Northern Kentucky is the name often given to the northernmost (most typically the three northernmost) counties in Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

 (Boone

Boone County, Kentucky

Boone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. The population was 118,811 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Burlington. The county is named for frontiersman Daniel Boone...

, Kenton

Kenton County, Kentucky

Kenton County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States. It was formed in 1840. In 2010, the population was 159,720. It is the third most populous county in Kentucky behind Jefferson County and Fayette County. Its county seats are Covington and Independence...

, Campbell

Campbell County, Kentucky

Campbell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of Scott, Harrison and Mason counties. As of 2010, the population was 90,336. Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport...

, shown in red on the map). Gallatin

Gallatin County, Kentucky

Gallatin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky along the Ohio River, which at its formation was the main transportation route. It was formed in 1799. As of 2000, the population was 7,870. Its county seat is Warsaw...

, Grant

Grant County, Kentucky

Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1820. As of 2000, the population was 22,384. Its county seat is Williamstown...

, Pendleton

Pendleton County, Kentucky

Pendleton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,390. Its county seat is Falmouth.- Geography :...

, and Bracken

Bracken County, Kentucky

Bracken County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. The population was 8,488 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Brooksville, Kentucky.-History:...

 counties (highlighted in pink on the map) are often group with the aforementioned and are officially part of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area

Metropolitan area

The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

, and are sometimes included in definitions of "Northern Kentucky". Historically, Trimble

Trimble County, Kentucky

Trimble County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,125. Its county seat is Bedford. The county is named for Robert Trimble. Trimble is a prohibition or dry county. It is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical...

 and Mason

Mason County, Kentucky

Mason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,800. Its county seat is Maysville. The county is named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights"...

 counties have also been included in "Northern Kentucky".

The three northernmost counties of Kentucky each has at least one major center of population: Florence

Florence, Kentucky

Florence is a city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,951 at the 2010 census.-History:The Florence area was originally known as Crossroads, because of the convergence of several roads from Burlington and Union at Ridge Road...

 in Boone County; Covington

Covington, Kentucky

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...

, Erlanger

Erlanger, Kentucky

Erlanger is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,676 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Erlanger is located at ....

, and Independence

Independence, Kentucky

Independence is a suburban city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 14,982 at the 2000 census and estimated to be 22,105 in 2009. It is one of two county seats of Kenton County...

 in Kenton County; and Newport

Newport, Kentucky

Newport is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 census. Historically, it was one of four county seats of Campbell County. Newport is part of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Metro Area which...

, Fort Thomas

Fort Thomas, Kentucky

Fort Thomas is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, on the southern bank of the Ohio River and the site of an 1890 US Army post. The population was 16,325 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Campbell County and it is officially part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan...

, and Alexandria

Alexandria, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,286 people, 2,884 households, and 2,275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,538.7 people per square mile . There were 2,989 housing units at an average density of 555.1 per square mile...

 in Campbell County.