Jump to content

Morgan County, Kentucky

Coordinates: 37°55′N 83°16′W / 37.92°N 83.26°W / 37.92; -83.26
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Morgan County, Kentucky
County
Morgan County courthouse in West Liberty
Morgan County courthouse in West Liberty
Map of Kentucky highlighting Morgan County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Coordinates: 37°55′N 83°16′W / 37.92°N 83.26°W / 37.92; -83.26
Country United States
State Kentucky
FoundedDecember 7, 1822
Named afterDaniel Morgan
SeatWest Liberty
Largest cityWest Liberty
Government
 • Judge/ExecutiveJim Gazay (R)
Area
 • Total
384 sq mi (990 km2)
 • Land381 sq mi (990 km2)
 • Water2.7 sq mi (7.0 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
13,726
 • Estimate 
(2025)
14,415 Increase
 • Density36.0/sq mi (13.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitemorgancounty.ky.gov

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,726.[1] Its county seat is West Liberty.[2]

History

[edit]

Morgan County was formed on December 7, 1822, from portions of Bath County and Floyd County.[3] It was named for Daniel Morgan, a distinguished general in the American Revolutionary War.[4]

The first white settler in the county was Daniel Williams, a traveling preacher from Virginia who built the first permanent home in the vicinity several miles south of present-day West Liberty. Williams had also previously served in the American Revolution in the Kentucky Militia.

During the Civil War, Morgan County was a majority Pro-Confederate County. 220 Morgan County men served as Union Soldiers, while nearly 400 or more served as Confederate soldiers. Morgan County men formed nearly all of A, B, C and parts of D and E. companies of the 5th KY Infantry. (CSA)

On May 29, 1869, a portion of Morgan County became part of present-day Menifee County.

Main articles: 2012 West Liberty tornado and 2012 West Liberty tornado § Lawsuit and corruption

Morgan County was hit by a devastating EF3 tornado during a widespread and deadly tornado outbreak on March 2, 2012. The county seat was the most heavily impacted area by the tornado, as monetary costs within West Liberty and Morgan County reached up to $75 million (2012 USD). Six out of eleven people (including one direct death) were killed within the county by the tornado.[5][6][7][8]

In May 2015, Morgan County was sued for $1 million (2015 USD) by Emergency Disaster Services (EDS), a Lexington-based emergency relief company the county rented various amounts of equipment and apparatus from following the 2012 tornado. EDS demanded to be paid by the county, but officials of Morgan County claimed EDS owner Jerry Lundergan, a former Kentucky Democratic Party chairman, was price gouging for the rented equipment and repairs throughout the area. They also claimed Lundergan struck shady business deal with Timothy Alexander Conley, the county's former judge-executive who was sentenced in 2014 to seven years in a federal prison following various counts of fraud, money laundering, bid rigging and kickbacks.[9][10]

Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 384 square miles (990 km2), of which 300 square miles (780 km2) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) (0.7%) is water.[11]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

National protected area

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18302,857—
18404,60361.1%
18507,62065.5%
18609,23721.2%
18705,975−35.3%
18808,45541.5%
189011,24933.0%
190012,79213.7%
191016,25927.1%
192016,5181.6%
193015,130−8.4%
194016,82711.2%
195013,624−19.0%
196011,056−18.8%
197010,019−9.4%
198012,10320.8%
199011,648−3.8%
200013,94819.7%
201013,923−0.2%
202013,726−1.4%
2025 (est.)14,415[12] Increase5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 13,726. The median age was 41.2 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 130.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 133.9 males age 18 and over.[17][18]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.6% White, 3.6% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.[18]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19]

There were 4,841 households in the county, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]

There were 5,610 housing units, of which 13.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.5% were owner-occupied and 22.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.[17]

2000 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,948 people, 4,752 households, and 3,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 per square mile (14/km2). There were 5,487 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.59% White, 4.38% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,752 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.40% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% 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 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.40% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 123.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,869, and the median income for a family was $26,135. Males had a median income of $23,966 versus $18,463 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,657. 27.20% of the population and 23.50% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 33.90% are under the age of 18 and 28.50% are 65 or older.

Politics

[edit]
United States presidential election results for Morgan County, Kentucky[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1912 876 29.94% 1,800 61.52% 250 8.54%
1916 1,123 32.43% 2,319 66.97% 21 0.61%
1920 1,802 34.88% 3,347 64.79% 17 0.33%
1924 1,805 35.09% 3,311 64.37% 28 0.54%
1928 2,025 44.02% 2,575 55.98% 0 0.00%
1932 1,435 25.70% 4,137 74.09% 12 0.21%
1936 1,269 28.01% 3,256 71.86% 6 0.13%
1940 1,509 26.67% 4,148 73.33% 0 0.00%
1944 1,217 27.26% 3,242 72.63% 5 0.11%
1948 987 21.94% 3,488 77.53% 24 0.53%
1952 1,311 29.29% 3,161 70.62% 4 0.09%
1956 1,878 37.20% 3,164 62.68% 6 0.12%
1960 1,718 37.12% 2,910 62.88% 0 0.00%
1964 546 14.05% 3,293 84.72% 48 1.23%
1968 1,341 33.86% 2,222 56.10% 398 10.05%
1972 1,535 45.56% 1,815 53.87% 19 0.56%
1976 973 24.97% 2,897 74.34% 27 0.69%
1980 1,450 34.53% 2,698 64.25% 51 1.21%
1984 1,834 42.36% 2,481 57.30% 15 0.35%
1988 1,452 38.04% 2,329 61.02% 36 0.94%
1992 1,239 28.09% 2,655 60.19% 517 11.72%
1996 1,439 38.94% 1,843 49.88% 413 11.18%
2000 2,295 54.13% 1,875 44.22% 70 1.65%
2004 2,682 50.87% 2,532 48.03% 58 1.10%
2008 2,396 54.72% 1,879 42.91% 104 2.37%
2012 3,021 67.55% 1,369 30.61% 82 1.83%
2016 3,628 75.98% 1,006 21.07% 141 2.95%
2020 4,301 77.58% 1,175 21.19% 68 1.23%
2024 4,353 80.94% 939 17.46% 86 1.60%

Morgan County a historically Democratic county, with the party's candidate winning it in every presidential election until 2000, when George W. Bush became the first Republican to ever carry the county. In the 21st century, like almost all of Kentucky, the county has flipped to the Republicans in most elections.

Elected officials

[edit]
Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[21][22]
U.S. House Hal Rogers (R) KY 5
Ky. Senate Brandon Smith (R) 30
Ky. House Richard White (R) 99

Communities

[edit]

City

[edit]

Census-designated place

[edit]

Other unincorporated places

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Morgan County". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 2000. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  4. ^ The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1. Kentucky State Historical Society. 1903. pp. 36.
  5. ^ "History". West Liberty Tourism. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  6. ^ National Weather Service in Jackson, Kentucky (March 2, 2012). "Summary of the March 2, 2012 Tornadoes". National Weather Service (.gov). Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  7. ^ "Storm victims identified". WAVE3. Louisville, Kentucky. March 6, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  8. ^ US Congress (March 12, 2012). "CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1574" (PDF). Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  9. ^ Cheves, John (May 24, 2015). "Morgan County and Lexington company battling over $1 million bill for equipment used after tornado leveled town". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  10. ^ "Morgan County Judge-Executive Pleads Guilty to Accepting Kickbacks". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Lexington, Kentucky. August 28, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  12. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  16. ^ "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 18, 2014.
  17. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  21. ^ "Senate Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "House Members - County". apps.legislature.ky.gov. Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
[edit]

37°55′N 83°16′W / 37.92°N 83.26°W / 37.92; -83.26

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morgan_County,_Kentucky&oldid=1350770381"