Market rankings · Kentucky
Restaurants and cafes in Kentucky
Markets across Kentucky ranked by the Groundwork market score for restaurants and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 16,217
- 7,422 chain locations (46%)
- Official establishments
- 6,987
- +5.0% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $6.3B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 89.4
- 19% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $390K
- 5% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #19 of 51
- Market score 58 · Upper middle
A site report maps the restaurants 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 16,217 restaurants and cafes in Kentucky. Chain locations make up 46% of them, against 34% across the U.S. That comes to 89.4 for every 10,000 households, 19% below the U.S. rate of 109.8.
At $3,489 per household (14% below the U.S. average), households in Kentucky spend about $6.3B a year on food away from home. That is about $390K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 5% above the U.S. figure of $371K.
Official counts show 6,987 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in Kentucky in 2023, up 5.0% from 2019. That is one for every 260 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 220 SBA-backed loans worth $108.2M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Kentucky.
Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #19 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 58 (upper middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest (65). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Richmond-Berea area scores highest (79).
Every market in Kentucky for restaurants 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 | 65 | 8,872 | 97.9 | $419K | +2.7% | #94 of 387 |
| 1Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 60 | 5,482 | 98.2 | $386K | +2.9% | #130 of 387 |
| 2Elizabethtown, KY | 59 | 450 | 88.9 | $400K | +2.4% | #136 of 387 |
| 3Bowling Green, KY | 58 | 656 | 89.4 | $381K | +9.5% | #142 of 387 |
| 4Owensboro, KY | 54 | 407 | 89.9 | $392K | +1.3% | #162 of 387 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 52 | 1,196 | 78.6 | $427K | −2.6% | #175 of 387 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 52 | 1,174 | 94.0 | $375K | +8.5% | #180 of 387 |
| 5Lexington-Fayette, KY | 43 | 2,366 | 109.4 | $345K | +3.4% | #242 of 387 |
| 6Paducah, KY-IL | 16 | 454 | 108.8 | $321K | −1.2% | #381 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Richmond-Berea, KY | 79 | 358 | 72.2 | $463K | +7.0% | #33 of 538 |
| 2Mount Sterling, KY | 77 | 115 | 63.3 | $501K | +3.1% | #40 of 538 |
| 3Campbellsville, KY | 73 | 101 | 68.8 | $457K | +3.4% | #61 of 538 |
| 4Mayfield, KY | 72 | 85 | 60.1 | $522K | +1.4% | #63 of 538 |
| 5Frankfort, KY | 65 | 291 | 89.9 | $396K | +3.1% | #127 of 538 |
| 6Danville, KY | 63 | 182 | 83.7 | $386K | +3.6% | #144 of 538 |
| 7Corbin, KY | 60 | 383 | 67.7 | $433K | +0.1% | #166 of 538 |
| 8Somerset, KY | 59 | 219 | 83.6 | $370K | +3.5% | #179 of 538 |
| 9Henderson, KY | 58 | 179 | 76.3 | $427K | −0.9% | #184 of 538 |
| 10Madisonville, KY | 56 | 150 | 81.5 | $387K | −0.5% | #200 of 538 |
| 11Glasgow, KY | 52 | 188 | 85.0 | $363K | +2.6% | #245 of 538 |
| 12Pikeville, KY | 48 | 280 | 71.8 | $401K | −5.4% | #273 of 538 |
| 13Murray, KY | 47 | 134 | 87.9 | $355K | +4.9% | #290 of 538 |
| 14Franklin, KY | 35 | 87 | 108.4 | $306K | +5.9% | #414 of 538 |
| 15Middlesborough, KY | 8 | 100 | 100.6 | $255K | −4.8% | #538 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Spencer County, KY | 94 | 31 | 42.4 | $1M | +7.7% | #5 of 2,405 |
| 2Oldham County, KY | 87 | 151 | 65.6 | $763K | +4.9% | #41 of 2,405 |
| 3Bullitt County, KY | 85 | 208 | 65.5 | $593K | +5.0% | #64 of 2,405 |
| 4Henry County, KY | 79 | 31 | 50.4 | $662K | +4.8% | #145 of 2,405 |
| 5Scott County, KY | 79 | 187 | 82.6 | $492K | +8.2% | #159 of 2,405 |
| 6Meade County, KY | 78 | 65 | 59.1 | $637K | +2.2% | #169 of 2,405 |
| 7Jessamine County, KY | 78 | 126 | 63.3 | $600K | +7.8% | #171 of 2,405 |
| 8Lincoln County, KY | 77 | 38 | 39.2 | $792K | +4.6% | #185 of 2,405 |
| 9Allen County, KY | 77 | 46 | 57.2 | $559K | +9.5% | #197 of 2,405 |
| 10Garrard County, KY | 77 | 40 | 59.7 | $544K | +7.3% | #200 of 2,405 |
| 11Bath County, KY | 76 | 21 | 44.7 | $725K | +3.6% | #214 of 2,405 |
| 12Owen County, KY | 75 | 16 | 37.6 | $858K | +2.6% | #229 of 2,405 |
| 13Breckinridge County, KY | 75 | 48 | 59.5 | $543K | +5.2% | #242 of 2,405 |
| 14Shelby County, KY | 75 | 140 | 75.7 | $520K | +6.2% | #247 of 2,405 |
| 15Mercer County, KY | 74 | 60 | 65.4 | $520K | +4.8% | #267 of 2,405 |
| 16Todd County, KY | 74 | 33 | 72.4 | $477K | +5.6% | #274 of 2,405 |
| 17Pendleton County, KY | 73 | 26 | 47.8 | $705K | +1.1% | #284 of 2,405 |
| 18Hart County, KY | 73 | 37 | 50.2 | $606K | +4.3% | #291 of 2,405 |
| 19Edmonson County, KY | 73 | 28 | 54.9 | $551K | +5.0% | #300 of 2,405 |
| 20Jackson County, KY | 72 | 14 | 27.3 | $1M | +2.8% | #326 of 2,405 |
| 21Washington County, KY | 72 | 24 | 49.5 | $665K | +2.7% | #329 of 2,405 |
| 22Fleming County, KY | 72 | 31 | 52.9 | $561K | +4.6% | #335 of 2,405 |
| 23Larue County, KY | 71 | 35 | 58.4 | $571K | +2.1% | #363 of 2,405 |
| 24Green County, KY | 70 | 25 | 56.5 | $534K | +4.6% | #399 of 2,405 |
| 25Anderson County, KY | 70 | 74 | 76.7 | $475K | +5.5% | #408 of 2,405 |
Show all 120 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Kenton County, KY | 70 | 583 | 86.5 | $461K | +3.9% | #410 of 2,405 |
| 27Harrison County, KY | 69 | 50 | 68.6 | $508K | +4.9% | #426 of 2,405 |
| 28Woodford County, KY | 68 | 100 | 92.5 | $433K | +3.7% | #459 of 2,405 |
| 29Casey County, KY | 67 | 33 | 50.9 | $571K | +1.8% | #470 of 2,405 |
| 30Madison County, KY | 67 | 295 | 79.6 | $437K | +9.4% | #493 of 2,405 |
| 31Grayson County, KY | 66 | 60 | 59.2 | $532K | +3.6% | #504 of 2,405 |
| 32Metcalfe County, KY | 66 | 25 | 61.0 | $490K | +2.9% | #508 of 2,405 |
| 33Morgan County, KY | 66 | 31 | 63.5 | $468K | +5.0% | #512 of 2,405 |
| 34Ohio County, KY | 65 | 51 | 56.0 | $566K | +0.8% | #537 of 2,405 |
| 35Butler County, KY | 65 | 27 | 59.1 | $521K | +1.6% | #547 of 2,405 |
| 36Lewis County, KY | 64 | 21 | 41.8 | $713K | −1.4% | #583 of 2,405 |
| 37Greenup County, KY | 63 | 83 | 56.3 | $591K | −1.9% | #626 of 2,405 |
| 38Logan County, KY | 63 | 81 | 73.6 | $435K | +4.2% | #641 of 2,405 |
| 39Nelson County, KY | 63 | 174 | 90.9 | $390K | +4.8% | #654 of 2,405 |
| 40Graves County, KY | 62 | 85 | 60.1 | $522K | +1.4% | #659 of 2,405 |
| 41Estill County, KY | 61 | 25 | 41.8 | $694K | −1.4% | #699 of 2,405 |
| 42Leslie County, KY | 60 | 14 | 33.1 | $830K | −8.0% | #738 of 2,405 |
| 43Rockcastle County, KY | 60 | 38 | 58.2 | $509K | +0.6% | #746 of 2,405 |
| 44Grant County, KY | 60 | 67 | 72.6 | $473K | +4.7% | #751 of 2,405 |
| 45Webster County, KY | 59 | 32 | 65.0 | $483K | −0.7% | #785 of 2,405 |
| 46Knott County, KY | 58 | 27 | 48.9 | $580K | −5.9% | #817 of 2,405 |
| 47Trigg County, KY | 58 | 50 | 82.5 | $398K | +3.1% | #843 of 2,405 |
| 48Lawrence County, KY | 56 | 35 | 55.2 | $539K | −3.3% | #898 of 2,405 |
| 49Carter County, KY | 56 | 64 | 59.3 | $524K | −1.7% | #899 of 2,405 |
| 50Wayne County, KY | 56 | 49 | 60.7 | $458K | +0.3% | #909 of 2,405 |
| 51Laurel County, KY | 56 | 171 | 71.3 | $447K | +1.6% | #911 of 2,405 |
| 52Boone County, KY | 56 | 573 | 112.4 | $389K | +6.5% | #930 of 2,405 |
| 53Marshall County, KY | 55 | 101 | 76.5 | $454K | −0.1% | #947 of 2,405 |
| 54Taylor County, KY | 55 | 76 | 74.1 | $431K | +2.9% | #953 of 2,405 |
| 55McCreary County, KY | 55 | 35 | 59.7 | $415K | +1.7% | #962 of 2,405 |
| 56Montgomery County, KY | 54 | 88 | 80.0 | $401K | +2.5% | #1,015 of 2,405 |
| 57Clay County, KY | 53 | 41 | 56.3 | $482K | −4.1% | #1,038 of 2,405 |
| 58Breathitt County, KY | 52 | 30 | 54.9 | $482K | −8.3% | #1,080 of 2,405 |
| 59Monroe County, KY | 52 | 32 | 68.9 | $430K | −1.1% | #1,088 of 2,405 |
| 60Harlan County, KY | 51 | 60 | 55.9 | $496K | −7.6% | #1,114 of 2,405 |
| 61Knox County, KY | 51 | 61 | 52.1 | $495K | −2.2% | #1,115 of 2,405 |
| 62Magoffin County, KY | 51 | 26 | 54.9 | $471K | −4.3% | #1,118 of 2,405 |
| 63Adair County, KY | 51 | 56 | 78.5 | $388K | +2.9% | #1,145 of 2,405 |
| 64Hardin County, KY | 50 | 415 | 93.0 | $386K | +2.4% | #1,182 of 2,405 |
| 65Clark County, KY | 49 | 133 | 88.3 | $391K | +2.3% | #1,228 of 2,405 |
| 66Daviess County, KY | 49 | 381 | 91.5 | $385K | +1.5% | #1,231 of 2,405 |
| 67Bourbon County, KY | 49 | 74 | 91.0 | $379K | −0.3% | #1,235 of 2,405 |
| 68Pulaski County, KY | 48 | 219 | 83.6 | $370K | +3.5% | #1,277 of 2,405 |
| 69Warren County, KY | 47 | 555 | 99.7 | $351K | +10.6% | #1,325 of 2,405 |
| 70Floyd County, KY | 45 | 99 | 67.3 | $425K | −3.9% | #1,377 of 2,405 |
| 71Hopkins County, KY | 45 | 150 | 81.5 | $387K | −0.5% | #1,391 of 2,405 |
| 72Marion County, KY | 45 | 68 | 88.0 | $361K | +2.7% | #1,406 of 2,405 |
| 73Henderson County, KY | 44 | 147 | 79.4 | $415K | −0.9% | #1,433 of 2,405 |
| 74Franklin County, KY | 44 | 217 | 95.5 | $369K | +2.0% | #1,453 of 2,405 |
| 75Johnson County, KY | 43 | 61 | 67.5 | $423K | −2.6% | #1,476 of 2,405 |
| 76Letcher County, KY | 43 | 55 | 65.0 | $414K | −7.0% | #1,479 of 2,405 |
| 77Muhlenberg County, KY | 43 | 96 | 79.2 | $406K | −0.9% | #1,482 of 2,405 |
| 78Campbell County, KY | 42 | 459 | 117.0 | $338K | +2.5% | #1,546 of 2,405 |
| 79Calloway County, KY | 40 | 134 | 87.9 | $355K | +4.9% | #1,617 of 2,405 |
| 80Jefferson County, KY | 40 | 3,707 | 111.8 | $331K | +1.6% | #1,624 of 2,405 |
| 81Whitley County, KY | 36 | 110 | 81.2 | $359K | +1.6% | #1,771 of 2,405 |
| 82Barren County, KY | 36 | 163 | 90.5 | $344K | +2.6% | #1,781 of 2,405 |
| 83Pike County, KY | 35 | 181 | 74.5 | $387K | −6.4% | #1,811 of 2,405 |
| 84Russell County, KY | 35 | 66 | 87.3 | $352K | +3.4% | #1,820 of 2,405 |
| 85Fayette County, KY | 35 | 1,746 | 125.0 | $301K | +2.2% | #1,839 of 2,405 |
| 86Martin County, KY | 33 | 29 | 75.2 | $389K | −4.9% | #1,895 of 2,405 |
| 87Perry County, KY | 31 | 95 | 85.8 | $343K | −6.4% | #1,972 of 2,405 |
| 88Simpson County, KY | 31 | 87 | 108.4 | $306K | +5.9% | #1,984 of 2,405 |
| 89Carroll County, KY | 31 | 47 | 112.5 | $295K | +2.9% | #1,988 of 2,405 |
| 90Boyle County, KY | 26 | 144 | 119.6 | $278K | +2.9% | #2,163 of 2,405 |
| 91Rowan County, KY | 22 | 94 | 98.0 | $321K | −1.0% | #2,246 of 2,405 |
| 92Caldwell County, KY | 22 | 51 | 101.5 | $318K | −0.3% | #2,247 of 2,405 |
| 93Christian County, KY | 20 | 247 | 96.0 | $320K | −3.6% | #2,279 of 2,405 |
| 94Union County, KY | 20 | 53 | 102.0 | $308K | −5.9% | #2,280 of 2,405 |
| 95Powell County, KY | 20 | 47 | 98.1 | $287K | −2.2% | #2,287 of 2,405 |
| 96McCracken County, KY | 20 | 354 | 128.3 | $276K | −0.5% | #2,289 of 2,405 |
| 97Boyd County, KY | 18 | 203 | 105.1 | $311K | −0.9% | #2,318 of 2,405 |
| 98Mason County, KY | 12 | 91 | 127.6 | $245K | −1.2% | #2,385 of 2,405 |
| 99Bell County, KY | 8 | 100 | 100.6 | $255K | −4.8% | #2,402 of 2,405 |
| Clinton County, KY | Not scored | 30 | 77.8 | $360K | −1.0% | |
| McLean County, KY | Not scored | 26 | 71.4 | $496K | −0.8% | |
| Hancock County, KY | Not scored | 15 | 41.2 | $799K | −0.6% | |
| Crittenden County, KY | Not scored | 18 | 50.8 | $597K | −2.2% | |
| Livingston County, KY | Not scored | 28 | 77.7 | $422K | −0.1% | |
| Lyon County, KY | Not scored | 24 | 70.2 | $503K | +5.2% | |
| Gallatin County, KY | Not scored | 23 | 70.4 | $481K | +1.9% | |
| Trimble County, KY | Not scored | 9 | 26.6 | $1.3M | +2.8% | |
| Bracken County, KY | Not scored | 21 | 62.4 | $576K | +1.3% | |
| Nicholas County, KY | Not scored | 14 | 50.4 | $602K | +5.4% | |
| Ballard County, KY | Not scored | 15 | 46.7 | $744K | −1.5% | |
| Lee County, KY | Not scored | 18 | 69.4 | $378K | −0.9% | |
| Elliott County, KY | Not scored | 8 | 32.8 | $875K | −0.9% | |
| Wolfe County, KY | Not scored | 22 | 82.3 | $287K | −4.0% | |
| Fulton County, KY | Not scored | 30 | 117.6 | $225K | −4.5% | |
| Menifee County, KY | Not scored | 6 | 24.2 | $1.2M | +4.8% | |
| Cumberland County, KY | Not scored | 21 | 79.8 | $339K | +2.3% | |
| Carlisle County, KY | Not scored | 5 | 26.8 | $1.3M | −1.2% | |
| Hickman County, KY | Not scored | 14 | 80.9 | $410K | −3.4% | |
| Owsley County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 25.5 | $895K | −2.5% | |
| Robertson County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 37.0 | $835K | +6.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 restaurants and cafes on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many restaurants and cafes are in Kentucky?
Kentucky has 16,217 restaurants and cafes on map listings as of September 2026. 7,422 of them (46%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 6,987 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 5.0% from 2019. Official counts list 1,509 one-person businesses without payroll.
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 16,217 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $390K per restaurant. 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 restaurants and cafes?
Kentucky has 89.4 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 19% below the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $390K, 5% above the U.S. figure of $371K. At the national ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Kentucky would have about 17,073, against 16,217 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 260 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 5.0% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Kentucky has the highest market score for restaurants and cafes?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest, at 65 (upper middle). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Richmond-Berea area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 99 scored counties in Kentucky, Spencer County scores highest, at 94 (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 58 for restaurants and cafes (upper middle), #19 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 restaurants 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.
Restaurants and cafes in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for restaurants and cafes across the U.S. · All business types in Kentucky
Related business types in Kentucky
- Sit-down restaurants8,953 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops2,688 listings
- Pizza1,897 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes1,338 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.