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Danville, Kentucky Downtown viewDanville, #1 on this list · Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore · CC BY-SA 3.0
Kentucky rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Kentucky

Danville ranks first on civic life among Kentucky’s 126 towns of 2,500+; 12 of the 126 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Danville

Boyle County · 17,736 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #62 of 138 in KY

#2

Frankfort

Franklin County · 28,657 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 138 in KY

#3

Paducah

McCracken County · 26,730 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 138 in KY

All 126 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

126 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1DanvilleBoyle County · 17,736 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #62 of 138
2FrankfortFranklin County · 28,657 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 138
3PaducahMcCracken County · 26,730 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 138
4HazardPerry County · 4,794 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 138
5LawrenceburgAnderson County · 12,329 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #38 of 138
6AlexandriaCampbell County · 10,994 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #12 of 138
7Calvert CityMarshall County · 2,510 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #125 of 138
8PrincetonCaldwell County · 6,168 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #60 of 138
9PaintsvilleJohnson County · 4,111 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #85 of 138
10PikevillePike County · 7,270 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #136 of 138
11VersaillesWoodford County · 10,734 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #41 of 138
12Graymoor-DevondaleJefferson County · 2,832 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #56 of 138
13SimpsonvilleShelby County · 3,183 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #89 of 138
14AnchorageJefferson County · 2,547 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 138
15HurstbourneJefferson County · 4,787 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #100 of 138
16FranklinSimpson County · 10,759 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #82 of 138
17St. MatthewsJefferson County · 17,868 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 138
18MiddletownJefferson County · 9,944 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #123 of 138
19HarrodsburgMercer County · 9,576 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #107 of 138
20Douglass HillsJefferson County · 5,575 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #84 of 138
21BentonMarshall County · 4,718 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #61 of 138
22LyndonJefferson County · 11,301 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 138
23GreenvilleMuhlenberg County · 4,350 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #83 of 138
24BereaMadison County · 16,662 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #50 of 138
25Indian HillsJefferson County · 2,939 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #80 of 138
26RussellvilleLogan County · 7,454 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #87 of 138
27MurrayCalloway County · 18,964 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #68 of 138
28ShelbyvilleShelby County · 18,453 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #104 of 138
29MorgantownButler County · 2,512 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #66 of 138
30WinchesterClark County · 19,514 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #98 of 138
31PrestonsburgFloyd County · 3,618 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 138
32LeitchfieldGrayson County · 7,015 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 138
33WilmoreJessamine County · 6,380 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #10 of 138
34NewportCampbell County · 13,998 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #134 of 138
35EminenceHenry County · 2,823 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 138
36SomersetPulaski County · 12,695 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #99 of 138
37West LibertyMorgan County · 3,339 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #81 of 138
38ElizabethtownHardin County · 35,448 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #77 of 138
39CrestwoodOldham County · 6,582 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 138
40WilliamstownGrant County · 4,030 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #33 of 138
41ProspectJefferson County · 4,705 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #57 of 138
42GlasgowBarren County · 15,302 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #127 of 138
43AshlandBoyd County · 20,996 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #109 of 138
44CorbinWhitley County · 7,911 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 138
45CarrolltonCarroll County · 3,964 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 138
46Morehead College campusRowan County · 6,776 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C+
47JeffersontownJefferson County · 29,193 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #71 of 138
48MadisonvilleHopkins County · 19,428 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 138
49Bowling GreenWarren County · 78,505 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #124 of 138
50GeorgetownScott County · 40,883 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #52 of 138
51NicholasvilleJessamine County · 33,857 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #63 of 138
52CovingtonKenton County · 41,847 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #72 of 138
53RichmondMadison County · 40,663 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #92 of 138
54Central CityMuhlenberg County · 5,793 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 138
55MaysvilleMason County · 8,688 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #128 of 138
56ParisBourbon County · 10,130 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 138
57RussellGreenup County · 3,628 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #26 of 138
58Louisville795,222 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
59LondonLaurel County · 7,637 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #122 of 138
60Highland HeightsCampbell County · 6,341 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 138
61Fort ThomasCampbell County · 17,142 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 138
62BellevueCampbell County · 5,847 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #54 of 138
63LexingtonFayette County · 329,751 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #94 of 138
64ScottsvilleAllen County · 4,673 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #110 of 138
65DaytonCampbell County · 5,974 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #44 of 138
66OwensboroDaviess County · 60,892 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 138
67HopkinsvilleChristian County · 30,411 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #135 of 138
68Lakeside ParkKenton County · 2,847 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #8 of 138
69Crestview HillsKenton County · 3,301 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #7 of 138
70Villa HillsKenton County · 7,797 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #14 of 138
71Crescent SpringsKenton County · 4,708 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 138
72ShivelyJefferson County · 15,895 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 138
73HendersonHenderson County · 27,822 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 138
74Mount WashingtonBullitt County · 18,989 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #32 of 138
75EdgewoodKenton County · 8,503 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 138
76Fort MitchellKenton County · 8,751 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #11 of 138
77MayfieldGraves County · 9,851 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #91 of 138
78FlatwoodsGreenup County · 7,439 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #24 of 138
79La GrangeOldham County · 10,669 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #35 of 138
80HartfordOhio County · 2,665 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #45 of 138
81ErlangerKenton County · 20,158 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #9 of 138
82FlorenceBoone County · 34,018 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #47 of 138
83UnionBoone County · 7,937 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #25 of 138
84Cold SpringCampbell County · 6,640 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #27 of 138
85HardinsburgBreckinridge County · 2,513 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #64 of 138
86LudlowKenton County · 4,391 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #48 of 138
87HillviewBullitt County · 9,020 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #67 of 138
88Vine GroveHardin County · 7,018 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #79 of 138
89BrandenburgMeade County · 3,003 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #49 of 138
90LebanonMarion County · 6,699 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #86 of 138
91Pioneer VillageBullitt County · 2,794 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #51 of 138
92Mount SterlingMontgomery County · 7,586 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #78 of 138
93CynthianaHarrison County · 6,576 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #69 of 138
94MarionCrittenden County · 2,879 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #70 of 138
95LancasterGarrard County · 4,111 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 138
96FlemingsburgFleming County · 3,005 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 138
97ShepherdsvilleBullitt County · 14,931 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #93 of 138
98IndependenceKenton County · 30,198 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #6 of 138
99RadcliffHardin County · 22,576 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 138
100ProvidenceWebster County · 2,872 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #40 of 138
101Russell SpringsRussell County · 2,828 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #97 of 138
102HodgenvilleLarue County · 3,378 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #76 of 138
103MorganfieldUnion County · 3,102 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #96 of 138
104WilderCampbell County · 3,108 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 138
105Taylor MillKenton County · 7,144 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #16 of 138
106WaltonBoone County · 5,868 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 138
107StanfordLincoln County · 3,761 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 138
108Fort WrightKenton County · 6,240 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 138
109BardstownNelson County · 14,161 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #75 of 138
110Park HillsKenton County · 3,188 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 138
111SouthgateCampbell County · 3,868 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 138
112CadizTrigg County · 2,771 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #53 of 138
113BarbourvilleKnox County · 3,064 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 138
114GraysonCarter County · 3,728 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #73 of 138
115CampbellsvilleTaylor County · 11,783 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 138
116SpringfieldWashington County · 3,033 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #36 of 138
117LouisaLawrence County · 2,520 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #90 of 138
118ElsmereKenton County · 9,521 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #43 of 138
119WilliamsburgWhitley County · 5,371 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #59 of 138
120Oak GroveChristian County · 7,830 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #137 of 138
121StantonPowell County · 3,153 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 138
122Beaver DamOhio County · 3,537 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #58 of 138
123ColumbiaAdair County · 4,680 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #31 of 138
124MiddlesboroughBell County · 8,776 peopleD−better than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #138 of 138
125CrittendenGrant County · 4,185 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #74 of 138
126MonticelloWayne County · 5,721 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #108 of 138
Not ranked

16 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Kentucky town has the most civic life?

Danville (Boyle County) ranks first on civic life among 126 towns, with an A+; Frankfort and Paducah follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (126 in Kentucky). 16 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Kentucky page.

Go deeper

More Kentucky lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Kentucky rankings →
Best places to live138 towns · #1 EdgewoodBest small towns94 towns · #1 EdgewoodMost affordable towns142 towns · #1 ProvidenceSafest towns115 towns · #1 ProvidenceTowns with the best schools139 towns · #1 AnchorageHealthiest towns141 towns · #1 ProspectBest towns for jobs & income142 towns · #1 Indian HillsMost walkable towns142 towns · #1 NewportTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk142 towns · #1 HebronBest towns for the outdoors142 towns · #1 DaytonMost historic towns142 towns · #1 NewportTowns with the least snow136 towns · #1 BereaDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns136 towns · #1 AlexandriaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters134 towns · #1 Fort Campbell NorthDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers134 towns · #1 Bowling GreenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers134 towns · #1 Erlanger and 2 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes142 towns · #1 AnchorageDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes140 towns · #1 MorgantownDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns125 towns · #1 RichmondDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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