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A1US GDP 2025 $30.86T│A2Real growth +2.3%│A3CPI, 12 mo to Sep 2026 +3.7%│A4Unemployment 2025 4.3%BEA · BLS · Census — updated October 29, 2026
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KY:VA=COMPARE("KY", "VA")

Kentucky vs Virginia: two economies side by side

Kentucky and Virginia share a border. Here are the two economies on the same measures, with the rank of each among 51 states and DC.

SoutheastKentucky leads on 3, Virginia on 8 of 11 measures
IndicatorA · KYB · VARanks
GDP, 2025$313.6B$807.9B29 · 13
Real GDP growth, 2025+3.0%+2.3%7 · 18
Real growth a year since 2015+1.8%+2.4%26 · 19
GDP per person$68,065$90,98144 · 15
Income per person, 2025$60,835$80,90348 · 12
Real income per person (2017 $)$52,290$61,91446 · 15
Price level (US = 100)90.2101.140 · 16
Housing costs (US = 100)64.3106.845 · 17
Unemployment, September 20264.7%3.6%42 · 24
Population4,606,8648,880,10726 · 12
Population growth a year since 2020+0.43%+0.56%29 · 23

Highlighted: the higher value, or the lower one for prices and unemployment. BEA (GDP, income, price parities), BLS (unemployment).

Fig. 1Real GDP, index 2015 = 100Chained 2017 dollars
10011012013020162018202020222024KentuckyVirginia
KentuckyVirginia
Fig. 2Unemployment rateMonthly, seasonally adjusted, since 2015
0%5%10%15%20%201620182020202220242026KentuckyVirginia
KentuckyVirginia

Industry mix, 2025

Share of each state’s GDP. Sorted by the gap between the two.

IndustryKYVAGap, ppLarger in
Manufacturing15.7%7.3%8.4KY
Professional services4.3%12.4%8.1VA
Government12.1%16.2%4.1VA
Wholesale trade8.1%4.8%3.2KY
Real estate11.2%14.1%2.9VA
Health care9.0%6.6%2.4KY
Transportation & warehousing5.1%2.7%2.4KY
Information2.2%4.5%2.2VA
Management of companies1.1%2.6%1.5VA
Finance & insurance7.5%6.4%1.1KY
Construction4.0%4.9%0.9VA
Agriculture1.2%0.3%0.9KY
Retail trade6.3%5.5%0.9KY
Accommodation & food3.4%2.8%0.5KY
Mining, oil & gas0.8%0.3%0.5KY
Education0.6%0.8%0.3VA
Other services2.1%2.4%0.3VA
Administrative & waste services3.0%3.2%0.2VA
Arts & recreation0.6%0.7%0.2VA
Utilities1.7%1.6%0.1KY