Rockcastle County, Kentucky

Rockcastle County
Rockcastle County
County
	Rockcastle County courthouse in Mount Vernon
	Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
	Kentucky's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 37°22′N 84°19′W / 37.36°N 84.32°W
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1810
Named for	Rockcastle River
Seat	Mount Vernon
Largest city	Mount Vernon
Area
• Total	318 sq mi (820 km2)
• Land	317 sq mi (820 km2)
• Water	1.6 sq mi (4 km2) 0.5%
Population (2020)
• Total	16,037
• Estimate (2023)	16,190
• Density	50/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th
Website	rockcastlecountyky.com

Rockcastle County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,037.^[1] Its county seat is Mt. Vernon.^[2] The county was founded in 1810^[3] and named for the Rockcastle River, which runs through it. The river, in turn, is named for its majestic rock cliffs. Rockcastle County is part of the Richmond-Berea, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Lexington-Fayette–Richmond–Frankfort, KY combined statistical area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 318 square miles (820 km²), of which 317 square miles (820 km²) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) (0.5%) is water.^[4]

Adjacent counties

- Northwest • Garrard County
- North • Madison County
- West • Lincoln County
- East • Jackson County
- Southwest • Pulaski County
- Southeast • Laurel County

National protected area

Daniel Boone National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	2,249		—
1830	2,865		27.4%
1840	3,409		19.0%
1850	4,697		37.8%
1860	5,343		13.8%
1870	7,145		33.7%
1880	9,670		35.3%
1890	9,841		1.8%
1900	12,416		26.2%
1910	14,473		16.6%
1920	15,406		6.4%
1930	15,149		−1.7%
1940	17,165		13.3%
1950	13,925		−18.9%
1960	12,334		−11.4%
1970	12,305		−0.2%
1980	13,973		13.6%
1990	14,803		5.9%
2000	16,582		12.0%
2010	17,056		2.9%
2020	16,037		−6.0%
2023 (est.)	16,190	^[5]	1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790-1960^[7] 1900-1990^[8] 1990-2000^[9] 2010-2020^[1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,582 people, 6,544 households, and 4,764 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 per square mile (20/km²). There were 7,353 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.81% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,544 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,475 and the median income for a family was $30,278. Males had a median income of $26,770 versus $18,388 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,337. About 19.10% of families and 23.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.30% of those under age 18 and 21.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Rockcastle County has been a Republican stronghold since its founding. It has only voted for the Democratic presidential nominee four times, in 1868, 1872, 1876, and 1880. It has also never voted for a Democratic candidate from the county's founding in 1810 until 1868.^{[citation needed]}

United States presidential election results for Rockcastle County, Kentucky^[10]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	6,577	84.49%	1,134	14.57%	73	0.94%
2016	5,609	83.83%	915	13.68%	167	2.50%
2012	5,028	80.89%	1,097	17.65%	91	1.46%
2008	4,757	75.82%	1,410	22.47%	107	1.71%
2004	4,804	77.91%	1,320	21.41%	42	0.68%
2000	3,992	76.08%	1,174	22.37%	81	1.54%
1996	3,106	66.80%	1,160	24.95%	384	8.26%
1992	3,287	67.12%	1,144	23.36%	466	9.52%
1988	3,880	78.42%	1,041	21.04%	27	0.55%
1984	4,328	79.73%	1,089	20.06%	11	0.20%
1980	3,543	71.62%	1,345	27.19%	59	1.19%
1976	2,583	64.37%	1,408	35.09%	22	0.55%
1972	3,437	77.31%	968	21.77%	41	0.92%
1968	3,072	66.96%	868	18.92%	648	14.12%
1964	2,829	63.20%	1,631	36.44%	16	0.36%
1960	3,982	77.73%	1,141	22.27%	0	0.00%
1956	3,787	74.08%	1,313	25.68%	12	0.23%
1952	3,503	72.35%	1,326	27.39%	13	0.27%
1948	3,236	70.61%	1,309	28.56%	38	0.83%
1944	3,802	74.03%	1,327	25.84%	7	0.14%
1940	3,536	68.08%	1,652	31.81%	6	0.12%
1936	3,875	71.19%	1,568	28.81%	0	0.00%
1932	3,577	64.29%	1,976	35.51%	11	0.20%
1928	3,858	80.95%	908	19.05%	0	0.00%
1924	2,712	66.24%	1,277	31.19%	105	2.56%
1920	3,561	70.96%	1,438	28.66%	19	0.38%
1916	1,932	66.28%	968	33.21%	15	0.51%
1912	1,082	43.16%	859	34.26%	566	22.58%

Communities

References

^ ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "Rockcastle County". Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
^ "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.
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 5, 2018.