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These Are The 10 Smartest Cities In Kentucky

By John McLean
Feb. 3, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

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Top 10 Smartest Cities in Kentucky for 2026

When choosing a new location or workplace, one critical factor is the intellectual caliber of the community. The intelligence of those around you can significantly impact your experience at a company, influencing everything from collaboration to career growth opportunities.

Identifying cities with a highly educated population is beneficial for both employers and employees. To aid in this endeavor, Zippia has compiled a list of cities in Kentucky that exemplify this quality in 2026.

But how do we determine the intelligence of a city? We analyzed demographic data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify metrics that indicate a city’s educational attainment.

We focused on the percentage of adults (over age 25) who hold at least a high school diploma and the dropout rates among teenagers (ages 16-20) in the 78 largest cities in Kentucky. After compiling and analyzing the data, we present the following list of the brightest cities in the Bluegrass State:

  1. Union
  2. Edgewood
  3. Fort Mitchell
  4. Cold Spring
  5. Middletown
  6. Villa Hills
  7. Lyndon
  8. St. Matthews
  9. Douglass Hills
  10. Taylor Mill

Continue reading to discover what makes these towns stand out academically, or scroll to the end for a comprehensive chart of our analysis.

How We Determined the Smartest Places in Kentucky

To identify the cities to analyze, we focused on those with populations exceeding 5,000 and sufficient data on our selected criteria.

This approach yielded 78 cities in Kentucky. We assessed the following factors to rank educational attainment:

Our data is drawn from the most recent American Community Survey by the Census Bureau.

We believe these criteria reflect the current educational landscape and the potential of these areas to enhance future generations’ academic success. Importantly, about 80% of high school students graduate today, setting a realistic expectation for educational attainment.

Each city was ranked based on the criteria from 1 to 78, with 1 representing the “smartest” in each category.

We then calculated the average rank across all criteria, awarding the title of “Smartest City in Kentucky” to the location with the highest overall score.

If your city is not listed in the top 10, check out the detailed chart at the end of this post for more insights. Otherwise, let’s delve into the top ten cities and their impressive educational achievements.

1. Union

Population: 5,569
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.7%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Union, Kentucky, takes the top spot with a population of 5,569. The town boasts an incredibly low high school dropout rate, with only 2.7% of adults lacking a high school diploma.

2. Edgewood

Population: 8,665
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Edgewood secures the second position with an impressive educational record, featuring no high school dropouts and just 3.3% of adults without a diploma.

3. Fort Mitchell

Population: 8,209
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Fort Mitchell ranks third, highlighting the quality of education in the area, evidenced by its low dropout rates.

4. Cold Spring

Population: 6,093
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Cold Spring, with a population of 6,093, ranks fourth, showcasing a strong educational foundation with minimal dropout rates.

5. Middletown

Population: 7,333
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.9%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Middletown sits at number five, demonstrating a commitment to education with nearly no high school dropouts.

6. Villa Hills

Population: 7,359
Adults Without High School Diploma: 5.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Villa Hills, often thought of as a picturesque locale, ranks sixth, with a low percentage of adults lacking a high school diploma.

7. Lyndon

Population: 11,167
Adults Without High School Diploma: 6.2%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Lyndon takes the seventh spot, reflecting its residents’ educational achievements with a solid foundation for future generations.

8. St. Matthews

Population: 17,686
Adults Without High School Diploma: 5.1%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.7%

St. Matthews ranks eighth, debunking the myth that larger cities lack educational opportunities, with a low dropout rate of 1.7%.

9. Douglass Hills

Population: 5,566
Adults Without High School Diploma: 7.1%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Douglass Hills comes in at ninth place, showcasing minimal high school dropouts and a strong educational community.

10. Taylor Mill

Population: 6,682
Adults Without High School Diploma: 7.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Rounding out the list at number ten is Taylor Mill, where the dedication to education is reflected in its low dropout rates.

Conclusion: Smart Cities in Kentucky

This ranking highlights the top 10 smartest cities in Kentucky, offering valuable insights for anyone considering a move or job opportunity in the region. These cities exemplify educational success, paving the way for future generations. To explore career options and advice, visit Zippia.com for comprehensive resources tailored to your career journey.

Detailed List of Smartest Cities in Kentucky

City Rank Population Adults Without High School Diploma Teenage High School Drop Outs
Union 1 5,569 2.7% 0.0%
Edgewood 2 8,665 3.3% 0.0%
Fort Mitchell 3 8,209 3.5% 0.0%
Cold Spring 4 6,093 4.3% 0.0%
Middletown 5 7,333 4.9% 0.0%
Villa Hills 6 7,359 5.3% 0.0%
Lyndon 7 11,167 6.2% 0.0%
St. Matthews 8 17,686 5.1% 1.7%
Douglass Hills 9 5,566 7.1% 0.0%
Taylor Mill 10 6,682 7.5% 0.0%
Fort Wright 11 5,726 5.4% 2.1%
Fort Thomas 12 16,250 6.7% 1.2%
Erlanger 13 18,370 7.6% 1.0%
Oak Grove 14 7,522 9.5% 0.0%
Wilmore 15 5,995 10.1% 0.0%
Bellevue 16 5,933 10.8% 0.0%
Independence 17 25,638 10.0% 1.3%
Mount Washington 18 11,956 9.4% 1.7%
Florence 19 31,038 11.4% 1.5%
Flatwoods 20 7,483 13.2% 0.0%
Madisonville 21 19,807 13.3% 0.0%
Lexington-Fayette 22 304,473 10.8% 2.2%
La Grange 23 8,283 9.5% 2.9%
Morehead 24 6,896 15.0% 0.0%
Highland Heights 25 7,152 8.0% 4.3%
Georgetown 26 30,349 12.1% 2.6%
Murray 27 18,375 15.7% 0.3%
Vine Grove 28 5,296 8.4% 4.9%
Owensboro 29 58,000 14.2% 2.0%
Bowling Green 30 60,660 15.7% 0.8%
Alexandria 31 8,654 6.2% 6.2%
Danville 32 16,471 12.2% 3.0%
Central City 33 5,932 16.8% 0.0%
Elizabethtown 34 29,464 12.1% 3.6%
Shively 35 15,450 17.4% 0.0%
Berea 36 14,209 15.9% 1.6%
Richmond 37 32,706 14.8% 2.3%
Jeffersontown 38 26,862 7.8% 8.5%
Radcliff 39 22,939 10.5% 5.4%
Nicholasville 40 28,483 17.4% 1.4%
Paducah 41 25,046 14.3% 3.7%
Franklin 42 8,563 20.1% 0.0%
Louisville 43 605,762 13.1% 4.9%
Lawrenceburg 44 11,014 13.1% 5.1%
Hopkinsville 45 32,507 15.2% 3.3%
Ashland 46 21,551 11.9% 7.2%
Williamsburg 47 5,260 19.5% 2.3%
Harrodsburg 48 8,359 22.7% 0.0%
Dayton 49 5,382 16.5% 3.8%
Frankfort 50 27,389 14.4% 5.7%
Glasgow 51 14,152 24.0% 0.0%
Bardstown 52 12,833 13.1% 9.8%
Princeton 53 6,274 12.7% 10.2%
Corbin 54 7,051 19.8% 3.0%
Pikeville 55 7,313 22.8% 2.4%
Lebanon 56 5,594 22.7% 2.7%
Versailles 57 8,908 18.2% 5.0%
Elsmere 58 8,451 20.2% 4.3%
Hillview 59 7,785 14.8% 13.2%
Winchester 60 18,363 20.2% 4.6%
Maysville 61 8,951 19.9% 5.0%
Henderson 62 28,840 15.8% 11.4%
Campbellsville 63 11,126 18.7% 6.1%
Covington 64 40,712 18.1% 7.7%
Shepherdsville 65 11,573 16.0% 11.7%
Russellville 66 6,998 25.8% 2.7%
Paris 67 9,746 17.8% 9.1%
Mayfield 68 10,091 24.5% 3.1%
Hazard 69 5,453 19.2% 10.1%
Mount Sterling 70 7,030 17.3% 22.4%
Somerset 71 11,311 21.0% 9.9%
Newport 72 15,467 22.0% 8.6%
Monticello 73 6,163 33.3% 3.9%
Middlesborough 74 10,035 31.5% 4.6%
Shelbyville 75 14,558 20.5% 23.8%
Cynthiana 76 6,388 21.6% 17.5%
Leitchfield 77 6,781 25.7% 8.8%
London 78 8,062 26.0% 24.3%
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Author

John McLean

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