Which has more people, Arkansas or Kentucky?

Arkansas has a population of 3,133,502 (33rd of 51 US states) and Kentucky has 4,629,682 (25th of 51).

How do Arkansas and Kentucky compare on Median Household Income?

Median Household Income: Arkansas $60,773 (48th of 51), Kentucky $63,726 (47th of 51) among US states. Kentucky ranks better.

How do Arkansas and Kentucky compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?

Unemployment Rate (%): Arkansas 4.1% (29th of 51), Kentucky 4.6% (tied 40th of 51) among US states. Arkansas ranks better.

Where does Arkansas beat Kentucky most clearly?

Arkansas ranks far ahead on LPC License Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $50.00 vs $1,500; Heroin Use Past Month (Drug Use by State): 0.19% vs 0.49%; Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 48.55 vs 73.16.

Where does Kentucky beat Arkansas most clearly?

Kentucky ranks far ahead on Average Used Car Price (Best States to Buy a Car): $22,995 vs $27,123; Difference Over Average (Best States to Buy a Car): -6.9% vs 9.8%; Workplace Safety Rank WalletHub (Safest States in the US): 4th vs 46th.

Arkansas vs Kentucky

Kentucky comes out ahead of Arkansas on 426 of 808 statistics where one end is better, to 361 with 21 ties. Arkansas leads on Sports, Health and Environment and 1 more category. Kentucky leads on Crime & Safety, Tech & Business and Infrastructure & Energy and 9 more categories.

808 statistics with a better end, compared

Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 21 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.

Arkansas

Wins: 361
Avg. percentile: 41
Categories led: 4

Kentucky

Wins: 426
Avg. percentile: 43
Categories led: 12

At a glance

Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.

Statistic	Arkansas	Kentucky
Population	3,133,502 33rd of 51	4,629,682 25th of 51
Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$60,773 48th of 51	$63,726 47th of 51
Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS)	4.1% 29th of 51	4.6% tied 40th of 51
Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	16.0% 46th of 51	16.1% 47th of 51
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities)	86.9 1st of 51	90.2 12th of 51
Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State	$55,219 38th of 51	$52,290 46th of 51
Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS)	$54,890 50th of 51	$58,990 44th of 51
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$947 3rd of 51	$967 6th of 51
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI)	531.8 48th of 51	212.1 9th of 51
Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)	3,393 11th of 48	4,396 16th of 48

By category

Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.

Crime & SafetyKentucky · 76 statistics
Tech & BusinessKentucky · 48 statistics
Infrastructure & EnergyKentucky · 35 statistics
PopulationKentucky · 122 statistics
CultureKentucky · 79 statistics
EducationKentucky · 51 statistics
SportsArkansas · 17 statistics
HealthArkansas · 186 statistics
LawKentucky · 68 statistics
EnvironmentArkansas · 40 statistics
Politics & GovernmentKentucky · 126 statistics
AgricultureKentucky · 17 statistics
TravelKentucky · 29 statistics
Facts & TriviaKentucky · 18 statistics
GeographyKentucky · 25 statistics
EconomicsArkansas · 296 statistics

Biggest differences

The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.

Statistic	Arkansas	Kentucky
LPC License FeeLPC Requirements by State	$50.00 tied 1st of 46	$1,500 46th of 46
Average Used Car PriceBest States to Buy a Car	$27,123 47th of 50	$22,995 5th of 50
Difference Over AverageBest States to Buy a Car	9.8% 47th of 50	-6.9% 5th of 50
Workplace Safety Rank WalletHubSafest States in the US	46th 46th of 50	4th 4th of 50
Heroin Use Past MonthDrug Use by State	0.19% 1st of 51	0.49% 43rd of 51
SSI Legislative Accountability ScoreMost Corrupt States	50.1 46th of 50	73.5 5th of 50
Violent Crime RateCrime Rate by State	579 47th of 51	213 7th of 51
Crime & CorrectionBest States to Live In	49th 48th of 49	10th 10th of 49
Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k)Drug Use by State	48.55 6th of 51	73.16 45th of 51
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI)	531.8 48th of 51	212.1 9th of 51
Health Care RankDisability Benefits by State	42nd tied 42nd of 51	4th 4th of 51
Avg Combined Sales Tax RateInternet Sales Tax by State	9.46% tied 43rd of 47	6% tied 7th of 47
Drug Deaths Per 100kHealthiest States	16.8 6th of 51	45.9 44th of 51
% Change in Prison Pop. 2022 to 2023Prison Population by State	878.0% 41st of 50	-569.0% 4th of 50
Violent Crime Rate US NewsSafest States in the US	620 per 100k 47th of 50	224 per 100k 10th of 50
Crime and Corrections RankWorst States to Live in	3rd 3rd worst of 50	40th 11th best of 50
Safest State Overall Rank US NewsSafest States in the US	48th 48th of 50	11th 11th of 50
COLI Health Costs IndexLeast Expensive States	85.7 1st of 51	106.6 38th of 51
Opioid Death RateOpioid Epidemic by State	13.9 per 1k pop. 4th of 51	33.5 per 1k pop. tied 40th of 51
Opioid Use Rate (Per 100k)Opioid Epidemic by State	1,827.36 13th of 51	3,297.06 50th of 51
Crime RatePension-Friendly States	5 tied 46th of 49	77 11th of 49
Related Groups per Capita RankBest States to Homeschool	7th 7th of 50	43rd 43rd of 50
Personal InjuryStatute of Limitations by State	3 tied 29th of 50	1 tied 1st of 50
DTaP 4 DosesVaccination Rates by State	74.7% 51st of 51	83.1% 15th of 51
Kuhl Crime Rate ScoreOff-Grid Living Legal States	608 47th of 50	224 12th of 50
# Change in Prison Pop. 2022 to 2023Prison Population by State	5.0 tied 38th of 49	-2.9 tied 4th of 49
Business CostsEntrepreneur-Friendly States	5 tied 11th of 50	10 tied last of 50
Median Doc FeeCar Dealer Fees by State	$129 3rd of 51	$499 tied 35th of 51
Hourly Median WageDentist Salary by State	$96.41 5th of 39	$65.09 31st of 39
Average Teacher Starting SalaryTeacher Pay by State	$50,031 14th of 51	$40,161 48th of 51

See every statistic they shareSearch and sort all of them, adjust for cost of living or population, or add up to two more places.

Quick answers

Which is better, Arkansas or Kentucky?: Kentucky comes out ahead of Arkansas on 426 of 808 statistics where one end is better, to 361 with 21 ties. Arkansas leads on Sports, Health and Environment and 1 more category. Kentucky leads on Crime & Safety, Tech & Business and Infrastructure & Energy and 9 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
Which has more people, Arkansas or Kentucky?: Arkansas has a population of 3,133,502 (33rd of 51 US states) and Kentucky has 4,629,682 (25th of 51).
How do Arkansas and Kentucky compare on Median Household Income?: Median Household Income: Arkansas $60,773 (48th of 51), Kentucky $63,726 (47th of 51) among US states. Kentucky ranks better.
How do Arkansas and Kentucky compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?: Unemployment Rate (%): Arkansas 4.1% (29th of 51), Kentucky 4.6% (tied 40th of 51) among US states. Arkansas ranks better.
Where does Arkansas beat Kentucky most clearly?: Arkansas ranks far ahead on LPC License Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $50.00 vs $1,500; Heroin Use Past Month (Drug Use by State): 0.19% vs 0.49%; Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 48.55 vs 73.16.
Where does Kentucky beat Arkansas most clearly?: Kentucky ranks far ahead on Average Used Car Price (Best States to Buy a Car): $22,995 vs $27,123; Difference Over Average (Best States to Buy a Car): -6.9% vs 9.8%; Workplace Safety Rank WalletHub (Safest States in the US): 4th vs 46th.

More matchups

Other comparisons with Arkansas or Kentucky.

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