At a glance: Kentucky Kentucky is the 26th most populous state in the U.S., with 4,526,154 residents across its 40,400 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 27 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Kentucky is known for its manufacturing, agriculture, coal mining, and logistics. The state has a diversified economy that includes auto manufacturing, energy production, and medicine Energy Kentucky ranks No. 15 among states for most energy production, with its leading production sources being coal, natural gas, and wood/waste, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Kentucky ranks No. 14 for most energy consumption. The leading energy sources consumed by Kentuckians is natural gas, motor gasoline, and coal. Kentucky’s residential electricity rate is $0.125/kWh, cheaper than the national average. Commercial electricity rate is also cheaper; commercial users pay a rate of $0.1138/kWh, compared to the national average commercial rate of $0.1259/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.0655/kWh, below the national average industrial electricity rate of $0.0804/kWh. Kentuckians’ residential natural gas price is $15.50 per thousand cubic feet, above the national average of $14.75, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Annual carbon emissions increased 27 percent since 1970, while the state’s population soared 41 percent during the same span. The population is projected to increase another 5.7 percent, to 4.78 million residents, by 2050. The federal government lists 52 species in Kentucky as threatened or endangered.
