Market rankings · Kentucky
Convenience stores in Kentucky
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Kentucky, ranked by the Groundwork market score for convenience stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,539
- 790 chain locations (51%)
- Official establishments
- 329
- +44.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $10.4B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 8.5
- 6% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $6.8M
- 14% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #42 of 51
- Market score 38 · Lower middle
A site report maps the convenience stores 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
Kentucky has 1,539 convenience stores on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 51% of them, against 60% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 8.5, 6% above the U.S. rate of 8.0.
At $5,746 per household (9% below the U.S. average), households in Kentucky spend about $10.4B a year on groceries. That is about $6.8M of household spending for each store on map listings, 14% below the U.S. figure of $7.9M. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only convenience stores.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as convenience stores in Kentucky was 329 in 2023, up 44.9% from 2019. That is one for every 5,515 households, against one for every 3,493 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 22.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 2 SBA-backed loans worth $670K have gone to businesses classed as convenience stores in Kentucky.
Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #42 for convenience stores, with a Groundwork market score of 38 (lower middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Lexington-Fayette metro area scores highest (69). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Frankfort area scores highest (78).
Every market in Kentucky for convenience stores
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Lexington-Fayette, KY | 69 | 137 | 6.3 | $9.5M | +3.4% | #66 of 387 |
| 2Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 65 | 379 | 6.8 | $8.9M | +2.9% | #94 of 387 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 64 | 529 | 5.8 | $10.7M | +2.7% | #101 of 387 |
| 3Bowling Green, KY | 62 | 58 | 7.9 | $7.2M | +9.5% | #118 of 387 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 54 | 108 | 8.6 | $6.7M | +8.5% | #177 of 387 |
| 4Elizabethtown, KY | 50 | 47 | 9.3 | $6.3M | +2.4% | #203 of 387 |
| 5Owensboro, KY | 45 | 43 | 9.5 | $6.1M | +1.3% | #233 of 387 |
| 6Paducah, KY-IL | 32 | 42 | 10.1 | $5.7M | −1.2% | #311 of 387 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 26 | 145 | 9.5 | $5.9M | −2.6% | #338 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Frankfort, KY | 78 | 24 | 7.4 | $7.9M | +3.1% | #34 of 529 |
| 2Franklin, KY | 76 | 5 | 6.2 | $9M | +5.9% | #48 of 529 |
| 3Richmond-Berea, KY | 72 | 45 | 9.1 | $6.2M | +7.0% | #76 of 529 |
| 4Murray, KY | 71 | 9 | 5.9 | $9.2M | +4.9% | #78 of 529 |
| 5Danville, KY | 63 | 20 | 9.2 | $6M | +3.6% | #149 of 529 |
| 6Mayfield, KY | 59 | 11 | 7.8 | $6.9M | +1.4% | #193 of 529 |
| 7Somerset, KY | 52 | 22 | 8.4 | $6.4M | +3.5% | #264 of 529 |
| 8Henderson, KY | 52 | 25 | 10.7 | $5.2M | −0.9% | #267 of 529 |
| 9Campbellsville, KY | 49 | 15 | 10.2 | $5.3M | +3.4% | #292 of 529 |
| 10Mount Sterling, KY | 45 | 27 | 14.9 | $3.7M | +3.1% | #334 of 529 |
| 11Glasgow, KY | 42 | 24 | 10.9 | $4.9M | +2.6% | #362 of 529 |
| 12Pikeville, KY | 35 | 44 | 11.3 | $4.5M | −5.4% | #412 of 529 |
| 13Madisonville, KY | 35 | 27 | 14.7 | $3.7M | −0.5% | #414 of 529 |
| 14Corbin, KY | 19 | 80 | 14.2 | $3.7M | +0.1% | #487 of 529 |
| 15Middlesborough, KY | 19 | 13 | 13.1 | $3.7M | −4.8% | #488 of 529 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oldham County, KY | 92 | 11 | 4.8 | $14.9M | +4.9% | #18 of 2,261 |
| 2Boone County, KY | 91 | 23 | 4.5 | $14.6M | +6.5% | #25 of 2,261 |
| 3Bullitt County, KY | 83 | 20 | 6.3 | $9.8M | +5.0% | #121 of 2,261 |
| 4Shelby County, KY | 81 | 13 | 7.0 | $8.8M | +6.2% | #148 of 2,261 |
| 5Kenton County, KY | 79 | 30 | 4.5 | $14M | +3.9% | #184 of 2,261 |
| 6Fayette County, KY | 79 | 73 | 5.2 | $11.5M | +2.2% | #186 of 2,261 |
| 7Scott County, KY | 79 | 21 | 9.3 | $6.8M | +8.2% | #206 of 2,261 |
| 8Meade County, KY | 78 | 5 | 4.5 | $13.3M | +2.2% | #213 of 2,261 |
| 9Warren County, KY | 78 | 41 | 7.4 | $7.8M | +10.6% | #234 of 2,261 |
| 10Campbell County, KY | 75 | 20 | 5.1 | $12.1M | +2.5% | #289 of 2,261 |
| 11Anderson County, KY | 75 | 7 | 7.3 | $8.2M | +5.5% | #301 of 2,261 |
| 12Jessamine County, KY | 75 | 16 | 8.0 | $7.5M | +7.8% | #305 of 2,261 |
| 13Madison County, KY | 74 | 29 | 7.8 | $7.4M | +9.4% | #329 of 2,261 |
| 14Jefferson County, KY | 70 | 211 | 6.4 | $9.3M | +1.6% | #426 of 2,261 |
| 15Simpson County, KY | 69 | 5 | 6.2 | $9M | +5.9% | #459 of 2,261 |
| 16Harrison County, KY | 69 | 5 | 6.9 | $8.4M | +4.9% | #464 of 2,261 |
| 17Hardin County, KY | 68 | 40 | 9.0 | $6.5M | +2.4% | #498 of 2,261 |
| 18Allen County, KY | 65 | 6 | 7.5 | $7.4M | +9.5% | #591 of 2,261 |
| 19Calloway County, KY | 64 | 9 | 5.9 | $9.2M | +4.9% | #616 of 2,261 |
| 20Franklin County, KY | 62 | 17 | 7.5 | $7.8M | +2.0% | #681 of 2,261 |
| 21Daviess County, KY | 62 | 39 | 9.4 | $6.2M | +1.5% | #692 of 2,261 |
| 22Woodford County, KY | 62 | 12 | 11.1 | $5.6M | +3.7% | #697 of 2,261 |
| 23Mercer County, KY | 60 | 8 | 8.7 | $6.5M | +4.8% | #766 of 2,261 |
| 24Clark County, KY | 59 | 10 | 6.6 | $8.6M | +2.3% | #784 of 2,261 |
| 25Bourbon County, KY | 58 | 5 | 6.1 | $9.3M | −0.3% | #818 of 2,261 |
Show all 120 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Hart County, KY | 58 | 5 | 6.8 | $7.9M | +4.3% | #822 of 2,261 |
| 27McCracken County, KY | 56 | 23 | 8.3 | $6.9M | −0.5% | #895 of 2,261 |
| 28Boyle County, KY | 55 | 10 | 8.3 | $6.7M | +2.9% | #930 of 2,261 |
| 29Graves County, KY | 54 | 11 | 7.8 | $6.9M | +1.4% | #980 of 2,261 |
| 30Garrard County, KY | 53 | 7 | 10.5 | $5.3M | +7.3% | #1,034 of 2,261 |
| 31Logan County, KY | 52 | 10 | 9.1 | $6.1M | +4.2% | #1,055 of 2,261 |
| 32Grant County, KY | 52 | 10 | 10.8 | $5.3M | +4.7% | #1,065 of 2,261 |
| 33Marshall County, KY | 49 | 12 | 9.1 | $6.3M | −0.1% | #1,154 of 2,261 |
| 34Nelson County, KY | 49 | 25 | 13.1 | $4.5M | +4.8% | #1,172 of 2,261 |
| 35Christian County, KY | 48 | 21 | 8.2 | $6.6M | −3.6% | #1,190 of 2,261 |
| 36Muhlenberg County, KY | 47 | 10 | 8.2 | $6.7M | −0.9% | #1,227 of 2,261 |
| 37Pulaski County, KY | 47 | 22 | 8.4 | $6.4M | +3.5% | #1,229 of 2,261 |
| 38Edmonson County, KY | 46 | 5 | 9.8 | $5.5M | +5.0% | #1,270 of 2,261 |
| 39Mason County, KY | 45 | 5 | 7.0 | $7.7M | −1.2% | #1,293 of 2,261 |
| 40Rowan County, KY | 44 | 7 | 7.3 | $7.4M | −1.0% | #1,322 of 2,261 |
| 41Henderson County, KY | 44 | 22 | 11.9 | $4.7M | −0.9% | #1,338 of 2,261 |
| 42Johnson County, KY | 43 | 5 | 5.5 | $9.3M | −2.6% | #1,353 of 2,261 |
| 43Barren County, KY | 43 | 17 | 9.4 | $5.7M | +2.6% | #1,365 of 2,261 |
| 44Lincoln County, KY | 43 | 10 | 10.3 | $5.2M | +4.6% | #1,371 of 2,261 |
| 45Taylor County, KY | 42 | 11 | 10.7 | $5.1M | +2.9% | #1,409 of 2,261 |
| 46Larue County, KY | 42 | 7 | 11.7 | $4.8M | +2.1% | #1,415 of 2,261 |
| 47Marion County, KY | 38 | 9 | 11.7 | $4.7M | +2.7% | #1,552 of 2,261 |
| 48Jackson County, KY | 37 | 5 | 9.8 | $5.2M | +2.8% | #1,585 of 2,261 |
| 49Trigg County, KY | 37 | 7 | 11.6 | $4.8M | +3.1% | #1,589 of 2,261 |
| 50Breckinridge County, KY | 36 | 12 | 14.9 | $3.7M | +5.2% | #1,621 of 2,261 |
| 51Montgomery County, KY | 36 | 17 | 15.4 | $3.6M | +2.5% | #1,623 of 2,261 |
| 52Henry County, KY | 36 | 10 | 16.3 | $3.5M | +4.8% | #1,626 of 2,261 |
| 53Carroll County, KY | 34 | 6 | 14.4 | $3.9M | +2.9% | #1,685 of 2,261 |
| 54Grayson County, KY | 33 | 14 | 13.8 | $3.9M | +3.6% | #1,721 of 2,261 |
| 55Hopkins County, KY | 33 | 27 | 14.7 | $3.7M | −0.5% | #1,724 of 2,261 |
| 56Bath County, KY | 33 | 7 | 14.9 | $3.7M | +3.6% | #1,725 of 2,261 |
| 57Wayne County, KY | 31 | 8 | 9.9 | $5.1M | +0.3% | #1,767 of 2,261 |
| 58Laurel County, KY | 30 | 28 | 11.7 | $4.7M | +1.6% | #1,796 of 2,261 |
| 59Butler County, KY | 30 | 6 | 13.1 | $4.1M | +1.6% | #1,802 of 2,261 |
| 60Greenup County, KY | 28 | 18 | 12.2 | $4.6M | −1.9% | #1,849 of 2,261 |
| 61Boyd County, KY | 28 | 25 | 12.9 | $4.3M | −0.9% | #1,852 of 2,261 |
| 62Morgan County, KY | 28 | 8 | 16.4 | $3.2M | +5.0% | #1,864 of 2,261 |
| 63Ohio County, KY | 27 | 13 | 14.3 | $3.9M | +0.8% | #1,888 of 2,261 |
| 64Fleming County, KY | 27 | 10 | 17.1 | $3.1M | +4.6% | #1,894 of 2,261 |
| 65Carter County, KY | 26 | 13 | 12.0 | $4.5M | −1.7% | #1,902 of 2,261 |
| 66Rockcastle County, KY | 25 | 8 | 12.2 | $4.3M | +0.6% | #1,927 of 2,261 |
| 67Metcalfe County, KY | 24 | 7 | 17.1 | $3.1M | +2.9% | #1,959 of 2,261 |
| 68Union County, KY | 22 | 6 | 11.5 | $4.7M | −5.9% | #1,986 of 2,261 |
| 69Russell County, KY | 22 | 17 | 22.5 | $2.4M | +3.4% | #2,004 of 2,261 |
| 70Lewis County, KY | 21 | 6 | 12.0 | $4.4M | −1.4% | #2,011 of 2,261 |
| 71Casey County, KY | 21 | 11 | 17.0 | $3.1M | +1.8% | #2,019 of 2,261 |
| 72Pike County, KY | 20 | 25 | 10.3 | $5M | −6.4% | #2,023 of 2,261 |
| 73Floyd County, KY | 20 | 19 | 12.9 | $4M | −3.9% | #2,026 of 2,261 |
| 74Bell County, KY | 20 | 13 | 13.1 | $3.7M | −4.8% | #2,031 of 2,261 |
| 75Perry County, KY | 19 | 12 | 10.8 | $4.8M | −6.4% | #2,040 of 2,261 |
| 76Knott County, KY | 18 | 6 | 10.9 | $4.7M | −5.9% | #2,058 of 2,261 |
| 77Lawrence County, KY | 18 | 8 | 12.6 | $4.2M | −3.3% | #2,060 of 2,261 |
| 78Estill County, KY | 17 | 8 | 13.4 | $3.9M | −1.4% | #2,078 of 2,261 |
| 79McCreary County, KY | 16 | 10 | 17.1 | $2.8M | +1.7% | #2,111 of 2,261 |
| 80Whitley County, KY | 15 | 25 | 18.5 | $2.8M | +1.6% | #2,128 of 2,261 |
| 81Clay County, KY | 13 | 9 | 12.3 | $4M | −4.1% | #2,147 of 2,261 |
| 82Martin County, KY | 13 | 5 | 13.0 | $3.9M | −4.9% | #2,149 of 2,261 |
| 83Knox County, KY | 12 | 18 | 15.4 | $3.1M | −2.2% | #2,168 of 2,261 |
| 84Harlan County, KY | 10 | 14 | 13.0 | $3.9M | −7.6% | #2,190 of 2,261 |
| 85Letcher County, KY | 9 | 12 | 14.2 | $3.5M | −7.0% | #2,199 of 2,261 |
| 86Magoffin County, KY | 7 | 7 | 14.8 | $3.3M | −4.3% | #2,223 of 2,261 |
| 87Powell County, KY | 5 | 12 | 25.1 | $2M | −2.2% | #2,245 of 2,261 |
| 88Breathitt County, KY | 3 | 10 | 18.3 | $2.7M | −8.3% | #2,252 of 2,261 |
| 89Leslie County, KY | 2 | 9 | 21.3 | $2.3M | −8.0% | #2,259 of 2,261 |
| Spencer County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $12M | +7.7% | |
| Adair County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | $9.5M | +2.9% | |
| Pendleton County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $30.7M | +1.1% | |
| Webster County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.1 | $9M | −0.7% | |
| Caldwell County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.0 | $9.2M | −0.3% | |
| Todd County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 8.8 | $6.5M | +5.6% | |
| Washington County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 8.2 | $6.8M | +2.7% | |
| Green County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 9.0 | $5.8M | +4.6% | |
| Owen County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 7.1 | $7.9M | +2.6% | |
| Monroe County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.5 | $8.1M | −1.1% | |
| Clinton County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.2 | $9.8M | −1.0% | |
| McLean County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 11.0 | $5.3M | −0.8% | |
| Hancock County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 11.0 | $5.1M | −0.6% | |
| Crittenden County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 8.5 | $6.3M | −2.2% | |
| Livingston County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 11.1 | $5M | −0.1% | |
| Lyon County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.9 | $19.8M | +5.2% | |
| Gallatin County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 12.3 | $4.7M | +1.9% | |
| Trimble County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.0 | $19.4M | +2.8% | |
| Bracken County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 8.9 | $6.5M | +1.3% | |
| Nicholas County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $14.9M | +5.4% | |
| Ballard County, KY | Not scored | 5 | 15.6 | $3.7M | −1.5% | |
| Lee County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 7.7 | $6.4M | −0.9% | |
| Elliott County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 12.3 | $4.2M | −0.9% | |
| Wolfe County, KY | Not scored | 5 | 18.7 | $2.5M | −4.0% | |
| Fulton County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 15.7 | $3.1M | −4.5% | |
| Menifee County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 12.1 | $4.3M | +4.8% | |
| Cumberland County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 7.6 | $6.5M | +2.3% | |
| Carlisle County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 10.7 | $5.3M | −1.2% | |
| Hickman County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 5.8 | $9.7M | −3.4% | |
| Owsley County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Robertson County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 12.3 | $4.4M | +6.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 convenience stores on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many convenience stores are in Kentucky?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,539 convenience stores in Kentucky. 790 of them (51%) are chain locations. The listings count convenience stores without fuel. Official counts show 329 businesses with payroll classed as convenience stores in 2023, up 44.9% from 2019.
How much do households in Kentucky spend on groceries?
About $10.4B a year, or $5,746 per household. That is 9% below the U.S. average (an index of 91, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,539 convenience stores on map listings, it comes to $6.8M per store. That spending covers all groceries, which convenience stores share with other businesses in the trade. 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 convenience stores?
Kentucky has 8.5 convenience stores per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 8.0. Spending per store is $6.8M, 14% below the U.S. figure of $7.9M. At the U.S. ratio of convenience stores to household spending, Kentucky would have about 1,323, against 1,539 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 5,515 households, against one for every 3,493 across the U.S. The official count rose 44.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +22.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Kentucky has the highest market score for convenience stores?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Lexington-Fayette metro area scores highest, at 69 (upper middle). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Frankfort area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 89 scored counties in Kentucky, Oldham County scores highest, at 92 (very 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 38 for convenience stores (lower middle), #42 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 convenience stores 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.
Convenience stores in other states
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Top markets for convenience stores across the U.S. · All business types in Kentucky
Related business types in Kentucky
- Grocery and convenience stores3,514 listings
- Grocery stores1,381 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.