Lyon County, Kentucky
Lyon County, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
Lyon County Courthouse in Eddyville, Kentucky. | |
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky | |
| Coordinates: 37°03′32″N 88°06′49″W / 37.058964°N 88.113643°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Named after | Chittenden Lyon |
| Seat | Eddyville |
| Largest city | Eddyville |
| Area | |
• Total | 257 sq mi (670 km2) |
| • Land | 214 sq mi (550 km2) |
| • Water | 43 sq mi (110 km2) 17% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,680 |
• Estimate (2024) | 9,078 |
| • Density | 40.6/sq mi (15.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,680.[1] Its county seat is Eddyville.[2] The county was formed from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854 and named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon.[3][4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 257 square miles (670 km2), of which 214 square miles (550 km2) is land and 43 square miles (110 km2) (17%) is water.[5]
Adjacent counties
- Crittenden County (north)
- Caldwell County (east)
- Trigg County (south)
- Marshall County (southwest)
- Livingston County (northwest)
National protected area
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 5,307 | — | |
| 1870 | 6,233 | 17.4% | |
| 1880 | 6,768 | 8.6% | |
| 1890 | 7,628 | 12.7% | |
| 1900 | 9,319 | 22.2% | |
| 1910 | 9,423 | 1.1% | |
| 1920 | 8,795 | −6.7% | |
| 1930 | 8,530 | −3.0% | |
| 1940 | 9,067 | 6.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,853 | −24.4% | |
| 1960 | 5,924 | −13.6% | |
| 1970 | 5,562 | −6.1% | |
| 1980 | 6,490 | 16.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,624 | 2.1% | |
| 2000 | 8,080 | 22.0% | |
| 2010 | 8,314 | 2.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,680 | 4.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 9,078 | [6] | 4.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2021[1] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,680. The median age was 49.4 years. 13.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 125.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 129.9 males age 18 and over.[11][12]
The racial makeup of the county was 89.5% White, 5.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.8% of the population.[12]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 3,327 households in the county, of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 4,780 housing units, of which 30.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.7% were owner-occupied and 20.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.3%.[11]
2000 census
As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 8,080 people, 2,898 households, and 2,043 families living in the county. The population density was 38 per square mile (15/km2). There were 4,189 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.86% White, 6.72% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The largest ancestry groups in Lyon County, Kentucky according to the census[14] of 2000 are:
- English - 21%
- Irish - 15%
- German - 12%
- African - 7%
- French - 4%
- Scottish - 2%
- Scots-Irish - 20%
- Dutch - 2%
There were 2,898 households, out of which 25.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 26.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.70.
The age distribution was 15.80% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 27.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 133.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 138.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,694, and the median income for a family was $39,940. Males had a median income of $36,034 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,016. About 10.20% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
- Carmack
- Confederate
- Commerce Landing
- Eddy Bay
- Eden Bay
- Confederate
- Greenacres
- Indian Hills
- Lamasco
- Palisades
- Paradise Hills
- Saratoga
- Suwanee
- Twin Lakes
- Wildhood Hills
Notable residents
- Keen Johnson, publisher and Kentucky governor, born in Lyon County, 1896
- Hylan Benton Lyon, Confederate general and Kentucky political figure
- Forrest Pogue, World War II Historian, born in Lyon County, 1912
- Travis Perry, University of Kentucky's men's basketball player[15]
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1912 | 568 | 31.98% | 996 | 56.08% | 212 | 11.94% |
| 1916 | 748 | 38.16% | 1,191 | 60.77% | 21 | 1.07% |
| 1920 | 1,275 | 38.85% | 1,968 | 59.96% | 39 | 1.19% |
| 1924 | 993 | 36.33% | 1,696 | 62.06% | 44 | 1.61% |
| 1928 | 1,215 | 48.39% | 1,286 | 51.21% | 10 | 0.40% |
| 1932 | 873 | 29.31% | 2,099 | 70.46% | 7 | 0.23% |
| 1936 | 929 | 33.19% | 1,861 | 66.49% | 9 | 0.32% |
| 1940 | 921 | 31.57% | 1,979 | 67.84% | 17 | 0.58% |
| 1944 | 924 | 34.53% | 1,743 | 65.13% | 9 | 0.34% |
| 1948 | 582 | 26.18% | 1,505 | 67.70% | 136 | 6.12% |
| 1952 | 746 | 34.57% | 1,404 | 65.06% | 8 | 0.37% |
| 1956 | 989 | 39.01% | 1,527 | 60.24% | 19 | 0.75% |
| 1960 | 1,024 | 42.61% | 1,379 | 57.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 583 | 29.06% | 1,412 | 70.39% | 11 | 0.55% |
| 1968 | 579 | 29.88% | 719 | 37.10% | 640 | 33.02% |
| 1972 | 1,030 | 58.52% | 687 | 39.03% | 43 | 2.44% |
| 1976 | 585 | 26.34% | 1,606 | 72.31% | 30 | 1.35% |
| 1980 | 968 | 38.31% | 1,496 | 59.20% | 63 | 2.49% |
| 1984 | 969 | 42.97% | 1,272 | 56.41% | 14 | 0.62% |
| 1988 | 1,077 | 44.47% | 1,337 | 55.20% | 8 | 0.33% |
| 1992 | 820 | 30.34% | 1,583 | 58.56% | 300 | 11.10% |
| 1996 | 999 | 34.03% | 1,641 | 55.89% | 296 | 10.08% |
| 2000 | 1,688 | 49.36% | 1,680 | 49.12% | 52 | 1.52% |
| 2004 | 2,132 | 54.32% | 1,769 | 45.07% | 24 | 0.61% |
| 2008 | 2,220 | 57.59% | 1,577 | 40.91% | 58 | 1.50% |
| 2012 | 2,412 | 62.83% | 1,373 | 35.76% | 54 | 1.41% |
| 2016 | 2,789 | 70.39% | 1,045 | 26.38% | 128 | 3.23% |
| 2020 | 3,100 | 73.32% | 1,092 | 25.83% | 36 | 0.85% |
| 2024 | 3,187 | 76.12% | 950 | 22.69% | 50 | 1.19% |
Elected officials
| Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[17][18] | ||
| U.S. House | James Comer (R) | KY 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Jason Howell (R) | 1 |
| Ky. House | Chris Freeland (R) | 6 |
Education
The school district for all of the county is Lyon County School District.[19]
See also
References
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 36.
- ^ Collins, Lewis (1877). History of Kentucky. p. 489.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 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 17, 2014.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Clay, John (July 26, 2024). "Are the stories about Travis Perry's practice shooting true? Here's how he does it". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "Senate Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- ^ "House Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lyon County, KY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 8, 2024. - Text list