Simpson County, Kentucky

Simpson County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,327.[1] Its county seat is Franklin.[2]

Simpson County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°44′N 86°35′W
Country United States
State Kentucky
Founded1819
SeatFranklin
Largest cityFranklin
Area
 • Total236 sq mi (610 km2)
 • Land234 sq mi (610 km2)
 • Water2.3 sq mi (6 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total17,327
 • Estimate 
(2018)
18,529
 • Density73/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.simpsoncounty.us

History

Simpson County was established in 1819 from Allen, Logan, and Warren Counties.[3] The county is named for Captain John Simpson, a Kentucky militia officer who fought in Battle of Fallen Timbers in the Northwest Indian War, and was killed during the War of 1812 in the Battle of River Raisin.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 236 square miles (610 km2), of which 234 square miles (610 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (1.0%) is water.[5] The county is located in the Pennyroyal Plateau region of the state.

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18204,852—
18305,81519.8%
18406,53712.4%
18507,73318.3%
18608,1465.3%
18709,57317.5%
188010,64111.2%
189010,8782.2%
190011,6246.9%
191011,460−1.4%
192011,150−2.7%
193011,3361.7%
194011,7523.7%
195011,678−0.6%
196011,548−1.1%
197013,05413.0%
198014,67312.4%
199015,1453.2%
200016,4058.3%
201017,3275.6%
2018 (est.)18,529[6]6.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 16,405 people, 6,415 households, and 4,638 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 per square mile (27/km2). There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.84% White, 10.22% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 6,415 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,432, and the median income for a family was $42,525. Males had a median income of $32,160 versus $22,667 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,150. About 8.50% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 15.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Unincorporated communities

Politics

In contrast to the Western Coalfield and the eastern part of the Pennyroyal Plateau, Simpson County was not highly pro-Union during the Civil War.[12] Consequently, Simpson was as reliably Democratic as the Jackson Purchase and Bluegrass during the following century: no Republican carried Simpson County until Richard Nixon’s 1972 landslide. As with all of rural Kentucky, the social liberalism of the Democratic Party – rejected by many southern whites[13] – has led to an increase in registered Republicans, and many people registered as Democrats vote for Republican candidates, especially at the national level. In 2014, of a population of 17,800, there were 12,700 registered voters in Simpson County: 8,040 (63%) were Democrats, 3,587 (28%) were Republican, and 1073 (9%) were unaffiliated or registered with another party.[14]

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 67.4% 5,077 28.5% 2,144 4.1% 310
2012 61.4% 4,355 37.4% 2,650 1.2% 88
2008 60.7% 4,437 38.0% 2,775 1.3% 97
2004 60.7% 4,273 38.8% 2,730 0.6% 40
2000 54.4% 3,169 44.4% 2,583 1.2% 72
1996 40.8% 2,186 51.3% 2,749 7.9% 423
1992 39.0% 2,280 48.5% 2,834 12.4% 726
1988 55.6% 2,699 44.0% 2,138 0.5% 22
1984 58.7% 3,073 40.9% 2,140 0.4% 23
1980 41.9% 2,020 56.3% 2,713 1.8% 86
1976 34.5% 1,481 64.7% 2,782 0.8% 36
1972 62.6% 2,285 36.3% 1,325 1.2% 42
1968 33.1% 1,435 34.7% 1,505 32.3% 1,399
1964 23.3% 967 76.5% 3,168 0.2% 9
1960 42.2% 1,927 57.8% 2,642 0.0% 0
1956 33.4% 1,454 66.2% 2,879 0.4% 17
1952 32.4% 1,310 67.4% 2,724 0.2% 6
1948 20.5% 762 73.9% 2,752 5.6% 210
1944 26.3% 1,012 73.3% 2,821 0.4% 17
1940 25.0% 987 74.8% 2,950 0.2% 8
1936 29.0% 1,240 70.7% 3,027 0.3% 13
1932 24.9% 1,203 74.6% 3,603 0.4% 21
1928 39.6% 1,635 60.4% 2,490 0.0% 0
1924 32.1% 1,294 66.6% 2,688 1.3% 52
1920 34.2% 1,680 65.3% 3,206 0.4% 21
1916 33.4% 955 66.0% 1,887 0.6% 16
1912 21.0% 547 62.8% 1,639 16.3% 424

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, Kentucky
  4. The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 37.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. Copeland, James E.; ‘Where Were the Kentucky Unionists and Secessionists’; The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, volume 71, no. 4 (October, 1973), pp. 344-363
  13. Cohn, Nate; ‘Demographic Shift: Southern Whites’ Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats’, New York Times, April 24, 2014
  14. KY VOTER REGISTRATION STATISTICS REPORT
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-06.

Sources

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