Campbell County, Kentucky

Campbell County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 93,076.[1] Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport.[2] The county was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of Scott, Harrison, and Mason Counties[3][4] and was named for Colonel John Campbell (1735–1799), a Revolutionary War soldier and Kentucky legislator. Campbell County, with Boone and Kenton Counties, is part of the Northern Kentucky metro community, and the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Campbell County
The Campbell County Courthouse in Newport
The Campbell County Courthouse in Newport
Map of Kentucky highlighting Campbell County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°57′N 84°23′W / 38.95°N 84.38°W / 38.95; -84.38
Country United States
State Kentucky
FoundedDecember 17, 1794
Named forJohn Campbell
SeatAlexandria and Newport
Largest cityFort Thomas
Area
 • Total159 sq mi (410 km2)
 • Land151 sq mi (390 km2)
 • Water8.1 sq mi (21 km2)  5.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total93,076
 • Estimate 
(2023)
93,702 Increase
 • Density590/sq mi (230/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.campbellcountyky.gov

History edit

Campbell County was founded December 17, 1794, two years after the creation of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, becoming the state's 19th county. Campbell County was carved out of Scott, Harrison and Mason counties.[5] The original county included all of present Boone, Kenton, Pendleton, and most of Bracken and Grant counties. Campbell County is named in honor of John Campbell,[6] an Irish immigrant who was a soldier, explorer, statesman and one of the drafters of the Kentucky Constitution.

The first courthouse, built of logs, was replaced in 1815 by a brick structure. The present courthouse dates from 1884.[7]

County seat edit

Wilmington, a pioneer settlement, was the original county seat of Campbell County from 1794 until 1797. The original justices in the Campbell County Court were John Roberts, Thomas Kennedy, Samuel Bryan, John Cook, James Little, Robert Benham and John Bush. Newport was designated as the county seat until 1823, when it was moved to Visalia, at that time closer to the geographical center of the county. This was an unpopular action, however, as the overwhelming majority of residents lived in the north, along the Ohio River. The county court returned to Newport in 1824 and remained there until 1840.

In 1840, Kenton County was created, primarily out of a significant portion of Campbell. The Kentucky General Assembly forced the county to move its seat to Alexandria, closer to the center of the new, smaller Campbell County. In 1883, after years of lobbying, the General Assembly established a special provision to allow Newport to designate a Court House District separate from the offices in Alexandria.

The special Courthouse Commission legislation led to the misconception that the county was dual seated, but Alexandria remained the sole de jure county seat.[8] It was not until November 24, 2010, that a court ruling granted Newport equal status as a county seat.[2]

Geography edit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 159 square miles (410 km2), of which 151 square miles (390 km2) is land and 8.1 square miles (21 km2) (5.1%) is water.[9] It is the fourth-smallest county in Kentucky by land area and fifth-smallest by total area. It lies along the Ohio and Licking Rivers.

Adjacent counties edit

Major highways edit

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18001,903
18103,47382.5%
18207,022102.2%
18309,88340.7%
18405,214−47.2%
185013,127151.8%
186020,90959.3%
187027,40631.1%
188037,44036.6%
189044,20818.1%
190054,22322.7%
191059,3699.5%
192061,8684.2%
193073,39118.6%
194071,918−2.0%
195076,1965.9%
196086,80313.9%
197088,7042.2%
198083,317−6.1%
199083,8660.7%
200088,6165.7%
201090,3361.9%
202093,0763.0%
2023 (est.)93,702[10]0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1]

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 88,616 people, 34,742 households, and 23,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 585 per square mile (226/km2). There were 36,898 housing units at an average density of 244 per square mile (94/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.64% White, 1.57% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. This number has decreased to about 0.2% based on a 2006 Census Estimate by the United States Census Bureau.

There were 34,742 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.30% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% 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 3.09.

The age distribution was 25.60% under 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,903, and the median income for a family was $51,481. Males had a median income of $37,931 versus $27,646 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,637. About 7.30% of families and 9.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education edit

There are six school districts in Campbell County.[16]

former

Northern Kentucky University located in Highland Heights provides the area with access to higher education.

Public high schools edit

Students in the county attend one of 6 public and 2 parochial high schools.

Private high schools edit

Communities edit

 
Campbell County Courthouse and county historical marker in Alexandria, Kentucky

Cities edit

Census-designated place edit

Other unincorporated places edit

Politics edit

Politically, Campbell County is very Republican. In presidential elections it has only voted Democratic once since 1948.[19]

United States presidential election results for Campbell County, Kentucky[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 28,482 58.27% 19,374 39.64% 1,022 2.09%
2016 25,050 58.93% 14,658 34.48% 2,802 6.59%
2012 24,240 60.33% 15,080 37.53% 857 2.13%
2008 24,046 59.67% 15,622 38.77% 629 1.56%
2004 25,540 63.57% 14,253 35.48% 382 0.95%
2000 20,789 61.45% 12,040 35.59% 1,000 2.96%
1996 16,640 53.31% 11,957 38.30% 2,619 8.39%
1992 16,382 49.88% 10,673 32.50% 5,785 17.62%
1988 19,387 66.61% 9,553 32.82% 164 0.56%
1984 21,473 69.99% 9,068 29.56% 138 0.45%
1980 16,743 57.32% 11,059 37.86% 1,406 4.81%
1976 15,798 54.81% 12,423 43.10% 600 2.08%
1972 20,025 68.01% 8,585 29.16% 835 2.84%
1968 13,681 48.51% 9,747 34.56% 4,775 16.93%
1964 12,209 43.20% 16,012 56.65% 43 0.15%
1960 17,388 54.21% 14,690 45.79% 0 0.00%
1956 18,617 63.82% 10,359 35.51% 195 0.67%
1952 17,705 57.64% 12,976 42.25% 35 0.11%
1948 11,851 46.29% 13,008 50.81% 744 2.91%
1944 13,647 51.17% 12,959 48.59% 64 0.24%
1940 14,916 50.02% 14,801 49.63% 103 0.35%
1936 10,327 34.20% 16,780 55.57% 3,089 10.23%
1932 11,665 38.62% 17,776 58.85% 767 2.54%
1928 17,317 54.25% 14,508 45.45% 95 0.30%
1924 12,329 49.44% 5,564 22.31% 7,043 28.24%
1920 12,210 50.93% 10,597 44.20% 1,169 4.88%
1916 5,696 41.90% 7,290 53.62% 609 4.48%
1912 2,276 20.88% 4,687 43.00% 3,937 36.12%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Nolan v. Campbell County Fiscal Court Kentucky Court of Appeals. November 24, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  3. ^ "Campbell County Kentucky GenWeb".
  4. ^ "Campbell County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  5. ^ Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
  6. ^ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 34.
  7. ^ Federal Writers' Project (1996). The WPA Guide to Kentucky. University Press of Kentucky. p. 248. ISBN 0813108659. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  8. ^ The Kentucky Enquirer: "Judge: Alexandria the only county seat". 12 May 2009.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  14. ^ "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 13, 2014.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  16. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Campbell County, KY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022. - Text list - 2010 map (showing Silver Grove) and 2010 text list - For more detailed boundaries of the independent school districts see: "Appendix B: Maps Of Independent School Districts In Operation In FY 2014-FY 2015 Using 2005 Tax District Boundaries – Bellevue ISD / Dayton ISD / Fort Thomas ISD / Newport ISD / Silver Grove ISD / Southgate ISD" (PDF). Research Report No. 415 – Kentucky's Independent School Districts: A Primer. Frankfort, KY: Office of Education Accountability, Legislative Research Commission. September 15, 2015. pp. 92 (Bellevue), 103 (Dayton), 109 (Fort Thomas), 121 (Newport), 132 (Silver Grove), and 134 (Southgate) (PDF p. 106, 117, 135, 146, 148/174). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 10, 2020.
  17. ^ Crumbie, Trey (July 4, 2019). "Education commissioner troubled by West Point school district". The News Enterprise. Elizabethtown, KY. Retrieved October 25, 2019. On July 1, Silver Grove Independent School District merged with Campbell County Schools;
  18. ^ Google Map: Oneonta, Kentucky. Accessed 22 December 2022.
  19. ^ a b Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 30, 2018.

External links edit

38°57′N 84°23′W / 38.95°N 84.38°W / 38.95; -84.38