Hancock County, Kentucky

Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,095.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is in the city of Hawesville located in the Northern part of the county, and its largest city of Lewisport is located in the Northwestern part of the county.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

Hancock County is included in the Owensboro, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Hancock County Board of Education consists of 4 public school systems. Hancock County High School (HCHS), Hancock County Middle School (HCMS), South Hancock Elementary School, & North Hancock Elementary School (NHES). North Hancock Elementary School being the only one located in Lewisport. NHES replaced the previously outdated Lewisport Elementary School with a newly constructed $8,829,532 building.

History

Hancock County was formed in 1829 from portions of Breckinridge, Daviess, and Ohio counties.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The county is named for John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The courthouse, the second to serve the county, was built in 1868 and renovated in 1978.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (5.6%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> The northern border of the county lies along the Ohio River.

Adjacent counties

• Spencer County, Indiana (northwest)
• Perry County, Indiana (northeast)
• Breckinridge County (southeast)
• Ohio County (south)
• Daviess County (west)

Demographics

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 8,392 people, 3,215 households, and 2,436 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,600 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.85% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,215 households, out of which 36.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.40% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,914, and the median income for a family was $42,994. Males had a median income of $35,294 versus $23,574 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,623. About 11.40% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Incorporated

• Hawesville (county seat)
• Lewisport (largest community)

Unincorporated

• Adair
• Arrington Corner
• Boling Chapel
• Cabot
• Chambers
• Dukes
• Easton
• Floral
• Goering
• Patesville
• Pellville
• Petri
• Roseville
• Reynolds Station (mostly in Ohio County)
• Skillman
• Utility
• Waitman
• Weberstown

Government and politics

Politics

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot Unlike most fellow Southern counties, Hancock County has been a swing county for most of its history. No party had won the county more than three times in a row (aside from a brief Republican streak from 1916-1928), but the county has swung sharply to the right in the 21st century. The county gave Barack Obama a majority of the votes in 2008, but went back to Republican hands in 2012, and has continued to swing further right since, with Donald Trump becoming the first candidate in history to gain over 70% of the vote in 2024. Hancock County is still relatively swingy socially, having voted in favor of abortion<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and legalizing medical marijuana.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Like most counties in Kentucky, Hancock County is much more competitive at the local level due to Kentucky's high number of conservative Democrats and Kentucky's previously Democratic history.

Government

Federal and State

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
U.S. House	Template:Party shading/Republican|Brett Guthrie (R)	Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr
Ky. Senate	Template:Party shading/Republican|Gary Boswell (R)	Template:Party shading/Republican|8
Ky. House	Template:Party shading/Republican|Scott Lewis (R)	Template:Party shading/Republican|14

Fiscal Court

Office<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>		Name	Party
	Magistrate District 1	Brent Wigginton	Republican
	Magistrate District 2	Kasey Emmick	Democratic
	Magistrate District 3	John Gray	Republican
	Magistrate District 4	Gary Baker	Republican

County Office

Office<ref name=":0" />		Name	Party
	Judge/Executive	Johnny Roberts, Jr.	Republican
	County Attorney	Paul Madden, Jr.	Democratic
	Sheriff	Dale Bozarth	Democratic
	Jailer	Roger Estes	Democratic
	Circuit Court Clerk	Mike Boling	Democratic
	County Clerk	Trina Ogle	Democratic
	Property Value Administrator	Karen Keown	Republican
	Coroner	David Gibson	Republican

External links

• Hancock Clarion newspaper website
• County website
• Hancock's Chamber of Commerce website Template:Webarchive