Christian County, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 Christian County courthouse in Hopkinsville | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKentucky | |
| Coordinates:36°54′N87°29′W / 36.9°N 87.49°W /36.9; -87.49 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | 1797 |
| Named after | William Christian |
| Seat | Hopkinsville |
| Largest city | Hopkinsville |
| Area | |
• Total | 724 sq mi (1,880 km2) |
| • Land | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Water | 6.5 sq mi (17 km2) 0.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 72,748 |
• Estimate (2024)[1] | 71,006 |
| • Density | 99/sq mi (38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Christian County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKentucky. As of the2020 census, the population was 72,748.[2] Itscounty seat isHopkinsville.[3] The county was formed in 1797. Christian County is part of theClarksville,Tennessee–KentuckyMetropolitan Statistical Area.
The county is named forColonelWilliam Christian, a native ofAugusta County, Virginia, and a veteran of theRevolutionary War. He settled nearLouisville, Kentucky, in 1785, and was killed byNative Americans in southernIndiana in 1786.[4]
Jefferson Davis, president of theConfederate States of America, was born inFairview, Kentucky (in the small part that is now inTodd County), in 1808.[5] United States Vice PresidentAdlai Stevenson I was born in Christian County in 1835.
The present courthouse, built in 1869, replaced a structure burned byConfederate cavalry in 1864 because theUnion Army was using it as their barracks.[6]
In 1955, the town of Hopkinsville located in the county allegedly had a family and their close friends enter a close encounter between several alleged aliens during a dinner now known as theKelly-Hopkinsville encounter[citation needed]
The United States Supreme Court caseBarker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514 (1972), arose out of a 1958 double-murder in Christian County, Kentucky.
In 2006 and 2008, tornadoes touched down across northern Christian County, damaging homes in theCrofton area.
In 2017, northwestern Christian County was the point of greatest eclipse for thesolar eclipse of August 21, 2017 that crossed North America. The center was in the Bainbridge/Sinking Fork area of the county, on the Orchardale farm.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 724 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 718 square miles (1,860 km2) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km2) (0.9%) is water.[7] It is the second-largest county by area in Kentucky and the largest in Western Kentucky.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 2,318 | — | |
| 1810 | 11,020 | 375.4% | |
| 1820 | 10,459 | −5.1% | |
| 1830 | 12,684 | 21.3% | |
| 1840 | 15,587 | 22.9% | |
| 1850 | 19,580 | 25.6% | |
| 1860 | 21,627 | 10.5% | |
| 1870 | 23,227 | 7.4% | |
| 1880 | 31,682 | 36.4% | |
| 1890 | 34,118 | 7.7% | |
| 1900 | 37,962 | 11.3% | |
| 1910 | 38,845 | 2.3% | |
| 1920 | 35,883 | −7.6% | |
| 1930 | 34,283 | −4.5% | |
| 1940 | 36,129 | 5.4% | |
| 1950 | 42,359 | 17.2% | |
| 1960 | 56,904 | 34.3% | |
| 1970 | 56,224 | −1.2% | |
| 1980 | 66,878 | 18.9% | |
| 1990 | 68,941 | 3.1% | |
| 2000 | 72,265 | 4.8% | |
| 2010 | 73,955 | 2.3% | |
| 2020 | 72,748 | −1.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 71,006 | −2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[2] 2024[12] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 72,748. The median age was 30.0 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.1 males age 18 and over.[13][14]
The racial makeup of the county was 66.4% White, 21.3%Black or African American, 0.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Asian, 0.3%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 3.1% from some other race, and 7.0% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.9% of the population.[14]
70.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 29.1% lived in rural areas.[15]
There were 26,435 households in the county, of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 29,206 housing units, of which 9.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 49.9% were owner-occupied and 50.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%.[13]
As of thecensus[16] of 2000, there were 72,265 people, 24,857 households, and 18,344 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 100 per square mile (39/km2). There were 27,182 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.92%White, 23.73%Black orAfrican American, 0.52%Native American, 0.91%Asian, 0.32%Pacific Islander, 2.23% fromother races, and 2.37% from two or more races. 4.83% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 24,857 households, out of which 41.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% weremarried couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.30% under the age of 18, 15.80% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 16.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,177, and the median income for a family was $35,240. Males had a median income of $25,063 versus $20,748 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,611. About 12.10% of families and 15.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.
Most residents are zoned toChristian County Public Schools. However residents ofFort Campbell are zoned toDepartment of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools.[17]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 3,520 | 48.96% | 2,784 | 38.73% | 885 | 12.31% |
| 1916 | 4,594 | 55.11% | 3,644 | 43.71% | 98 | 1.18% |
| 1920 | 8,743 | 54.45% | 7,209 | 44.90% | 105 | 0.65% |
| 1924 | 7,192 | 51.77% | 6,585 | 47.40% | 115 | 0.83% |
| 1928 | 7,069 | 55.35% | 5,702 | 44.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 5,235 | 40.52% | 7,618 | 58.96% | 67 | 0.52% |
| 1936 | 5,370 | 44.64% | 6,660 | 55.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 5,566 | 45.69% | 6,599 | 54.17% | 16 | 0.13% |
| 1944 | 4,506 | 41.72% | 6,260 | 57.96% | 35 | 0.32% |
| 1948 | 3,242 | 31.85% | 5,582 | 54.83% | 1,356 | 13.32% |
| 1952 | 4,858 | 41.62% | 6,787 | 58.15% | 27 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 4,963 | 43.18% | 6,487 | 56.43% | 45 | 0.39% |
| 1960 | 5,251 | 43.31% | 6,874 | 56.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 3,882 | 30.74% | 8,727 | 69.10% | 21 | 0.17% |
| 1968 | 3,788 | 30.03% | 4,281 | 33.94% | 4,545 | 36.03% |
| 1972 | 7,414 | 63.34% | 4,063 | 34.71% | 228 | 1.95% |
| 1976 | 4,964 | 38.44% | 7,845 | 60.75% | 105 | 0.81% |
| 1980 | 8,209 | 52.92% | 7,048 | 45.44% | 255 | 1.64% |
| 1984 | 10,708 | 66.06% | 5,432 | 33.51% | 69 | 0.43% |
| 1988 | 9,250 | 61.63% | 5,704 | 38.01% | 54 | 0.36% |
| 1992 | 7,737 | 47.50% | 6,709 | 41.19% | 1,842 | 11.31% |
| 1996 | 8,285 | 50.95% | 6,843 | 42.08% | 1,132 | 6.96% |
| 2000 | 10,787 | 60.69% | 6,778 | 38.14% | 208 | 1.17% |
| 2004 | 13,935 | 66.31% | 6,970 | 33.17% | 110 | 0.52% |
| 2008 | 13,699 | 60.14% | 8,880 | 38.98% | 199 | 0.87% |
| 2012 | 13,475 | 61.38% | 8,252 | 37.59% | 228 | 1.04% |
| 2016 | 14,108 | 63.89% | 7,188 | 32.55% | 787 | 3.56% |
| 2020 | 15,080 | 63.19% | 8,296 | 34.77% | 487 | 2.04% |
| 2024 | 14,332 | 66.13% | 7,055 | 32.56% | 284 | 1.31% |
| Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[21][22] | ||
| U.S. House | James Comer (R) | KY 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Senate | Craig Richardson (R) | 3 |
| Ky. House | Walker Thomas (R) | 8 |
| Myron Dossett (R) | 9 | |
| Jason Petrie (R) | 16 | |
Municipalities and communities ofChristian County, Kentucky,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
36°54′N87°29′W / 36.90°N 87.49°W /36.90; -87.49
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