Market rankings · Kentucky
Coffee shops and cafes in Kentucky
Markets across Kentucky ranked by the Groundwork market score for coffee shops and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,338
- 506 chain locations (38%)
- Official establishments
- 609
- All snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars · +30.4% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $6.3B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 7.4
- 33% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $4.7M
- 28% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #9 of 51
- Market score 67 · Upper middle
A site report maps the coffee shops and cafes on map listings around any address in Kentucky by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,338 coffee shops and cafes in Kentucky. 506 of them (38%) are chain locations, against 39% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 7.4, 33% below the U.S. rate of 11.0.
Households in Kentucky spend about $6.3B a year on food away from home, or $3,489 per household, 14% below the U.S. average. Spread across 1,338 coffee shops and cafes, that is $4.7M per cafe, 28% above the U.S. figure of $3.7M. That spending covers all food away from home, which coffee shops and cafes share with other businesses in the trade.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in Kentucky was 609 in 2023, up 30.4% from 2019. That is one for every 2,979 households, against one for every 1,518 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 24.3% over the same years. The official count takes in all snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, not only coffee shops and cafes: bakeries and dessert shops are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 44 SBA-backed loans worth $16.5M have gone to businesses classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in Kentucky.
Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #9 for coffee shops and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 67 (upper middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest (70). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Richmond-Berea area scores highest (76).
Every market in Kentucky for coffee shops and cafes
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Kentucky, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 70 | 750 | 8.3 | $5M | +2.7% | #41 of 387 |
| 1Bowling Green, KY | 66 | 53 | 7.2 | $4.7M | +9.5% | #69 of 387 |
| 2Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 66 | 469 | 8.4 | $4.5M | +2.9% | #71 of 387 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 59 | 95 | 6.2 | $5.4M | −2.6% | #116 of 387 |
| 3Owensboro, KY | 57 | 36 | 8.0 | $4.4M | +1.3% | #134 of 387 |
| 4Lexington-Fayette, KY | 56 | 210 | 9.7 | $3.9M | +3.4% | #142 of 387 |
| 5Elizabethtown, KY | 55 | 47 | 9.3 | $3.8M | +2.4% | #154 of 387 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 47 | 127 | 10.2 | $3.5M | +8.5% | #219 of 387 |
| 6Paducah, KY-IL | 38 | 39 | 9.3 | $3.7M | −1.2% | #292 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Richmond-Berea, KY | 76 | 35 | 7.1 | $4.7M | +7.0% | #23 of 529 |
| 2Franklin, KY | 71 | 5 | 6.2 | $5.3M | +5.9% | #52 of 529 |
| 3Frankfort, KY | 70 | 21 | 6.5 | $5.5M | +3.1% | #58 of 529 |
| 4Mount Sterling, KY | 68 | 9 | 5.0 | $6.4M | +3.1% | #67 of 529 |
| 5Corbin, KY | 66 | 23 | 4.1 | $7.2M | +0.1% | #88 of 529 |
| 6Danville, KY | 66 | 15 | 6.9 | $4.7M | +3.6% | #93 of 529 |
| 7Henderson, KY | 65 | 14 | 6.0 | $5.5M | −0.9% | #100 of 529 |
| 8Campbellsville, KY | 63 | 9 | 6.1 | $5.1M | +3.4% | #119 of 529 |
| 9Glasgow, KY | 60 | 15 | 6.8 | $4.6M | +2.6% | #161 of 529 |
| 10Pikeville, KY | 58 | 16 | 4.1 | $7M | −5.4% | #176 of 529 |
| 11Somerset, KY | 58 | 22 | 8.4 | $3.7M | +3.5% | #185 of 529 |
| 12Murray, KY | 52 | 14 | 9.2 | $3.4M | +4.9% | #250 of 529 |
| 13Madisonville, KY | 49 | 17 | 9.2 | $3.4M | −0.5% | #273 of 529 |
| 14Middlesborough, KY | 25 | 12 | 12.1 | $2.1M | −4.8% | #501 of 529 |
| Mayfield, KY | Not scored | 4 | 2.8 | $11.1M | +1.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bullitt County, KY | 89 | 14 | 4.4 | $8.8M | +5.0% | #23 of 2,063 |
| 2Scott County, KY | 87 | 14 | 6.2 | $6.6M | +8.2% | #41 of 2,063 |
| 3Oldham County, KY | 86 | 16 | 6.9 | $7.2M | +4.9% | #46 of 2,063 |
| 4Woodford County, KY | 80 | 7 | 6.5 | $6.2M | +3.7% | #106 of 2,063 |
| 5Boone County, KY | 80 | 41 | 8.0 | $5.4M | +6.5% | #109 of 2,063 |
| 6Kenton County, KY | 77 | 47 | 7.0 | $5.7M | +3.9% | #155 of 2,063 |
| 7Nelson County, KY | 76 | 13 | 6.8 | $5.2M | +4.8% | #175 of 2,063 |
| 8Jessamine County, KY | 75 | 12 | 6.0 | $6.3M | +7.8% | #186 of 2,063 |
| 9Shelby County, KY | 75 | 13 | 7.0 | $5.6M | +6.2% | #190 of 2,063 |
| 10Madison County, KY | 72 | 29 | 7.8 | $4.4M | +9.4% | #257 of 2,063 |
| 11Anderson County, KY | 70 | 7 | 7.3 | $5M | +5.5% | #303 of 2,063 |
| 12Laurel County, KY | 67 | 10 | 4.2 | $7.6M | +1.6% | #371 of 2,063 |
| 13Logan County, KY | 66 | 5 | 4.5 | $7M | +4.2% | #395 of 2,063 |
| 14Harrison County, KY | 66 | 5 | 6.9 | $5.1M | +4.9% | #403 of 2,063 |
| 15Muhlenberg County, KY | 65 | 5 | 4.1 | $7.8M | −0.9% | #417 of 2,063 |
| 16Simpson County, KY | 65 | 5 | 6.2 | $5.3M | +5.9% | #425 of 2,063 |
| 17Marshall County, KY | 63 | 6 | 4.5 | $7.6M | −0.1% | #489 of 2,063 |
| 18Whitley County, KY | 63 | 7 | 5.2 | $5.6M | +1.6% | #496 of 2,063 |
| 19Henderson County, KY | 62 | 10 | 5.4 | $6.1M | −0.9% | #524 of 2,063 |
| 20Franklin County, KY | 61 | 14 | 6.2 | $5.7M | +2.0% | #557 of 2,063 |
| 21Grant County, KY | 61 | 8 | 8.7 | $4M | +4.7% | #577 of 2,063 |
| 22Warren County, KY | 60 | 44 | 7.9 | $4.4M | +10.6% | #604 of 2,063 |
| 23Campbell County, KY | 60 | 36 | 9.2 | $4.3M | +2.5% | #606 of 2,063 |
| 24Floyd County, KY | 59 | 5 | 3.4 | $8.4M | −3.9% | #627 of 2,063 |
| 25Hardin County, KY | 59 | 41 | 9.2 | $3.9M | +2.4% | #657 of 2,063 |
Show all 120 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Taylor County, KY | 58 | 6 | 5.8 | $5.5M | +2.9% | #677 of 2,063 |
| 27Mercer County, KY | 58 | 7 | 7.6 | $4.5M | +4.8% | #692 of 2,063 |
| 28Greenup County, KY | 56 | 5 | 3.4 | $9.8M | −1.9% | #750 of 2,063 |
| 29Pike County, KY | 56 | 11 | 4.5 | $6.4M | −6.4% | #752 of 2,063 |
| 30Daviess County, KY | 56 | 33 | 7.9 | $4.4M | +1.5% | #766 of 2,063 |
| 31Jefferson County, KY | 55 | 325 | 9.8 | $3.8M | +1.6% | #819 of 2,063 |
| 32Montgomery County, KY | 54 | 7 | 6.4 | $5M | +2.5% | #837 of 2,063 |
| 33Pulaski County, KY | 54 | 22 | 8.4 | $3.7M | +3.5% | #862 of 2,063 |
| 34Clark County, KY | 53 | 15 | 10.0 | $3.5M | +2.3% | #906 of 2,063 |
| 35Russell County, KY | 51 | 5 | 6.6 | $4.6M | +3.4% | #962 of 2,063 |
| 36Rowan County, KY | 49 | 7 | 7.3 | $4.3M | −1.0% | #1,034 of 2,063 |
| 37Barren County, KY | 49 | 14 | 7.8 | $4M | +2.6% | #1,043 of 2,063 |
| 38Calloway County, KY | 48 | 14 | 9.2 | $3.4M | +4.9% | #1,104 of 2,063 |
| 39Fayette County, KY | 47 | 154 | 11.0 | $3.4M | +2.2% | #1,140 of 2,063 |
| 40Hopkins County, KY | 45 | 17 | 9.2 | $3.4M | −0.5% | #1,211 of 2,063 |
| 41Boyle County, KY | 42 | 14 | 11.6 | $2.9M | +2.9% | #1,327 of 2,063 |
| 42Wayne County, KY | 40 | 5 | 6.2 | $4.5M | +0.3% | #1,369 of 2,063 |
| 43Perry County, KY | 39 | 6 | 5.4 | $5.4M | −6.4% | #1,413 of 2,063 |
| 44Boyd County, KY | 38 | 15 | 7.8 | $4.2M | −0.9% | #1,461 of 2,063 |
| 45Larue County, KY | 38 | 6 | 10.0 | $3.3M | +2.1% | #1,472 of 2,063 |
| 46Trigg County, KY | 38 | 6 | 9.9 | $3.3M | +3.1% | #1,473 of 2,063 |
| 47Bourbon County, KY | 35 | 8 | 9.8 | $3.5M | −0.3% | #1,575 of 2,063 |
| 48Christian County, KY | 35 | 23 | 8.9 | $3.4M | −3.6% | #1,578 of 2,063 |
| 49Edmonson County, KY | 35 | 5 | 9.8 | $3.1M | +5.0% | #1,583 of 2,063 |
| 50McCracken County, KY | 34 | 29 | 10.5 | $3.4M | −0.5% | #1,608 of 2,063 |
| 51Bell County, KY | 25 | 12 | 12.1 | $2.1M | −4.8% | #1,886 of 2,063 |
| 52McCreary County, KY | 24 | 5 | 8.5 | $2.9M | +1.7% | #1,902 of 2,063 |
| 53Mason County, KY | 23 | 7 | 9.8 | $3.2M | −1.2% | #1,919 of 2,063 |
| Graves County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 2.8 | $11.1M | +1.4% | |
| Meade County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $10.4M | +2.2% | |
| Knox County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $7.5M | −2.2% | |
| Grayson County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.0 | $10.6M | +3.6% | |
| Carter County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.7 | $8.4M | −1.7% | |
| Harlan County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.7 | $7.4M | −7.6% | |
| Lincoln County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $30.1M | +4.6% | |
| Ohio County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.3 | $9.6M | +0.8% | |
| Johnson County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.2 | $12.9M | −2.6% | |
| Allen County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $8.6M | +9.5% | |
| Breckinridge County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $8.7M | +5.2% | |
| Letcher County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $11.4M | −7.0% | |
| Spencer County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $10.6M | +7.7% | |
| Clay County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $9.9M | −4.1% | |
| Marion County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.2 | $6.1M | +2.7% | |
| Hart County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $7.5M | +4.3% | |
| Adair County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $10.9M | +2.9% | |
| Garrard County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $21.8M | +7.3% | |
| Rockcastle County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.1 | $9.7M | +0.6% | |
| Lawrence County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $9.4M | −3.3% | |
| Casey County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 4.6 | $6.3M | +1.8% | |
| Henry County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.5 | $5.1M | +4.8% | |
| Fleming County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.8 | $4.3M | +4.6% | |
| Pendleton County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.7 | $9.2M | +1.1% | |
| Morgan County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $14.5M | +5.0% | |
| Estill County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $4.3M | −1.4% | |
| Knott County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.6 | $7.8M | −5.9% | |
| Breathitt County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $14.5M | −8.3% | |
| Union County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.8 | $8.2M | −5.9% | |
| Jackson County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $14.3M | +2.8% | |
| Powell County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 8.4 | $3.4M | −2.2% | |
| Lewis County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.0 | $5M | −1.4% | |
| Bath County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $15.2M | +3.6% | |
| Webster County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 8.1 | $3.9M | −0.7% | |
| Caldwell County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 8.0 | $4.1M | −0.3% | |
| Todd County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.4 | $7.9M | +5.6% | |
| Butler County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.2 | $14.1M | +1.6% | |
| Washington County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.2 | $5.3M | +2.7% | |
| Green County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.8 | $4.4M | +4.6% | |
| Magoffin County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $12.2M | −4.3% | |
| Owen County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.6% | |
| Monroe County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.1% | |
| Martin County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.2 | $5.6M | −4.9% | |
| Carroll County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 7.2 | $4.6M | +2.9% | |
| Metcalfe County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $12.2M | +2.9% | |
| Leslie County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $11.6M | −8.0% | |
| Clinton County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.2 | $5.4M | −1.0% | |
| McLean County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 8.2 | $4.3M | −0.8% | |
| Hancock County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.7 | $12M | −0.6% | |
| Crittenden County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 11.3 | $2.7M | −2.2% | |
| Livingston County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 11.1 | $3M | −0.1% | |
| Lyon County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.2% | |
| Gallatin County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.9% | |
| Trimble County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.8% | |
| Bracken County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.3% | |
| Nicholas County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.4% | |
| Ballard County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $11.2M | −1.5% | |
| Lee County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 15.4 | $1.7M | −0.9% | |
| Elliott County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 4.1 | $7M | −0.9% | |
| Wolfe County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.7 | $6.3M | −4.0% | |
| Fulton County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.9 | $6.8M | −4.5% | |
| Menifee County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 4.0 | $7.1M | +4.8% | |
| Cumberland County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 7.6 | $3.6M | +2.3% | |
| Carlisle County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 10.7 | $3.2M | −1.2% | |
| Hickman County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 5.8 | $5.7M | −3.4% | |
| Owsley County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Robertson County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 coffee shops and cafes on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many coffee shops and cafes are in Kentucky?
There are 1,338 coffee shops and cafes on map listings in Kentucky as of September 2026. 506 of them (38%) are chain locations. The listings count coffee, tea, juice and bubble tea shops, and cafes. Official counts show 609 businesses with payroll classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in 2023, up 30.4% from 2019. That count covers all snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars (bakeries and dessert shops included), not only coffee shops and cafes. Another 122 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Kentucky spend on food away from home?
About $6.3B a year, or $3,489 per household. That is 14% below the U.S. average (an index of 86, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,338 coffee shops and cafes on map listings, it comes to $4.7M per cafe. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only coffee shops and cafes. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,814,469 households in Kentucky and national spending patterns by income.
How does Kentucky compare with the U.S. for coffee shops and cafes?
Kentucky has 7.4 coffee shops and cafes per 10,000 households, 33% below the U.S. rate of 11.0. Spending per cafe is $4.7M, 28% above the U.S. figure of $3.7M. At the national ratio of coffee shops and cafes to household spending, Kentucky would have about 1,709, against 1,338 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,979 households, against one for every 1,518 across the U.S. The official count rose 30.4% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.3% for the U.S.
Which market in Kentucky has the highest market score for coffee shops and cafes?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest, at 70 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Richmond-Berea area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 53 scored counties in Kentucky, Bullitt County scores highest, at 89 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Kentucky scores 67 for coffee shops and cafes (upper middle), #9 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Kentucky. It maps the coffee shops and cafes on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Coffee shops and cafes in other states
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Top markets for coffee shops and cafes across the U.S. · All business types in Kentucky
Related business types in Kentucky
- Restaurants and cafes16,217 listings
- Sit-down restaurants8,953 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops2,688 listings
- Pizza1,897 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops1,258 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Kentucky?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.