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Kentucky farming statistics (2022)

Kentucky had 69,425 farms working 12,431,190 acres of land in farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, with an average farm size of 179 acres, according to USDA NASS. Number of farms is the count of operations from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. Among the 50 states, Kentucky ranks 7 of 50 by number of farms.

Quick answer

Kentucky had 69,425 farms in 2022 (USDA NASS) — about 3.7% of all US farms — across 12,431,190 acres of farmland, averaging 179 acres per farm. Average farm size is land in farms divided by the number of farms, as published.

Farms

69,425

2022 census count

Land in farms

12,431,190

acres, 2022

Avg farm size

179

acres, 2022

Rank by farms

7 / 50

among US states

How Kentucky compares

States ranked nearest to Kentucky by number of farms (2022 Census of Agriculture).

#StateFarmsAvg size
4Ohio76,009180 acres
5Illinois71,123370 acres
6Oklahoma70,378467 acres
8Minnesota65,531388 acres
9California63,134383 acres
10Tennessee63,105170 acres

Source: USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture, Vol. 1 Ch. 2, Table 1. U.S. Public Domain.

Frequently asked questions

How many farms are there in Kentucky?
Kentucky had 69,425 farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, working 12,431,190 acres of land in farms, according to USDA NASS. That ranks 7 of 50 states by number of farms.
What is the average farm size in Kentucky?
The average farm size in Kentucky was 179 acres in 2022 (USDA NASS) — total land in farms (12,431,190 acres) divided by the number of farms (69,425), as published.
What reference period and source does the Kentucky figure use?
The figures relate to the 2022 Census of Agriculture (the latest; conducted every five years) and are taken from USDA NASS, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Table 1 (State Summary Highlights). U.S. Public Domain. Verified 2026-06-27.

Source & licence

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)2022 Census of Agriculture — Volume 1, Chapter 2: State Level Data, Table 1. State Summary Highlights: 2022 (st99_2_001_001). U.S. Public Domain (17 U.S.C. § 105).

Works of the U.S. federal government (USDA NASS) are not subject to copyright (17 U.S.C. § 105). Figure verified 2026-06-27.