State profile · 56 business types

Kentucky market data

Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types across Kentucky, with each type’s rank among the 50 states and DC.

Population, 2025: 4,606,864; +2.2% since 2020
Households: 1,814,469
Median household income: $63,726; +26.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
Median home value: $205,600
Jobs located here: 1,951,113

A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Kentucky by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

An estimated 4,606,864 people live in Kentucky, in 1,814,469 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Kentucky grew 2.2%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Kentucky is $63,726 a year, 21% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 26.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.

Set against the U.S., households in Kentucky spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (65).

Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks highest for lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (#4); house cleaning businesses (#6); and coffee shops and cafes (#9) by the Groundwork market score.

For its number of households, Kentucky has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (52% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (42% below the U.S. rate).

All 56 business types in Kentucky

Listings per 10,000 households, and the same as an index where 100 is the U.S. rate. Spending per listing is a year of household spending on the type’s whole line over its listings (for the real estate types, an index of housing costs per listing, where 100 is the U.S.). The rank puts the state’s Groundwork market score against the other 50 states and DC.

Every business type in Kentucky: listings, listings per 10,000 households against the U.S., spending per listing, official establishments, market score and rank among states
Business type	Listings	Per 10k households	Vs. U.S. (100)	Spending per listing	Official establishments	Score	Rank among states
Food and drink
Restaurants and cafes	16,217	89.4	81	$390K	6,987	58	#19 of 51
Sit-down restaurants	8,953	49.3	80	$707K	2,808	50	#25 of 51
Fast food and sandwich shops	2,688	14.8	111	$2.4M	3,499	28	#47 of 51
Pizza	1,897	10.5	131	$3.3M	3,499	28	#49 of 51
Coffee shops and cafes	1,338	7.4	67	$4.7M	609	67	#9 of 51
Bakeries and dessert shops	1,258	6.9	70	$5M	678	62	#13 of 51
Groceries and convenience
Grocery and convenience stores	3,514	19.4	104	$3M	1,050	37	#42 of 51
Grocery stores	1,381	7.6	112	$7.5M	721	31	#44 of 51
Convenience stores	1,539	8.5	106	$6.8M	329	38	#42 of 51
Auto
Auto repair and car care	6,623	36.5	102	$243K	2,216	45	#33 of 51
Auto repair shops	3,835	21.1	98	$420K	1,505	46	#33 of 51
Collision repair and body shops	514	2.8	90	$3.1M	386	53	#21 of 51
Car washes and detailing	721	4.0	105	$2.2M	224	42	#37 of 51
Tire shops	727	4.0	105	$2.2M	294	34	#43 of 51
Oil change and quick lube	167	0.9	129	$9.7M	145	25	#47 of 50
Gas stations	2,753	15.2	139	$1.9M	1,990	39	#39 of 51
Insurance agencies	2,697	14.9	96	$1.7M	1,771	67	#12 of 51
Beauty and personal care
Salons, barbers and spas	6,928	38.2	81	$218K	1,170	46	#32 of 51
Hair salons	3,687	20.3	87	$410K	680	45	#32 of 51
Barbershops	918	5.1	96	$1.6M	47	40	#38 of 51
Nail salons	709	3.9	65	$2.1M	117	56	#19 of 51
Spas and skin care	1,508	8.3	72	$1M	304	51	#24 of 51
Fitness and classes
Gyms, studios and classes	2,024	11.2	75	$576K	665	45	#34 of 51
Gyms	1,167	6.4	84	$1M	390	40	#39 of 51
Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios	261	1.4	58	$4.5M	390	51	#25 of 51
Martial arts and dance studios	596	3.3	67	$2M	275	51	#25 of 51
Health care
Doctors, dentists and clinics	16,640	91.7	109	$114K	5,858	25	#50 of 51
Dentists and orthodontists	1,965	10.8	82	$963K	1,440	40	#36 of 51
Primary care and pediatrics	1,502	8.3	115	$1.3M	2,833	23	#48 of 51
Urgent care and walk-in clinics	96	0.5	100	$19.7M	152	25	#47 of 50
Chiropractors	809	4.5	83	$2.3M	476	43	#31 of 51
Physical therapy	904	5.0	93	$2.1M	683	39	#36 of 51
Optometrists and eye care	740	4.1	100	$2.6M	274	30	#46 of 51
Pets
Pet businesses	2,079	11.5	111	$719K	947	38	#35 of 51
Veterinarians	673	3.7	112	$2.2M	550	30	#41 of 51
Pet grooming and boarding	702	3.9	108	$2.1M	279	47	#29 of 51
Pet stores	358	2.0	100	$4.2M	118	48	#30 of 51
Child care
Child care and preschools	865	4.8	83	$849K	925	49	#27 of 51
Clothing and laundry
Clothing, shoes and laundry	3,585	19.8	85	$891K	1,388	44	#35 of 51
Clothing and shoe stores	2,717	15.0	93	$1.2M	1,169	42	#35 of 51
Laundromats	223	1.2	75	$14.3M	87	49	#28 of 51
Dry cleaners	148	0.8	62	$21.6M	132	53	#23 of 51
Home services
Home repair trades	2,013	11.1	90	$2.4M	2,532	53	#27 of 51
HVAC and plumbing	1,011	5.6	89	$4.8M	1,379	52	#26 of 51
Electricians	408	2.2	88	$11.9M	898	52	#24 of 51
Roofing and gutters	594	3.3	92	$8.2M	255	50	#26 of 51
Lawn, cleaning and pest control	1,212	6.7	80	$2.1M	2,042	71	#4 of 51
Landscaping and lawn care	736	4.1	85	$3.4M	1,130	68	#12 of 51
House cleaning	283	1.6	73	$8.9M	739	75	#6 of 51
Pest control	193	1.1	79	$13M	173	61	#11 of 51
Real estate
Real estate	4,973	27.4	71	120 (index)	2,657	60	#13 of 51
Real estate agents and brokers	3,893	21.5	70	122 (index)	1,450	60	#13 of 51
Property management	414	2.3	77	113 (index)	560	63	#12 of 51
Mortgage brokers and lenders	565	3.1	72	118 (index)	254	53	#20 of 51
Home inspectors	101	0.6	100	98 (index)	61	54	#20 of 50
Funeral services
Funeral homes	584	3.2	152	$415K	368	17	#50 of 51

Markets in Kentucky

Each market’s page covers every business type, with its figures against the state and the U.S.

Questions

How fast is Kentucky growing?

Population estimates put Kentucky at 4,606,864 people in 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 1,814,469 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 26.0%, before inflation.

How much do households in Kentucky spend?

Households in Kentucky spend about $25.9B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $10.4B on groceries and $6.3B on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Kentucky runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (65).

Which business types rank highest in Kentucky?

By the Groundwork market score, Kentucky’s highest ranks among the 50 states and DC are for lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (#4); house cleaning businesses (#6); and coffee shops and cafes (#9).

How does Kentucky compare with the U.S.?

Median household income in Kentucky is $63,726, 21% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $205,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (52% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (42% below the U.S. rate).

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. Each business type is scored on its own, so a state can rank high for one type and low for another.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Kentucky. It maps the competitors 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.

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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.