Taylor County, Kentucky

Taylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,023.^[1] Its county seat is Campbellsville.^[2] Settled by people from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina after the American Revolutionary War, the county was organized in 1848 in the Highland Rim region. It is named for United States Army General Zachary Taylor, later President of the United States.^[3] Taylor County was the 100th of the 120 counties created by Kentucky. The Campbellsville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Taylor County.

Taylor County
County
Entrance to Clay Hill, located along Kentucky Route 289.
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°22′N 85°20′W
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1848
Named for	Zachary Taylor
Seat	Campbellsville
Largest city	Campbellsville
Area
• Total	277 sq mi (720 km2)
• Land	266 sq mi (690 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  3.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,023
• Estimate  (2023)	26,443
• Density	94/sq mi (36/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.taylorcounty.us

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 277 square miles (720 km²), of which 266 square miles (690 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (3.8%) is water.^[4]

Taylor County has a geographic boundary shaped like a heart, and also claims to be the geographic center of Kentucky.^[5] It includes a fabled center marker of Kentucky, a U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey magnetic station marker placed in Taylor County circa 1916 which in time since has been regarded by citizens as the geodetic center of the state. Information on this marker is currently not available in federal databases. The claim to the geographic center of Kentucky is disputed by surrounding counties^[6] in part due to the planar methods^[7] used to initially determine the geographic centers of the states.

The American Civil War skirmish, The Battle of Tebbs Bend, was fought in Taylor County.

Adjacent counties

• Marion County (north)
• Casey County (east)
• Adair County (southeast/CST Border)
• Green County (south & west/CST Border)
• LaRue County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	7,251		—
1860	7,481		3.2%
1870	8,226		10.0%
1880	9,259		12.6%
1890	9,353		1.0%
1900	11,075		18.4%
1910	11,961		8.0%
1920	12,236		2.3%
1930	12,047		−1.5%
1940	13,556		12.5%
1950	14,403		6.2%
1960	16,285		13.1%
1970	17,138		5.2%
1980	21,178		23.6%
1990	21,146		−0.2%
2000	22,927		8.4%
2010	24,512		6.9%
2020	26,023		6.2%
2023 (est.)	26,443	[8]	1.6%
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 22,927 people, 9,233 households, and 6,555 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 per square mile (33/km²). There were 10,180 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.62% White, 5.06% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,233 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,089, and the median income for a family was $33,854. Males had a median income of $26,633 versus $20,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,162. About 14.20% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 18.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Campbellsville (county seat)

Unincorporated Communities

• Acton
• Bengal
• Black Gnat (partly in Green County in the Central Time Zone)
• Elk Horn
• Finley
• Hatcher
• Hobson
• Mannsville
• Merrimac
• Saloma
• Spurlington
• Sweenyville
• Yuma

Politics

Taylor County is represented in the Kentucky House of Representatives by Republican Sarge Pollock and in the state Senate by another Republican, Max Wise. In 2019, Republican Barry Smith took office as county judge. Smith unseated the Democrat Eddie Rogers in the general election held on November 6, 2018.

United States presidential election results for Taylor County, Kentucky^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,523	77.70%	2,576	21.02%	157	1.28%
2020	9,376	74.91%	2,963	23.67%	178	1.42%
2016	8,320	73.59%	2,553	22.58%	433	3.83%
2012	7,551	68.96%	3,285	30.00%	114	1.04%
2008	7,568	69.69%	3,165	29.14%	127	1.17%
2004	7,247	70.39%	2,979	28.94%	69	0.67%
2000	6,151	67.96%	2,790	30.83%	110	1.22%
1996	4,573	54.87%	2,897	34.76%	865	10.38%
1992	4,319	48.42%	3,518	39.44%	1,083	12.14%
1988	5,362	64.76%	2,879	34.77%	39	0.47%
1984	5,932	64.16%	3,286	35.54%	27	0.29%
1980	4,243	54.62%	3,400	43.77%	125	1.61%
1976	3,337	48.60%	3,456	50.33%	73	1.06%
1972	4,035	67.79%	1,859	31.23%	58	0.97%
1968	3,032	50.88%	1,367	22.94%	1,560	26.18%
1964	2,594	45.44%	3,082	53.98%	33	0.58%
1960	4,669	68.11%	2,186	31.89%	0	0.00%
1956	3,892	61.37%	2,433	38.36%	17	0.27%
1952	3,126	55.90%	2,439	43.62%	27	0.48%
1948	2,087	44.79%	2,415	51.82%	158	3.39%
1944	2,622	51.05%	2,475	48.19%	39	0.76%
1940	2,792	49.80%	2,790	49.77%	24	0.43%
1936	2,738	49.87%	2,732	49.76%	20	0.36%
1932	2,592	47.52%	2,823	51.76%	39	0.72%
1928	3,149	65.05%	1,684	34.79%	8	0.17%
1924	2,267	52.09%	2,052	47.15%	33	0.76%
1920	2,493	50.90%	2,380	48.59%	25	0.51%
1916	1,332	49.04%	1,360	50.07%	24	0.88%
1912	468	18.86%	1,150	46.35%	863	34.78%

Education

School districts include:^[14]

• Campbellsville Independent School District
• Taylor County School District

See also

• United States portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Taylor County, Kentucky

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 37.
4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
5. "Geographic Center of Kentucky". www.kyatlas.com. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
6. "Geographic Center of Kentucky". www.kyatlas.com. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
7. Boundaries, areas, geographic centers and altitudes of the United States and the several States with a brief record of important changes in their territory (Report). US Geological Survey. 1923.
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 20, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 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 20, 2014.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
14. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Taylor County, KY" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022. - Text list - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: "Appendix B: Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014-FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries – Campbellsville ISD" (PDF). Research Report No. 415 – Kentucky's Independent School Districts: A Primer. Frankfort, KY: Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission. September 15, 2015. p. 96 (PDF p. 110/174). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 10, 2020.

37.37°N 85.33°W / 37.37; -85.33