Mason County, Kentucky

Mason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,490.[1] Its county seat is Maysville.[2] The county was created from Bourbon County, Virginia in 1788 and named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights".[3][4] Mason County comprises the Maysville, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN Combined Statistical Area.

Mason County
U.S. county
The Mason County courthouse in Maysville
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°36′N 83°50′W
Country United States
State Kentucky
Founded1788
Named forGeorge Mason
SeatMaysville
Largest cityMaysville
Area
 • Total246 sq mi (640 km2)
 • Land240 sq mi (600 km2)
 • Water6.3 sq mi (16 km2)  2.6%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
17,150
 • Density73/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitemasoncountykentucky.us

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 246 square miles (640 km2), of which 240 square miles (620 km2) is land and 6.3 square miles (16 km2) (2.6%) is water.[5] The county's northern border with Ohio is formed by the Ohio River.

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
17902,729—
180012,182346.4%
181012,4592.3%
182013,5889.1%
183016,19919.2%
184015,719−3.0%
185018,34416.7%
186018,222−0.7%
187018,126−0.5%
188020,46912.9%
189020,7731.5%
190020,446−1.6%
191018,611−9.0%
192017,760−4.6%
193018,8626.2%
194019,0661.1%
195018,486−3.0%
196018,454−0.2%
197017,273−6.4%
198017,7652.8%
199016,666−6.2%
200016,8000.8%
201017,4904.1%
Est. 201817,150[6]−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 16,800 people, 6,847 households, and 4,697 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 per square mile (27/km2). There were 7,754 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.88% White, 7.16% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,847 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,195, and the median income for a family was $37,257. Males had a median income of $30,718 versus $21,216 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,589. About 12.90% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.60% of those under age 18 and 13.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Politics

Mason County was at the time of the Civil War the easternmost of the strongly secessionist Bluegrass bloc.[12] Mason was in fact the most easterly Kentucky county to be represented at the Russellville Convention of 1861 to discuss the secession of Kentucky from the Union.

Mason County's secessionist sentiment meant that it voted Democratic consistently up until the 1950s, with the exception of the 1928 election when strong local anti-Catholic sentiment against Al Smith allowed Herbert Hoover to carry the county. Since the 1950s, the state has turned Republican due to the increasingly liberal position of the Democratic Party on social issues.

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 68.5% 4,944 27.3% 1,970 4.2% 305
2012 61.0% 4,197 37.7% 2,592 1.3% 92
2008 57.6% 4,102 40.6% 2,891 1.8% 128
2004 61.9% 4,381 37.4% 2,644 0.8% 54
2000 60.8% 3,572 37.1% 2,178 2.1% 123
1996 46.7% 2,588 44.1% 2,444 9.2% 507
1992 40.3% 2,432 44.1% 2,657 15.6% 940
1988 53.6% 3,158 46.2% 2,721 0.3% 16
1984 58.2% 3,751 41.3% 2,663 0.5% 32
1980 46.5% 2,926 50.6% 3,181 2.9% 180
1976 42.1% 2,529 56.6% 3,397 1.3% 78
1972 58.5% 3,529 40.7% 2,459 0.8% 49
1968 40.5% 2,661 42.2% 2,772 17.3% 1,137
1964 35.1% 2,437 64.8% 4,502 0.2% 13
1960 57.9% 4,334 42.1% 3,153
1956 51.8% 3,880 47.7% 3,572 0.5% 38
1952 49.9% 3,606 50.0% 3,614 0.1% 8
1948 40.1% 2,519 57.7% 3,620 2.2% 138
1944 45.8% 3,256 53.6% 3,810 0.6% 39
1940 45.6% 3,704 54.0% 4,386 0.3% 27
1936 41.6% 3,317 56.5% 4,503 1.9% 147
1932 38.6% 3,213 60.8% 5,065 0.7% 56
1928 59.8% 5,012 40.1% 3,364 0.1% 6
1924 48.3% 3,406 50.0% 3,525 1.8% 124
1920 44.2% 3,743 55.3% 4,691 0.5% 42
1916 42.5% 2,127 56.4% 2,820 1.1% 53
1912 33.8% 1,558 53.8% 2,475 12.4% 572

Education

Mason County Schools operates public schools.

Schools:

  • Mason County High School
  • Mason County Middle School
  • Mason County Intermediate School
  • Straub Elementary School

In 1990 the Maysville Independent School District merged into the Mason County school district.[14]

Notable residents

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Mason County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  4. Collins, Lewis (1882). Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky, Volume 2. Collins & Company. p. 26.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. Copeland, James E.; 'Where Were the Kentucky Unionists and Secessionists'; The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, volume 71, no. 4 (October, 1973), pp. 344-363
  13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
  14. Ellis, Ronnie (2007-01-15). "The ups and downs of merging school districts". Richmond Register. Retrieved 2018-05-21.

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