and Vine Grove.

If you’re curious enough, here are the least diverse places in Kentucky:

Edgewood
Taylor Mill
Flatwoods

For more Kentucky reading, check out:

Race By City In Kentucky For 2026

Rank	City	Population	HHI	% White	% Black	% Hispanic	% Asian
1	Oak Grove, KY	7,962	3,636	54.2%	20.3%	14.4%	1.6%
2	Radcliff, KY	22,864	4,051	58.4%	22.6%	9.7%	3.3%
3	Louisville/jefferson County Metro Government (Balance), KY	631,818	4,147	59.4%	22.1%	9.5%	2.9%
4	Hopkinsville, KY	30,906	4,178	58.2%	26.1%	5.0%	1.1%
5	Bowling Green, KY	75,388	4,246	62.1%	14.1%	10.6%	7.7%
6	Shively, KY	15,638	4,609	34.6%	58.2%	2.7%	0.1%
7	Mayfield, KY	9,868	4,742	65.3%	12.3%	17.4%	0.6%
8	Lexington-Fayette Urban County, KY	323,725	4,793	66.7%	14.4%	9.5%	4.3%
9	Shelbyville, KY	17,668	4,950	67.1%	5.6%	19.3%	0.8%
10	Vine Grove, KY	6,830	5,104	69.4%	13.5%	5.7%	3.9%
11	Paducah, KY	26,845	5,268	69.7%	19.2%	3.1%	1.4%
12	Lebanon, KY	6,430	5,374	70.4%	17.9%	9.7%	0.6%
13	Hillview, KY	8,797	5,452	72.4%	6.8%	11.5%	3.1%
14	Frankfort, KY	28,503	5,456	72.0%	14.2%	6.4%	2.3%
15	Jeffersontown, KY	29,199	5,532	72.6%	13.9%	6.1%	3.3%
16	Lyndon, KY	11,030	5,609	73.2%	14.0%	3.9%	2.9%
17	Elizabethtown, KY	32,576	5,723	74.3%	11.5%	5.6%	3.1%
18	Middletown, KY	9,763	5,805	75.0%	7.1%	7.4%	7.9%
19	Covington, KY	41,110	5,838	75.2%	8.4%	8.7%	1.0%
20	Versailles, KY	10,492	6,053	76.5%	5.8%	11.8%	0.5%
21	Florence, KY	32,803	6,084	77.0%	6.7%	9.2%	3.4%
22	Madisonville, KY	19,515	6,193	77.7%	10.0%	4.8%	1.1%
23	Henderson, KY	27,852	6,279	78.0%	12.3%	5.1%	0.6%
24	Danville, KY	17,327	6,297	78.3%	10.2%	6.2%	0.4%
25	Bardstown, KY	13,804	6,319	78.0%	13.8%	6.0%	0.3%
26	Owensboro, KY	60,302	6,353	79.0%	6.3%	5.6%	2.7%
27	Glasgow, KY	15,197	6,376	79.0%	7.7%	7.5%	1.0%
28	Paris, KY	10,160	6,443	79.4%	8.6%	6.2%	0.2%
29	Elsmere, KY	9,205	6,519	80.1%	3.3%	6.3%	2.7%
30	Russellville, KY	7,316	6,545	80.0%	9.7%	6.0%	0.4%
31	Franklin, KY	10,360	6,637	80.6%	8.6%	3.5%	0.2%
32	Erlanger, KY	19,875	6,698	81.3%	6.0%	4.8%	1.3%
33	Campbellsville, KY	11,622	6,715	81.1%	9.7%	2.9%	0.9%
34	Douglass Hills, KY	5,474	6,729	81.4%	7.3%	3.0%	2.8%
35	Murray, KY	18,080	6,734	81.6%	6.9%	3.4%	3.6%
36	Georgetown, KY	39,117	6,735	81.4%	5.9%	7.0%	0.9%
37	Harrodsburg, KY	9,313	6,747	81.4%	7.6%	6.5%	0.1%
38	Princeton, KY	6,241	6,922	82.3%	11.7%	1.2%	0.0%
39	Monticello, KY	5,753	6,923	82.2%	3.7%	12.1%	0.1%
40	Nicholasville, KY	32,197	7,041	83.5%	4.9%	5.6%	2.2%
41	Richmond, KY	37,111	7,047	83.5%	5.8%	4.2%	1.4%
42	Newport, KY	13,967	7,131	83.9%	6.0%	6.6%	0.3%
43	Maysville, KY	8,737	7,166	84.1%	7.6%	3.7%	0.1%
44	Fort Wright, KY	5,887	7,227	84.5%	1.7%	5.9%	0.2%
45	Winchester, KY	19,213	7,253	84.8%	4.7%	4.4%	1.3%
46	St. Matthews, KY	17,577	7,375	85.6%	4.1%	3.5%	2.3%
47	Somerset, KY	12,216	7,438	85.9%	3.3%	5.9%	0.2%
48	Fort Mitchell, KY	8,713	7,534	86.4%	4.0%	5.1%	0.0%
49	Central City, KY	5,707	7,563	86.6%	3.9%	3.4%	0.4%
50	Williamsburg, KY	5,270	7,571	86.6%	5.2%	5.8%	0.4%
51	La Grange, KY	10,311	7,631	86.9%	1.9%	7.9%	1.0%
52	Villa Hills, KY	7,480	7,658	87.2%	1.0%	5.6%	1.1%
53	Walton, KY	5,730	7,667	87.2%	0.0%	2.0%	0.0%
54	Berea, KY	15,786	7,725	87.6%	3.0%	5.2%	0.7%
55	Highland Heights, KY	6,444	7,728	87.7%	2.9%	2.1%	2.2%
56	Wilmore, KY	6,057	7,802	88.1%	2.6%	1.4%	0.3%
57	Middlesborough, KY	9,123	7,862	88.4%	5.8%	1.0%	0.7%
58	Hazard, KY	5,008	7,865	88.4%	3.8%	0.9%	0.2%
59	Fort Thomas, KY	17,169	7,912	88.8%	2.3%	3.0%	0.6%
60	Dayton, KY	5,743	7,933	88.8%	1.6%	2.8%	0.4%
61	Crestwood, KY	6,356	8,028	89.4%	1.8%	4.7%	0.8%
62	Union, KY	7,642	8,038	89.4%	0.0%	3.0%	1.8%
63	Pikeville, KY	7,490	8,049	89.6%	3.5%	1.9%	2.4%
64	Cynthiana, KY	6,458	8,151	90.1%	2.9%	2.1%	0.0%
65	Morehead, KY	6,870	8,181	90.3%	3.2%	2.2%	2.0%
66	Lawrenceburg, KY	11,943	8,231	90.6%	4.2%	2.7%	0.1%
67	Mount Sterling, KY	7,551	8,313	91.1%	2.5%	2.3%	1.2%
68	Bellevue, KY	5,636	8,320	91.1%	1.3%	4.1%	0.9%
69	Ashland, KY	21,295	8,339	91.2%	2.0%	2.7%	0.4%
70	Alexandria, KY	10,562	8,350	91.3%	2.5%	1.1%	2.6%
71	Independence, KY	29,392	8,368	91.4%	1.5%	2.5%	1.0%
72	Shepherdsville, KY	14,533	8,554	92.4%	1.5%	2.4%	0.1%
73	Mount Washington, KY	18,480	8,604	92.6%	0.0%	3.1%	0.6%
74	London, KY	7,561	8,733	93.4%	1.0%	2.6%	0.9%
75	Cold Spring, KY	6,341	8,888	94.2%	2.2%	1.1%	0.9%
76	Corbin, KY	8,246	8,970	94.7%	0.9%	1.3%	0.1%
77	Leitchfield, KY	6,819	9,009	94.9%	1.1%	0.9%	0.0%
78	Flatwoods, KY	7,269	9,118	95.4%	0.1%	1.5%	0.5%
79	Taylor Mill, KY	6,937	9,124	95.5%	1.9%	1.6%	0.2%
80	Edgewood, KY	8,447	9,165	95.7%	0.4%	0.5%	1.9%

The 10 Most Diverse Cities In Kentucky For 2026

The most diverse cities in Kentucky are Oak Grove and Radcliff for 2026 based on Saturday Night Science.

Here are the 10 most diverse places in Kentucky for 2026:

The 10 Most Diverse Places In Kentucky For 2026

Methodology: How we determined the most diverse cities in Kentucky for 2026

Summary: Diversity Across Kentucky

Race By City In Kentucky For 2026