Kentucky vs Virginia
Virginia comes out ahead of Kentucky on 513 of 806 statistics where one end is better, to 279 with 14 ties. Kentucky leads on Agriculture, Travel and Infrastructure & Energy. Virginia leads on Health, Facts & Trivia and Culture and 10 more categories.
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Kentucky | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,629,682 25th of 51 | 8,940,572 12th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $63,726 47th of 51 | $93,170 12th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 4.6% tied 40th of 51 | 3.4% tied 10th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 16.1% 47th of 51 | 9.89% 7th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 90.2 12th of 51 | 101.1 36th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $52,290 46th of 51 | $61,914 15th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $58,990 44th of 51 | $74,040 11th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $967 6th of 51 | $1,579 40th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 212.1 9th of 51 | 205.9 8th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 4,396 16th of 48 | 4,258 15th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- HealthVirginia · 183 statistics
- Facts & TriviaVirginia · 18 statistics
- AgricultureKentucky · 17 statistics
- CultureVirginia · 79 statistics
- PopulationVirginia · 122 statistics
- EducationVirginia · 51 statistics
- Crime & SafetyVirginia · 76 statistics
- Tech & BusinessVirginia · 48 statistics
- GeographyVirginia · 25 statistics
- EconomicsVirginia · 292 statistics
- LawVirginia · 69 statistics
- EnvironmentVirginia · 40 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentVirginia · 125 statistics
- SportsVirginia · 17 statistics
- TravelKentucky · 29 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyKentucky · 35 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Kentucky | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Overall RankWorst States to Retire | 1st worst of 50 | 50th best of 50 |
| Amphetamine Use Rate (Per 100k)Drug Use by State | 584.65 50th of 51 | 246.7 3rd of 51 |
| Average IVF CostIVF Cost by State | $12,508 50th of 51 | $9,245 5th of 51 |
| Millwright Avg Annual SalaryUnion Millwright Pay Scale by State | $46,164 48th of 50 | $63,280 4th of 50 |
| Cancer Rate: New CasesCancer Rates by State | 530.5 per 100k 51st of 51 | 412.5 per 100k 7th of 51 |
| Cancer Rate New Cases 2018 to 2022Cancer Rates by State | 518.9 per 100k Pop. 51st of 51 | 414.6 per 100k Pop. 8th of 51 |
| SSI Political Financing ScoreMost Corrupt States | 81.5 4th of 50 | 39.3 46th of 50 |
| # Change in Prison Pop. 2021-2022Prison Population by State | 6.4 43rd of 50 | -10.5 1st of 50 |
| Meth Use Past MonthDrug Use by State | 1.88% 49th of 51 | 0.6% 7th of 51 |
| Total Drug Use RateDrug Use by State | 5,324 per 100k 49th of 51 | 3,126 per 100k 7th of 51 |
| Health and Safety RelatedMost Stressed States | 5th 5th worst of 50 | 46th 5th best of 50 |
| Median Federal Employee IncomeFederal Government Employees by State | $77,955 44th of 50 | $117,962 3rd of 50 |
| Avg Income of 90th–95th Percentile FamiliesIncome Inequality by State | $122,430 47th of 51 | $171,941 6th of 51 |
| % Change in Prison Pop. 2021-2022Prison Population by State | 1,184.0% 42nd of 50 | -3,195.0% 2nd of 50 |
| Emotional Physical Well Being RankSaddest States | 49th 49th of 50 | 9th 9th of 50 |
| Socioeconomic Diversity RankMost Diverse US States | 45th 45th of 50 | 5th 5th of 50 |
| Activity ScoreArthritis Friendly States | 14 tied 48th of 51 | 39 tied 8th of 51 |
| Opioid Use Rate (Per 100k)Opioid Epidemic by State | 3,297.06 50th of 51 | 1,762.94 10th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 16.1% 47th of 51 | 9.89% 7th of 51 |
| Five Percent Income ThresholdTop 1 Percent Threshold by State | $198,685 48th of 51 | $290,549 8th of 51 |
| % of Median Income Spent On GroceriesGrocery Prices by State | 9.67% 46th of 50 | 6.58% 7th of 50 |
| % of Residents with a College DegreeBest States for Education | 25.0% 46th of 50 | 39.5% 7th of 50 |
| Educational Attainment RankMost Educated U.S. States | 45th 45th of 50 | 6th 6th of 50 |
| Affordability RankDisability Benefits by State | 10th tied 10th of 51 | 50th 50th of 51 |
| InterstateAccidents 2018-2022Jaywalking Laws By State | 20.0% 36th of 42 | 4.35% 4th of 42 |
| % of Pop. with Bachelors DegreeMost Educated U.S. States | 16.2% 50th of 51 | 24.1% 11th of 51 |
| % Of Population Below Poverty LevelPoverty Rate by State | 16.5% tied 46th of 51 | 10.2% tied 7th of 51 |
| Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (% of Adults 25+)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 27.6% 47th of 51 | 42.2% 8th of 51 |
| Median Gross IncomePercentage of Households Making Over $100,000 | $62,029 46th of 51 | $96,964 7th of 51 |
| Pain Reliever Misuse Past MonthDrug Use by State | 4.35% 46th of 51 | 2.55% 7th of 51 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Kentucky or Virginia?
- Virginia comes out ahead of Kentucky on 513 of 806 statistics where one end is better, to 279 with 14 ties. Kentucky leads on Agriculture, Travel and Infrastructure & Energy. Virginia leads on Health, Facts & Trivia and Culture and 10 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Kentucky or Virginia?
- Kentucky has a population of 4,629,682 (25th of 51 US states) and Virginia has 8,940,572 (12th of 51).
- How do Kentucky and Virginia compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Kentucky $63,726 (47th of 51), Virginia $93,170 (12th of 51) among US states. Virginia ranks better.
- How do Kentucky and Virginia compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): Kentucky 4.6% (tied 40th of 51), Virginia 3.4% (tied 10th of 51) among US states. Virginia ranks better.
- Where does Kentucky beat Virginia most clearly?
- Kentucky ranks far ahead on SSI Political Financing Score (Most Corrupt States): 81.5 vs 39.3; Affordability Rank (Disability Benefits by State): 10th vs 50th.
- Where does Virginia beat Kentucky most clearly?
- Virginia ranks far ahead on Overall Rank (Worst States to Retire): 50th vs 1st; Amphetamine Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 246.7 vs 584.65; Average IVF Cost (IVF Cost by State): $9,245 vs $12,508.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Kentucky or Virginia.
- Alabama vs Kentucky
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- Connecticut vs Virginia
- Delaware vs Virginia