Editing Allen County, Kentucky

{{short description|County in Kentucky, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Allen, Kentucky}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Allen County
 | state                = Kentucky
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1815
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Scottsville
 | largest city wl      = Scottsville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 352
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 344
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.5
 | area percentage      = 2.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 20588
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 22037 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.allencountykentucky.com
 | named for            = [[John Allen (soldier)|John Allen]]
 | ex image             = Allen County Kentucky courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Allen County Courthouse in Scottsville
 | district             = 1st
}}

'''Allen County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kentucky]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 20,588.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/allencountykentucky/PST045221 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 8, 2022}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] and only municipality is [[Scottsville, Kentucky|Scottsville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 6, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The county is named for [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[John Allen (soldier)|John Allen]], a state senator and soldier who was killed leading the 1st Regiment of Kentucky Rifleman at the [[Battle of Frenchtown]], [[Michigan]] during the [[War of 1812]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ | title=The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1 | publisher=Kentucky State Historical Society | year=1903 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ/page/n115 34]}}</ref> Allen County was a [[dry county]] until 2023, when it voted to legalize the sale of alcohol.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parham |first=Derek |date=May 17, 2023 |title=Prohibition comes to an end in Allen County with wet/dry decision |url=https://www.wbko.com/2023/05/17/prohibition-comes-an-end-allen-county-with-wetdry-decision/ |access-date=October 31, 2023 |website=www.wbko.com |language=en}}</ref> It was formed in 1815 from parts of [[Barren County, Kentucky|Barren]] and [[Warren County, Kentucky|Warren counties]]. Allen County is included in the [[Bowling Green, Kentucky|Bowling Green]], KY [[Bowling Green, Kentucky metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
Allen County was established in 1815 from land given by Barren and Warren counties. A courthouse fire in 1902 resulted in the loss of some county records.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAVlVS29NKIC&q=%22bell+county%22+1914+1918+1976&pg=PA187 | title=Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research | publisher=Ancestry Publishing | year=1992 | access-date=July 26, 2013 | author=Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth | pages=187| isbn=9780916489496 }}</ref>

==Geography==
<!-- Broken image
[[File:Allen County KY signs.jpg|right|thumb|Signs indicate the border of Allen County and Kentucky on State Route 231]]  -->

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|352|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|344|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.5|sqmi}} (2.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_21.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 11, 2014 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210847/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_21.txt |archive-date=August 12, 2014}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Warren County, Kentucky|Warren County]] northwest
* [[Barren County, Kentucky|Barren County]] northeast
* [[Monroe County, Kentucky|Monroe County]] east
* [[Macon County, Tennessee]] southeast
* [[Sumner County, Tennessee]] southwest
* [[Simpson County, Kentucky|Simpson County]] west

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1820 = 5327
| 1830 = 6485
| 1840 = 7329
| 1850 = 8742
| 1860 = 9187
| 1870 = 10296
| 1880 = 12089
| 1890 = 13692
| 1900 = 14657
| 1910 = 14882
| 1920 = 16761
| 1930 = 15180
| 1940 = 15496
| 1950 = 13787
| 1960 = 12269
| 1970 = 12598
| 1980 = 14128
| 1990 = 14628
| 2000 = 17800
| 2010 = 19956
| 2020 = 20588
| estyear = 2024
| estimate = 22037
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|access-date=March 13, 2025 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 11, 2014 }}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 11, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ky190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=May 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727065735/https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ky190090.txt|archive-date=July 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 11, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 17,800 people, 6,910 households, and 5,113 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|51|/sqmi|/km2}}. There were 8,057 housing units at an average density of {{convert|23|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.62% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.07% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.16% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.36% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 6,910 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,238, and the median income for a family was $36,815. Males had a median income of $27,587 versus $22,659 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,506. About 13.20% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.40% of those under age 18 and 20.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Allen County, Kentucky|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=June 29, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,824|1,505|89|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,587|1,642|135|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|6,466|1,349|281|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,184|1,808|108|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,258|2,024|108|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,202|1,923|38|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,415|1,950|64|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,032|1,781|417|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,747|2,040|628|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,342|1,573|8|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,427|1,521|16|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,186|2,010|82|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,508|2,231|39|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,025|1,259|48|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,952|927|911|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,309|2,023|10|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,410|1,663|0|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,200|1,975|18|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,946|1,750|21|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,280|1,605|200|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,120|1,742|24|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,232|2,036|21|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|3,070|2,422|13|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|3,219|3,116|33|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,253|1,562|0|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,132|2,373|36|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,476|2,255|39|Kentucky}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,147|1,647|38|Kentucky}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|1,186|1,366|773|Kentucky}}
Allen County, like most of Kentucky, is increasingly solidly Republican, although it was like those counties to its east in Appalachia never a part of the "[[Solid South]]". The last Democrat to carry the county in a presidential election was [[Woodrow Wilson]] in [[1912 United States presidential election|1912]], although a number of other elections have given Democratic majorities as recently as the [[1999 Kentucky gubernatorial election|1999 gubernatorial election]].<ref>Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"]; ''America Magazine'' in ''The National Catholic Review''; June 29, 2016</ref>

===Elected officials===
{| class=wikitable
|-
| colspan="3" |'''Elected officials as of January 3, 2025'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html |title=Senate Members - County |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=apps.legislature.ky.gov |publisher=[[Kentucky General Assembly]] |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html |title=House Members - County |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=apps.legislature.ky.gov |publisher=[[Kentucky General Assembly]] |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote=}}</ref>
|- 
! scope=row|[[U.S. House]]
| {{party shading/Republican}}|[[James Comer]] (R)
| {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|KY|1|B}}
|- 
! scope=row|[[Kentucky Senate|Ky. Senate]]
| {{party shading/Republican}}|[[Max Wise]] (R)
| {{party shading/Republican}}|[[Kentucky's 16th Senate district|16]]
|- 
! scope=row|[[Kentucky House of Representatives|Ky. House]]
| {{party shading/Republican}}|[[Shawn McPherson]] (R)
| {{party shading/Republican}}|22
|}

===Voter registration===
{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Allen County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of July 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 2024 |title=Commonwealth of Kentucky - State Board of Elections Voter Registration Statistics Report |url=https://elect.ky.gov/Resources/Documents/voterstatscounty-July%202024.pdf |access-date=2024-08-04}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Political Party
! Total Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 10,332
| align = center | 67.17%
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 3,696
| align = center | 24.03%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Others
| align = center | 795
| align = center | 5.17%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Independent
| align = center | 475
| align = center | 3.09%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| align = center | 60
| align = center | 0.39%
|-
| {{party color cell|Green Party (United States)}}
| [[Green Party (United States)|Green]]
| align = center | 13
| align = center | 0.08%
|-
| {{party color cell|Constitution Party (United States)}}
|[[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution]]
| align = center | 7
| align = center | 0.04%
|-
| {{party color cell|Socialist Workers Party (United States)}}
|[[Socialist Workers Party (United States)|Socialist Workers]]
| align = center | 3
| align = center | 0.02%
|-
| {{party color cell|Reform Party of the United States of America}}
|[[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform]]
| align = center | 1
| align = center | 0.01%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 15,382
! align = center | 100%
|}

===Statewide elections===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|+ Previous gubernatorial elections results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election|2019]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''67.13%''' ''3,564''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|31.06% ''1,649''
|align="center" |1.81% ''96''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election|2015]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''69.00%''' ''2,344''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|28.76% ''977''
|align="center" |2.24% ''76''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2011 Kentucky gubernatorial election|2011]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''53.21%''' ''1,540''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.19% ''1,221''
|align="center" |4.60% ''133''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election|2007]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''51.79%''' ''1,955''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|48.21% ''1,820''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election|2003]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''64.99%''' ''2,202''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|35.01% ''1,186''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[1999 Kentucky gubernatorial election|1999]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|28.68% ''339''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''62.69%''' ''741''
|align="center" |8.63% ''102''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election|1995]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''57.95%''' ''1,829''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.05% ''1,327''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|}
{{clear}}

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Scottsville, Kentucky|Scottsville]] (county seat)

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Adolphus, Kentucky|Adolphus]]
* [[Allen Springs, Kentucky|Allen Springs]]
* [[Alonzo, Kentucky|Alonzo]]
* [[Amos, Kentucky|Amos]]
* [[Butlersville, Kentucky|Butlersville]]
* [[Cedar Springs, Kentucky|Cedar Springs]]
* [[Chapel Hill, Kentucky|Chapel Hill]]
* [[Clare, Kentucky|Clare]]
* [[Fleet, Kentucky|Fleet]]
* [[Forest Springs, Kentucky|Forest Springs]]
* [[Gainesville, Kentucky|Gainesville]]
* [[Halfway, Allen County, Kentucky|Halfway]]
* [[Halifax, Kentucky|Halifax]]
* [[Holland, Kentucky|Holland]]
* [[Maynard, Kentucky|Maynard]]
* [[Meador, Kentucky|Meador]]
* [[Mount Aerial, Kentucky|Mount Aerial]]
* [[Mount Zion, Kentucky|Mount Zion]]
* [[New Roe, Kentucky|New Roe]]
* [[Oak Forest, Kentucky|Oak Forest]]
* [[Petroleum, Kentucky|Petroleum]]
* [[Pope, Kentucky|Pope]]
* [[Red Hill, Kentucky|Red Hill]]
* [[Rodemer, Kentucky|Rodemer]]
* [[Settle, Kentucky|Settle]]
* [[Trammel, Kentucky|Trammel]]
* [[Yesse, Kentucky|Yesse]]

==Notable residents==
* [[Mordecai Ham]], an evangelist born in Allen County
* [[Jim McDaniels]]
* [[Charles Napier (actor)]]
* [[Norro Wilson]]
* [[R. H. Wilson]], [[Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction|Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction]]
* [[Cal Turner Sr.]]

==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Allen County, Kentucky]]
*[[List of counties in Kentucky]]
{{Coord|36.75|-86.19|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-KY_source:UScensus1990}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Allen County, Kentucky}}
{{Bowling Green, KY Metro}}
{{Kentucky}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Allen County, Kentucky| ]]
[[Category:1815 establishments in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1815]]
[[Category:Kentucky counties]]