Jefferson County, Kentucky

History

Jefferson County—originally Jefferson County, Virginia—was established by the Virginia General Assembly in June 1780, when it abolished and partitioned Kentucky County into three counties: Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln. Named for Thomas Jefferson, who was governor of Virginia at the time, it was one of Kentucky's nine original counties on June 1, 1792.

In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, George Rogers Clark's militia and 60 civilian settlers established the first American settlement in the county on Corn Island in the Ohio River, at the head of the Falls of the Ohio. They moved to the mainland the following year, establishing Louisville.

Richard Mentor Johnson, the 9th Vice President of the United States, was born in Jefferson County in 1780, while the family was living in a settlement along the Beargrass Creek.

The last major American Indian raid in present-day Jefferson County was the Chenoweth Massacre on July 17, 1789.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 398 sqmi, of which 380 sqmi is land and 17 sqmi (4.3%) is water. The Ohio River forms its northern boundary with the state of Indiana.

The highest point is South Park Hill, elevation 902 ft, located in the southern part of the county. The lowest point is 383 ft along the Ohio River just north of West Point.

Adjacent counties

• Bullitt County (south)
• Shelby County (east)
• Oldham County (northeast)
• Spencer County (southeast)
• Hardin County (southwest)
• Clark County, Indiana (north)
• Harrison County, Indiana (west)
• Floyd County, Indiana (northwest)

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 782,969. The median age was 38.7 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 63.8% White, 21.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.4% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.5% of the population.

98.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 328,169 households in the county, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 32.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 356,887 housing units, of which 8.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.4% were owner-occupied and 39.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was 1801 /sqmi. There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of 794 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 77.38% White, 18.88% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 1.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 287,012 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.20% were married couples living together, 14.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.20% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $54,357 (2018), and the median income for a family was $49,161 (2005). Males had a median income of $36,484 versus $26,255 for females (2005). The per capita income for the county was $31,980 (2018). About 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over (2018).

Government and politics

Whenever possible, the metro government generally avoids any self-reference including the name "Jefferson County" and has even renamed the Jefferson County Courthouse as Metro Hall.

Prior to the 2003 merger, the head of local government was the County Judge/Executive, a post that still exists but now has few powers. The office is currently held by Queenie Averette.

Local government is effectively now led by the Mayor of Louisville Metro, Craig Greenberg.

Like most urban counties nationwide, Jefferson County is currently a Democratic stronghold. Jefferson County has voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1992. In the 2019 gubernatorial election, it voted for Democrat Andy Beshear by a higher percentage than any other county in Kentucky, giving him 67% of the vote. The county voted "No" on 2022 Kentucky Amendment 2, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 71% to 29%, outpacing its support of Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election.

Elected officials

Infrastructure

Major highways

Education

The public school districts for the county are: Jefferson County School District (JCPS) and Anchorage Independent School District. The Anchorage district only covers grades K-8; Anchorage district residents may attend JCPS or Oldham County Schools.

Kentucky School for the Blind, a state-operated school, is in Louisville.

Communities

Since the formation of Louisville Metro on January 6, 2003, residents of the cities below also became citizens of the newly expanded Metro, but none of the incorporated places dissolved in the process. The functions formerly served by the county government for the towns were assumed by Louisville Metro. However, the former City of Louisville was effectively absorbed into the new city-county government.

• Anchorage
• Audubon Park
• Bancroft
• Barbourmeade
• Beechwood Village
• Bellemeade
• Bellewood
• Blue Ridge Manor
• Briarwood
• Broad Fields
• Broeck Pointe
• Brownsboro Farm
• Brownsboro Village
• Buechel †
• Cambridge
• Cherrywood Village
• Coldstream
• Creekside
• Crossgate
• Douglass Hills
• Druid Hills
• Fairdale †
• Fairmeade
• Fern Creek †
• Fincastle
• Fisherville
• Forest Hills
• Glenview Hills
• Glenview Manor
• Glenview
• Goose Creek
• Graymoor-Devondale
• Green Spring
• Heritage Creek
• Hickory Hill
• Highview †
• Hills and Dales
• Hollow Creek
• Hollyvilla
• Houston Acres
• Hurstbourne Acres
• Hurstbourne
• Indian Hills
• Jeffersontown
• Keeneland
• Kingsley
• Langdon Place
• Lincolnshire
• Louisville
• Lyndon
• Lynnview
• Manor Creek
• Maryhill Estates
• Meadow Vale
• Meadowbrook Farm
• Meadowview Estates
• Middletown
• Mockingbird Valley
• Moorland
• Murray Hill
• Newburg †
• Norbourne Estates
• Northfield
• Norwood
• Okolona †
• Old Brownsboro Place
• Parkway Village
• Penile
• Plantation
• Pleasure Ridge Park †
• Plymouth Village
• Poplar Hills
• Prospect
• Richlawn
• Riverwood
• Rolling Fields
• Rolling Hills
• Seneca Gardens
• Shively
• South Park View
• Spring Mill
• Spring Valley
• Springlee
• St. Dennis †
• St. Matthews
• St. Regis Park
• Strathmoor Manor
• Strathmoor Village
• Sycamore
• Ten Broeck
• Thornhill
• Valley Station †
• Watterson Park
• Waverly Hills
• Wellington
• West Buechel
• Westwood
• Whipps Millgate
• Wildwood
• Windy Hills
• Woodland Hills
• Woodlawn Park
• Worthington Hills :† Formerly a census-designated place in the county, but, in 2003, these places became, according to local media, neighborhoods within the city limits of Louisville Metro.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area

References

References

1. (July 1, 2024). "Jefferson County, Kentucky".
2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government Code of Ordinances". American Legal Publishing Corporation.
4. "Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government Code of Ordinances § 10.06 DEFINITIONS". American Legal Publishing Corporation.
5. (1903). "The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1". Kentucky State Historical Society.
6. (1992). "The Kentucky Encyclopedia". [[University Press of Kentucky]].
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Groundwater Resources of Jefferson County, Kentucky – Topography". Kentucky Geological Survey.
9. Kleber, John. (2001). "The Encyclopedia of Louisville". University Press of Kentucky.
10. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau.
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
13. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
14. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
15. "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jefferson County, Kentucky".
16. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jefferson County, Kentucky".
17. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Jefferson County, Kentucky".
18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912). Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 23,516 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene Debs]] received 1,170 votes.
24. Shafer, Sheldon. (September 14, 2014). "Beshear appoints Averette as judge-exec". [[The Courier-Journal]].
25. "November 8, 2022 - Official 2022 General Election Results". Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections.
26. . ["Senate Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
27. . ["House Members - County"](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html). *[[Kentucky General Assembly]]*.
28. (July 24, 2022 }}
    The specific Anchorage school boundary is here: {{Cite web). "2020 CENSUS – SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jefferson County, KY". [[U.S. Census Bureau]]}} – [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21111_jefferson/DC20SD_C21111_SD2MS.txt Text list] {{Webarchive.
29. (September 15, 2015). "Chapter 3, Exchange of Nonresident Students with Other Districts: Districts Without High Schools". Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission.