Pulaski County, Kentucky

Last updated

Pulaski County
County
Pulaski County Kentucky courthouse.jpg
Pulaski County Courthouse
Map of Kentucky highlighting Pulaski County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky in United States.svg
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°06′N84°35′W / 37.1°N 84.58°W / 37.1; -84.58
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky
Founded1798
Named for Kazimierz Pułaski
Seat Somerset
Largest citySomerset
Area
 • Total677 sq mi (1,750 km2)
 • Land658 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Water19 sq mi (50 km2)  2.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total65,034
 • Estimate 
(2023)
66,191 Increase2.svg
 • Density96/sq mi (37/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 5th
Website pcgovt.com

Pulaski County is a county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,034. [1] Its county seat is Somerset. [2] The county was founded in December 1798 from land given by Lincoln and Green Counties and named for Polish patriot Count Casimir Pulaski. [3] [4] [5] Pulaski County comprises the Somerset, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area. Somerset's population is just over 11,000, but the Micropolitan Area for Somerset/Pulaski County is over 65,000.

Contents

History

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 677 square miles (1,750 km2), of which 658 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (2.8%) is water. [6] It is the third-largest county by area in Kentucky.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1800 3,161—
1810 6,897118.2%
1820 7,59710.1%
1830 9,50025.0%
1840 9,6201.3%
1850 14,19547.6%
1860 17,20121.2%
1870 17,6702.7%
1880 21,31820.6%
1890 25,73120.7%
1900 31,29321.6%
1910 35,98615.0%
1920 34,010−5.5%
1930 35,6404.8%
1940 39,86311.8%
1950 38,452−3.5%
1960 34,403−10.5%
1970 35,2342.4%
1980 45,80330.0%
1990 49,4898.0%
2000 56,21713.6%
2010 63,06312.2%
2020 65,0343.1%
2023 (est.)66,191 [7] 1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10]
1990–2000 [11] 2010–2020 [1]

As of the census [12] of 2000, there were 56,217 people, 22,719 households, and 16,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 per square mile (33/km2). There were 27,181 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.48% White, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 22,719 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,370, and the median income for a family was $32,350. Males had a median income of $27,398 versus $19,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,352. About 14.80% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.90% of those under age 18 and 16.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

As is typical of the Unionist bloc of south-central Kentucky comprising the eastern Pennyroyal Plateau and the western part of the Eastern Coalfield, Pulaski County has been deep red Republican ever since the Civil War. The solitary Democrat to carry Pulaski County since that time has been Woodrow Wilson in 1912 — and Wilson did so only when the Republican Party was deadlocked between the conservative incumbent Taft and the progressive Theodore Roosevelt — Wilson took just 34.68 percent of the county's vote and won Pulaski only by 195 votes over Roosevelt and 249 over Taft. [13]

With the exception of the cities of Burnside and Somerset, Pulaski County is a dry county.

United States presidential election results for Pulaski County, Kentucky [14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 25,44280.62%5,66617.95%4491.42%
2016 22,90281.67%4,20815.01%9313.32%
2012 20,71479.66%4,97619.14%3131.20%
2008 19,86277.09%5,59021.70%3141.22%
2004 19,53576.56%5,82922.84%1520.60%
2000 15,84573.56%5,41525.14%2811.30%
1996 11,94563.44%5,34028.36%1,5448.20%
1992 11,42358.84%5,46528.15%2,52613.01%
1988 13,48273.50%4,78826.10%720.39%
1984 14,43476.40%4,38423.20%750.40%
1980 12,97065.11%6,57032.98%3791.90%
1976 9,22661.17%5,75238.14%1050.70%
1972 10,60276.99%3,08022.37%880.64%
1968 8,29064.26%2,82321.88%1,78813.86%
1964 7,38355.60%5,84043.98%550.41%
1960 11,89979.35%3,09720.65%00.00%
1956 10,63672.99%3,89926.76%370.25%
1952 9,65170.41%4,03229.42%240.18%
1948 7,54964.93%3,84433.06%2342.01%
1944 8,31867.47%3,93431.91%760.62%
1940 8,53363.36%4,89636.35%390.29%
1936 7,57061.51%4,71138.28%250.20%
1932 6,90558.22%4,93141.57%250.21%
1928 9,34878.84%2,49421.03%150.13%
1924 6,43562.66%3,15830.75%6766.58%
1920 7,26265.67%3,74933.90%480.43%
1916 4,13661.35%2,53137.54%751.11%
1912 1,73131.01%1,98035.47%1,87133.52%

Education

K-12

Three public school districts serve the county:

There are also several private schools in the county, including Somerset Christian School.

Colleges and universities

Campbellsville University-Somerset, Noe Education Center is a regional center for Campbellsville University located in Campbellsville, KY. The Somerset Noe Education Center offers a variety of degree and certificate programs. CU-Somerset prides itself on being flexible and affordable for students from across the nation.

Somerset Community College is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The college offers academic, general education, and technical curricula leading to certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. The college's Somerset Campus is located on Monticello Street in Somerset, across the street from the Center for Rural Development.

Transportation

Through Pulaski County run U.S. Highway South 27 from north to south and Highway East and West 80. Through the city limits of Somerset, Highway 27 stems into a three-lane road with u-turn and left turn options at each stoplight. Many food chains, local businesses and commerce centers are strewn along the highway, due to accessibility and consistent traffic throughout the area. Outside the Somerset city limits, the highway becomes a four-lane road until it becomes a two-lane highway through downtown Burnside just south of Somerset.

Intersecting these highways are many junctions and bypasses that have been paved in order to allow quick and easy traffic flow through the county, revolving around the circumscribed Kentucky Route 914 around the outskirts of Somerset, in which transporters can enter through or exit from the city from any direction easily. These series of roads mimic the infrastructure of larger cities such as Interstate 465 in Indianapolis, Indiana and New Circle Road in Lexington, Kentucky. Many of these roads were paved in the 2000s. Despite the grand area of the county, the accessibility from one end to the other is smooth and expedited.

Lake Cumberland Regional Airport is located in Pulaski County, on the southern end of Somerset's US 27 business district. The airport is owned by the city of Somerset and Pulaski County. It also serves the area around Lake Cumberland. It is mostly used for general aviation, and from late 2008 until February 2010, was served by one commercial airline, Locair. Currently, the $3 million federally funded passenger terminal is not in use.

The airport was renamed in 2008; it was formerly known as Somerset-Pulaski County Airport or J.T. Wilson Field.[3]

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated places

K

Notable residents

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander, Arkansas</span> City in Arkansas, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">McAlmont, Arkansas</span> CDP in Arkansas, United States

McAlmont, also referred to as "Mac Side", is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,873 at the 2010 census. The community adjoins eastern North Little Rock, and is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrightsville, Arkansas</span> City in Arkansas, USA

Wrightsville is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 1,542 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located on Highway 365, Wrightsville existed as an unincorporated community for more than a century before it was incorporated late in the 20th century. Since 1981, it has been home to a major Arkansas Department of Corrections facility, which is the principal employer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnside, Kentucky</span> City in Kentucky, United States

Burnside is a home rule-class city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 611 at the 2010 census. In 2004, Burnside became the only town in Pulaski County or any adjoining county to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in qualified establishments. Since then, Burnside has annexed about eight miles of shoreline along Lake Cumberland in order to include Lee's Ford Marina on Fishing Creek, allowing it to sell alcohol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferguson, Kentucky</span> City in Kentucky, United States

Ferguson is a home rule-class city just south of downtown Somerset in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. It had a population of 924 as of the 2010 census, up from 881 in 2000.

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Science Hill is a home rule-class city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 693 as of the 2010 U.S. Census.

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Somerset is a home rule-class city in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. The city population was 11,924 according to the 2020 census. It is the seat of Pulaski County.

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Crocker is a city in Pulaski County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,110 at the 2010 census.

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Waynesville is a city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Missouri, United States. Its population was 5,406 at the 2020 census. Located in the Missouri Ozarks, it was once served by Route 66.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eubank, Kentucky</span> City in Kentucky, United States

Eubank is a home rule-class city in Pulaski and Lincoln counties in southern Kentucky. The population was 319 at the 2010 census.

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References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.kyenc.org/entry/p/PULAS01.html [ bare URL ]
  4. ↑ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. p. 36.
  5. ↑ Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
  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. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Presidential Election of 1912 – Map by Counties (.xlsx file for €15)". Géoelections. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  14. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

37°04′N84°21′W / 37.06°N 84.35°W / 37.06; -84.35

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