Kentucky bluegrass is a widely distributed species, natively found across temperate regions of both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, including major parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Cultivated for various purposes, kentucky bluegrass has been introduced to regions such as South America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. In some of its introduced ranges, kentucky bluegrass is sometimes thought to be having potential impacts on local ecosystems, particularly in places like Southern South America and Oceania.

Kentucky bluegrass's pollen can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, and shortness of breath. Symptoms are typically mild. Kentucky bluegrass produces pollen when it flowers, which often doesn't happen due to mowing. Individuals with other grass allergies are more susceptible to kentucky bluegrass.

Kentucky bluegrass is a grassy weed that grows throughout the United States and Canada. It is found in prairies, meadows, fields, woods, and open forests. It is considered an environmental weed in Australia. This grass is on the invasive species list in California, Wisconsin and Kentucky. It impacts the native tall grass prairies of the midwestern states, where controlled fire is the only reasonable removal process. in a garden setting, the use of herbicides is the most effective approach. On the prairies, bluegrass displaces native species, and is less nutritious for foraging cattle. The grass competes against other plants in home gardens.

The best time to control or restrict kentucky bluegrass is during early spring or fall before it sets seed. Controlling kentucky bluegrass when young will prevent it from becoming invasive.