Wolfe County, Kentucky

Wolfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 7,355.[1] Its county seat is Campton.[2] The county is named for Nathaniel Wolfe.

Wolfe County
U.S. county
Wolfe County courthouse in Campton
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°44′N 83°29′W
Country United States
State Kentucky
Founded1860
Named forThe Wolfe family out of Western North Carolina
SeatCampton
Largest cityCampton
Area
 • Total223 sq mi (580 km2)
 • Land222 sq mi (570 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total7,355
 • Estimate 
(2018)
7,177
 • Density33/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district6th

History

Wolfe County was formed on March 5, 1860 from portions of Breathitt County, Morgan County, Owsley County and Powell County. It was named for Nathaneal Wolfe, a member of the legislative assembly.[3]

Campton, the county's seat was reportedly formed from camp town in Wolfe County. A small creek winding through Campton, Swift Creek, is named after Jonathan Swift of the legend of Swift's silver mine. Swift supposedly buried treasure in the area which has never been recovered.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 223 square miles (580 km2), of which 222 square miles (570 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.3%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18703,603—
18805,63856.5%
18907,18027.4%
19008,76422.1%
19109,86412.6%
19208,783−11.0%
19308,425−4.1%
19409,99718.7%
19507,615−23.8%
19606,534−14.2%
19705,669−13.2%
19806,69818.2%
19906,503−2.9%
20007,0658.6%
20107,3554.1%
2018 (est.)7,177[5]−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 7,065 people, 2,816 households, and 1,976 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 per square mile (12/km2). There were 3,264 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.24% White, 0.24% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.33% from two or more races. 0.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,816 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $19,310, and the median income for a family was $23,333. Males had a median income of $23,859 versus $18,952 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,321. About 29.90% of families and 35.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.20% of those under age 18 and 26.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Wolfe County, like most of Eastern Kentucky is historically Democratic. In 2000, George W. Bush narrowly won the county and became the first Republican to do so, but the county still proved its Democratic loyalty by supporting John Kerry by a comfortable margin in the next election. However, the county has indeed drifted away from the Democrats at the presidential level as Mitt Romney won the county 60% to 30% in 2012, and Donald Trump with an even wider margin of 68% to 28%.

Wolfe remained reliably Democratic at the state level for some time after ceasing to favor the Democratic Party at the presidential level; it voted against Matt Bevin in both of his gubernatorial elections, and, along with nearby Elliott County, it was, until 2020, one of only two counties in Kentucky to have voted against Senator Mitch McConnell in each of his elections. In 2020, however, both counties voted for McConnell over his Democratic challenger, Amy McGrath.[11]

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 70.3% 2,097 28.1% 839 3.0% 21
2016 68.5% 1,804 28.6% 753 3.0% 78
2012 60.3% 1,542 38.1% 976 1.6% 41
2008 47.4% 1,408 50.3% 1,493 2.3% 67
2004 43.9% 1,385 55.3% 1,744 0.8% 26
2000 52.3% 1,267 46.9% 1,136 0.9% 22
1996 33.6% 772 56.5% 1,297 9.9% 228
1992 26.0% 697 62.4% 1,674 11.7% 313
1988 36.9% 916 61.1% 1,516 1.9% 48
1984 46.7% 1,257 51.8% 1,394 1.6% 42
1980 33.9% 951 64.7% 1,814 1.4% 40
1976 26.8% 659 72.3% 1,777 0.9% 22
1972 48.8% 936 49.9% 957 1.3% 24
1968 34.4% 758 52.7% 1,162 13.0% 287
1964 21.6% 562 77.7% 2,018 0.7% 17
1960 44.8% 1,259 55.2% 1,554 0.0% 0
1956 38.6% 1,059 61.4% 1,683 0.0% 0
1952 36.0% 876 63.9% 1,557 0.1% 2
1948 29.7% 813 70.1% 1,918 0.2% 4
1944 38.0% 889 61.9% 1,450 0.1% 2
1940 31.9% 1,032 68.1% 2,205 0.0% 0
1936 38.1% 972 61.9% 1,577 0.0% 0
1932 28.1% 909 71.8% 2,321 0.1% 2
1928 48.4% 1,270 51.6% 1,356 0.0% 0
1924 33.7% 821 65.6% 1,597 0.7% 17
1920 38.6% 939 60.7% 1,476 0.7% 17
1916 36.7% 645 63.0% 1,108 0.3% 6
1912 25.9% 395 57.3% 873 16.8% 256

Events

The annual Swift Silver Mine Festival is held on Labor Day weekend each year. It includes a parade and vendors in the downtown Campton area.

Communities

City

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Notable people

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. 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. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. "2020 Kentucky Senate Results". Politico. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  12. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-06.

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