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Ohio County, Kentucky

Coordinates: 37°28′N 86°50′W / 37.47°N 86.84°W / 37.47; -86.84
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Ohio County
County
Ohio County Courthouse in Hartford
Ohio County Courthouse in Hartford
Map of Kentucky highlighting Ohio County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°28′N 86°50′W / 37.47°N 86.84°W / 37.47; -86.84
Country United States
State Kentucky
FoundedDecember 17, 1798
Named forThe Ohio River
SeatHartford
Largest cityBeaver Dam
Government
 • Judge/ExecutiveDavid Johnston
Area
 • Total
596 sq mi (1,540 km2)
 • Land587 sq mi (1,520 km2)
 • Water9.0 sq mi (23 km2)  1.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
23,772
 • Estimate 
(2023)
23,626 Decrease
 • Density40/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websiteohiocounty.ky.gov

Ohio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,772.[1] Its county seat is Hartford, and its largest city is Beaver Dam.[2] The county is named after the Ohio River, which originally formed its northern boundary. It is a moist county, which means that the sale of alcohol is only legal within certain city limits.

History

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Ohio County was formed in 1798 from land taken from Hardin County.[3] Ohio was the 35th Kentucky county in order of formation.[4] It was named for the Ohio River, which originally formed its northern boundary, but it lost its northern portions in 1829, when Daviess County and Hancock County were formed. The first settlements in Ohio County were Barnetts Station and Hartford. In January 1865, during the American Civil War, the courthouse in Hartford was burned by Kentucky Confederate cavalry because it was being used to house soldiers of the occupying Union Army. However, the county records were removed first and preserved. Ohio County is famous for its coal mines, and was the second place county producing coal in Kentucky.[5]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 596 square miles (1,540 km2), of which 587 square miles (1,520 km2) is land and 9.0 square miles (23 km2) (1.5%) is water.[6] It is the fifth-largest county by area in Kentucky.

Ohio County is part of the Western Coal Fields region of Kentucky. Much of Ohio County is farmland and the eastern and northern parts have rolling hills. Of the 120 counties in Kentucky, it is the fifth largest.[citation needed] The county is intersected by the Rough River[7] and the Green River runs along its southwestern border.

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18001,223—
18103,792210.1%
18203,8792.3%
18304,71521.6%
18406,59239.8%
18509,74947.9%
186012,20925.2%
187015,56127.5%
188019,66926.4%
189022,94616.7%
190027,28718.9%
191027,6421.3%
192026,473−4.2%
193024,469−7.6%
194024,421−0.2%
195020,840−14.7%
196017,725−14.9%
197018,7906.0%
198021,76515.8%
199021,105−3.0%
200022,9168.6%
201023,8424.0%
202023,772−0.3%
2023 (est.)23,626[8]−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,916 people, 8,899 households, and 6,585 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 per square mile (15/km2). There were 9,909 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.71% White, 0.75% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,899 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,557, and the median income for a family was $34,970. Males had a median income of $29,778 versus $19,233 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,317. About 13.90% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.90% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.

7.1% of the workforce in the county comes from coal production.[5] In December 2019, more than half of the coal workforce, 3.5% of the counties total workforce, received WARN notices that their coal mine was closing and they would be laid off in February 2020.[13]

Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated place

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Other unincorporated places

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North

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South

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Media

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Ohio County is part of the Owensboro radio market and the Evansville, Indiana television market area. Charter Communications is the county's primary cable television provider under the Spectrum name.

Locally based media outlets in Ohio County include a weekly newspaper, The Ohio County Monitor, and Oldies-formatted radio station WXMZ.

Additionally, the transmission facility of K-Love owned-and-operated radio station WEKV is located just south of Pleasant Ridge.

Notable residents

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Ohio County, Kentucky[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 8,679 79.37% 2,094 19.15% 162 1.48%
2020 8,582 77.11% 2,404 21.60% 143 1.28%
2016 7,942 76.38% 2,080 20.00% 376 3.62%
2012 6,470 67.07% 2,987 30.97% 189 1.96%
2008 5,687 57.22% 4,059 40.84% 192 1.93%
2004 6,311 62.93% 3,627 36.17% 90 0.90%
2000 5,413 60.94% 3,303 37.19% 166 1.87%
1996 3,475 43.05% 3,487 43.20% 1,110 13.75%
1992 3,385 38.18% 4,022 45.37% 1,458 16.45%
1988 4,910 57.46% 3,612 42.27% 23 0.27%
1984 5,119 60.82% 3,253 38.65% 45 0.53%
1980 5,272 59.10% 3,486 39.08% 163 1.83%
1976 3,764 51.30% 3,508 47.81% 65 0.89%
1972 2,392 71.75% 906 27.17% 36 1.08%
1968 3,504 54.16% 1,695 26.20% 1,271 19.64%
1964 2,979 47.38% 3,303 52.54% 5 0.08%
1960 5,230 68.37% 2,420 31.63% 0 0.00%
1956 4,901 64.07% 2,726 35.64% 22 0.29%
1952 4,428 62.00% 2,700 37.80% 14 0.20%
1948 3,300 53.30% 2,721 43.95% 170 2.75%
1944 4,494 58.69% 3,131 40.89% 32 0.42%
1940 4,451 54.25% 3,729 45.45% 24 0.29%
1936 4,532 52.77% 4,030 46.92% 27 0.31%
1932 4,880 49.12% 4,870 49.02% 184 1.85%
1928 5,690 66.83% 2,784 32.70% 40 0.47%
1924 4,267 50.65% 3,817 45.31% 341 4.05%
1920 5,371 56.12% 4,011 41.91% 189 1.97%
1916 3,286 52.89% 2,723 43.83% 204 3.28%
1912 1,150 19.49% 2,563 43.45% 2,186 37.06%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Ohio County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  4. ^ Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
  5. ^ a b "Kentucky Coal Facts" (PDF). eec.ky.gov. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  7. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Ohio. II. A W. county of Kentucky" . The American Cyclopædia.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  13. ^ Payton, Joseph. "Genesis coal mine employees receive WARN notices; 250 jobs affected". NBC WFIE 14News.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
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37°28′N 86°50′W / 37.47°N 86.84°W / 37.47; -86.84

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