Kenton County, Kentucky

Kenton County
Kenton County Courthouse in Independence
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°56′N 84°32′W / 38.93°N 84.54°W / 38.93; -84.54
Country United States
State Kentucky
Founded1840
Named afterSimon Kenton
SeatCovington and Independence
Largest cityCovington
Government
  Judge/ExecutiveKris Knochelmann (R)
Area
  Total
164 sq mi (420 km2)
  Land160 sq mi (400 km2)
  Water4.1 sq mi (11 km2)  2.5%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
169,064
  Estimate 
(2024)
174,862
  Density1,000/sq mi (400/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.kentoncounty.org

Kenton County is a county located in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,064, making it the third most populous county in Kentucky (behind Jefferson County and Fayette County). Its county seats are Covington and Independence. It was, until November 24, 2010, the only county in Kentucky to have two legally recognized county seats. The county was formed in 1840 and is named for Simon Kenton, a frontiersman notable in the early history of the state.

Kenton County, with Boone and Campbell Counties, is part of the Northern Kentucky metro area, and is included in the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.