Why So Few Americans Live In Kentucky As Compared To Tennessee

Watch the podcast: @GeographyPod

Kentucky and Tennessee are two states with a similar history, culture, and geography. But despite these similarities, Tennessee has handily outpaced Kentucky in terms of population over the last few decades. Even today, Tennessee has been growing at a rapid rate while Kentucky's growth is relatively flat. So why is there such a population difference between two states that are otherwise so similar?

[travishensley]

As someone that lives in Kentucky I think a lot of the population difference is because of how many people own 100s of acres of land in kentucky that haven’t been able to be developed. Love living in Kentucky!!

[jamesk]

As someone who lives in KY and works in Nashville, I don’t want KY to grow like TN.

Nashville has lost all its culture over the last couple of decades and has become an expensive commercial cesspool.

[prh-kentucky]

I live in Ky -if our population doesn’t go up, I’m good with that!

[thedangerson]

I moved my family to KY from So Cal 20 years ago. Thankfully got far enough away from CA that other CA escapees haven't ruined the state yet. Can't say that about AZ, NV, OR, or WA. Seeing the same thing happen to TX, and TN (Nashville especially) is not that far behind. Whenever anyone asks about KY, I just tell 'em we are all barefoot and toothless so they don't want to move here.

[tomp]

Living in Eastern Tennessee, I feel so fortunate. Lots of jobs, and so many outdoor recreational opportunities. Now, when I visit Eastern Kentucky, it's a totally different story. Dont get me wrong. Eastern Kentucky is beautiful, but the economic situation is absolutely depressing.

[tigerplaystemple]

I think it has more to do with no state tax in Tennessee.

[robertwomack]

The population boom is destroying Tennessee

It has taken the wonderful place that I love so much and turned into one giant traffic snarl full of people from somewhere else

Our culture is gone especially in Nashville


I miss the great state of Tennessee so much

[ChickenGoogleSoup]

I live in East Tennessee. It's actually quite chaotic now, compared to how it used to be. I kinda want to go back to nobody knowing what state Tennessee even is... Roads are flooded with traffic, traffic that these said roads are unable to handle, there's no way for me to move out of my parents' house, because these apartment complexes that have been under Construction have all been snatched up in under a week, and it seems that only the rich people from cali and NY can survive here anymore. I am a native born Tennesseean and i cannot survive here anymore.

But i do not want to give up.... This is my home state and it is so I will stay here for as long as i live.

[kallistapwc]

We moved to KY 14 years ago and have never looked back. Cost of living is much less in the south part of the state and in any agricultural area. My taxes on a good sized home and 18 acres is less than $500 a year. We love it here!

[TheGreatDrAsian]

As a Kentuckian - Stay out lol traffic is already bad enough we have enough people here.

[emdenny]

Love it here in Kentucky. I love that I can count my neighbors on one hand as we are in a rural farming community.

[alabamacoastie]

Both are beautiful states. I don't see having a lower population as a bad thing.

[montemasterson]

Kentucky's Golden Triangle (Louisville to Lexington to Northern KY) is where the action is economically, basically the Bluegrass region. You could add Elizabethtown to that as well.
Automotive is number 1 industry in Kentucky and Tennessee.

[selecttravelvacations]

I think more people are discovering KY right now due to the high rents, real estate in TN now, especially middle TN. My niece bought a house on the cheap there. Kentucky is really beautiful. I would love to see it continue to be Ag focused.

[graydendough]

I'm from Florida but graduated from EKU, both parents are buried in Kentucky and I am leaving Florida and retiring to Kentucky. It is a great place to live

[NuclearMango.]

As a Western Kentucky homeowner, let me just say that I love living in a mid-rural area. "Town" is a mere 22 miles away. There's a country GP down the road. And you can't throw a rock without hitting a Bar-B-Que joint, a Baptist church, or a Dollar General store. Not to mention the smaller communities with slowly growing commerce that brings whatever you need closer to home. You might laugh, but there are four Wal-Mart supercenters each within a 30 minute drive. Lexington and Louisville are like another state to Western Kentuckians. Nashville and St. Louis are both just a day-drive away. There is something here for everyone. From fine dining to fishing, from shopping to camping and hiking. It's all "just down the road a bit". There is no reason to live anywhere else.

[yourfriendlygothfox]

One of my ancestors traveled with Daniel and Squire Boone from Pennsylvania to Kentucky.
Bought about 400 acres, had Squire Boone to survey it. What history doesn't tell you is that both of them sucked at land surveying.
Squire and Daniel both lost a lot of money from lawsuits and ended up leaving Kentucky. My family has been here ever since.

[enigmawyoming]

As a PLS (Professional Land Surveyor), I very much enjoyed and appreciated your simplified explanation of the border “jog” between Kentucky and Tennessee. There are a few more details that could be stated, but those are best to be reserved for a more detailed explanation which few would care about, other than hard core historians.
You accurately hit the nail on the head though!
I love your channel and thankful for your presentations.

[bradgreen]

Fascinating video. I live in Lexington Kentucky. Outside of here and Louisville, it gets rural quickly outside city limits. Much of Kentucky unpopulated. Bluegrass region is beautiful on horse farms

[KeaganKeagan-gkop]

As a Kentuckian I deeply wish more knew of Kentuckys beauty. The hills and bluegrass of northern ky is amazing. Love from Kentucky ❤