Webster County, Kentucky

Last updated

Webster County
County
Webster County Courthouse Kentucky.jpg
Webster County Courthouse in Dixon
Map of Kentucky highlighting Webster County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky in United States.svg
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°31′N87°41′W / 37.52°N 87.68°W / 37.52; -87.68
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky
Founded1860
Named after Daniel Webster
Seat Dixon
Largest city Providence
Area
 • Total
336 sq mi (870 km2)
 • Land332 sq mi (860 km2)
 • Water3.7 sq mi (10 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
13,017
 • Estimate 
(2024)
12,854 Decrease2.svg
 • Density39/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st
Website www.webstercountyky.com

Webster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,017. [1] Its county seat is Dixon and its largest city is Providence. [2] It is the southernmost county in the Evansville, IN–KY Combined Statistical Area. The county was formed in 1860 from parts of Henderson, Hopkins, and Union Counties [3] and named for American statesman Daniel Webster (1782–1852). [4] It was mainly pro-Confederate during the American Civil War and was the site of several skirmishes and some guerrilla warfare. Since 2018 it has been a moist county, with Providence and Sebree voting to allow alcohol sales, [5] and Clay doing so in 2022. [6]

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 336 square miles (870 km2), of which 332 square miles (860 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) (1.1%) is water. [7] Webster County is part of the Western Coal Field region of Kentucky.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870 10,937—
1880 14,24630.3%
1890 17,19620.7%
1900 20,09716.9%
1910 20,9744.4%
1920 20,762−1.0%
1930 20,534−1.1%
1940 19,198−6.5%
1950 15,555−19.0%
1960 14,244−8.4%
1970 13,282−6.8%
1980 14,83211.7%
1990 13,955−5.9%
2000 14,1201.2%
2010 13,621−3.5%
2020 13,017−4.4%
2024 (est.)12,854 [8] −1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11]
1990-2000 [12] 2010-2020 [1]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, 5,272 households, and 3,716 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 per square mile (16/km2). There were 5,936 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.4% White, 4.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 4.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,272 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 19, 5.8% from 20 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. 49.7% of the population is male and 50.3% female.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,635, and the median income for a family was $49,580. Males employed full-time had a median income of $41,662 versus $26,502 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,879. About 11.9% of families and 16% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Webster County, Kentucky [13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 90522.47%2,03650.55%1,08726.99%
1916 2,08243.35%2,67355.65%481.00%
1920 3,55442.23%4,83157.41%300.36%
1924 3,13147.08%3,44951.86%711.07%
1928 3,52749.49%3,59150.39%90.13%
1932 2,25731.62%4,83367.71%480.67%
1936 1,98329.20%4,78870.49%210.31%
1940 2,10733.33%4,19766.40%170.27%
1944 1,84035.46%3,32464.06%250.48%
1948 1,08723.93%3,28872.38%1683.70%
1952 1,85834.50%3,51665.28%120.22%
1956 1,94837.08%3,05058.06%2554.85%
1960 2,49844.00%3,17956.00%00.00%
1964 1,21724.52%3,74175.36%60.12%
1968 1,44629.48%2,11443.10%1,34527.42%
1972 2,39657.57%1,71241.13%541.30%
1976 1,40228.21%3,52370.89%450.91%
1980 1,93935.03%3,50663.34%901.63%
1984 2,50444.87%3,04254.52%340.61%
1988 2,15941.50%3,01958.04%240.46%
1992 1,40824.85%3,38059.66%87715.48%
1996 1,56830.73%2,85255.90%68213.37%
2000 2,59951.24%2,38847.08%851.68%
2004 3,20757.82%2,30441.54%360.65%
2008 3,03754.82%2,39043.14%1132.04%
2012 3,60765.94%1,76532.27%981.79%
2016 4,39775.75%1,24021.36%1682.89%
2020 4,50675.19%1,41223.56%751.25%
2024 4,33978.10%1,15320.75%641.15%

Elected officials

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 [14] [15]
U.S. House James Comer (R) KY1
Ky. Senate Robby Mills (R) 4
Ky. House Jim Gooch Jr. (R) 12

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "KYGenWeb Project - Online Kentucky Genealogy Resources". www.kygenweb.net. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp.  37.
  5. ↑ Hughes, Matt. "Providence, Sebree go wet". The Journal-Enterprise. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Clay prepares for start of alcohol sales after wet-dry vote". Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). May 18, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  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. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Senate Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  15. ↑ "House Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly . Retrieved January 3, 2025.

37°31′N87°41′W / 37.52°N 87.68°W / 37.52; -87.68

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