LaRue County, Kentucky Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids LaRue County
U.S. county
LaRue County courthouse in Hodgenville in 2022
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1843
Named for	John LaRue
Seat	Hodgenville
Largest city	Hodgenville
Area
• Total	264 sq mi (680 km²)
• Land	262 sq mi (680 km²)
• Water	2.1 sq mi (5 km²) 0.8%
Population (2020)
• Total	14,867
• Estimate (2023)	15,303
• Density	56.31/sq mi (21.74/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd

LaRue County is a county in the central region of the U.S. state of Kentucky, outside the Bluegrass Region and larger population centers. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,867. Its county seat is Hodgenville, which is best known as the birthplace of United States President Abraham Lincoln. The county was established on March 4, 1843, from the southeast portion of Hardin County. It was named for John P. LaRue, an early settler. LaRue County is included in the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Louisville/Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Bardstown, KY-IN Combined Statistical Area. It is a dry county.

Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected area
Demographics
Communities
Churches
Lincoln Days
See also

Geography

The low rolling hills of LaRue County have been largely cleared and devoted to agriculture or urban development, with only the drainages of the eastern portions still wooded. The highest point (1,100 feet (340 meters) ASL) is a small hill near its border with Taylor County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 264 square miles (680 km²), of which 262 square miles (680 km²) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) (0.8%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Nelson County − northeast
Marion County − east
Taylor County − southeast
Green County − south/CST Border
Hart County − southwest/CST Border
Hardin County − northwest

National protected area

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	5,859	—
1860	6,891	17.6%
1870	8,235	19.5%
1880	9,793	18.9%
1890	9,433	−3.7%
1900	10,764	14.1%
1910	10,701	−0.6%
1920	10,004	−6.5%
1930	9,093	−9.1%
1940	9,622	5.8%
1950	9,956	3.5%
1960	10,346	3.9%
1970	10,672	3.2%
1980	11,922	11.7%
1990	11,679	−2.0%
2000	13,373	14.5%
2010	14,193	6.1%
2020	14,867	4.7%
2023 (est.)	15,303	7.8%
US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Communities

Cities

Hodgenville (county seat)
Upton (mostly in Hardin County)

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Churches

Hodgenville Pentecostal Church (HPC)
Hodgenville United Methodist Church
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church
LaRue Baptist Church, an Independent Baptist church
Victory Baptist Church
First Baptist Church of Hodgenville (relocated from Downtown Hodgenville to near Lincoln Parkway on the edge of the city limits.)
First Baptist Church on Lincoln Blvd, Hodgenville
Buffalo Baptist Church, Buffalo
Mt. Tabor Baptist Church
Union Christian Church
Magnolia Baptist Church
Roanoke House of Prayer
Lane Lincoln Baptist Church
Athertonville Baptist Church
Oakhill Baptist Church
South Fork Baptist Church
Wesley Meadows United Methodist Church
Levelwoods United Methodist Church
Parkway Baptist Church
Steadfast Baptist Church

Lincoln Days

The county sponsors the annual Lincoln Days celebration on the first full weekend of October, Friday through Sunday. Highlights include the Lincoln Look-A-Like contests, rail-splitting competitions, a parade, shopping booths and concerts by local talent (mostly country, bluegrass and Southern gospel).

LaRue County, Kentucky facts for kids

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