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Mason County, Kentucky facts for kids

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Mason County
The Mason County courthouse in Maysville
The Mason County courthouse in Maysville
Map of Kentucky highlighting Mason County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kentucky
Founded 1788
Named for George Mason
Seat Maysville
Largest city Maysville
Area
 • Total 246 sq mi (640 km2)
 • Land 240 sq mi (600 km2)
 • Water 6.3 sq mi (16 km2)  2.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 17,120
 • Estimate 
(2023)
16,841 Decrease
 • Density 69.59/sq mi (26.87/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 4th

Mason County is a place in Kentucky, a state in the United States. It's like a big district or area within the state. In 2020, about 17,120 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, where the government offices are, is Maysville.

Mason County was created in 1788. It was named after George Mason. He was an important person from Virginia. George Mason helped write the U.S. Constitution. He is known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights." The Bill of Rights protects many of our freedoms.

Mason County is part of a larger area. This area includes Maysville, Kentucky. It also connects to bigger cities like Cincinnati in Ohio.

Geography of Mason County

Mason County covers about 246 square miles. Most of this area is land. About 6.3 square miles is water. This means about 2.6% of the county is water.

The northern edge of Mason County is the Ohio River. This river forms the border with the state of Ohio.

Neighboring Counties

Mason County shares its borders with several other counties. These are like its neighbors.

People of Mason County

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 2,729
1800 12,182 346.4%
1810 12,459 2.3%
1820 13,588 9.1%
1830 16,199 19.2%
1840 15,719 −3.0%
1850 18,344 16.7%
1860 18,222 −0.7%
1870 18,126 −0.5%
1880 20,469 12.9%
1890 20,773 1.5%
1900 20,446 −1.6%
1910 18,611 −9.0%
1920 17,760 −4.6%
1930 18,862 6.2%
1940 19,066 1.1%
1950 18,486 −3.0%
1960 18,454 −0.2%
1970 17,273 −6.4%
1980 17,765 2.8%
1990 16,666 −6.2%
2000 16,800 0.8%
2010 17,490 4.1%
2020 17,120 −2.1%
2023 (est.) 16,841 −3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

The census helps us count how many people live in an area. In 2000, there were 16,800 people in Mason County. There were also 6,847 households. A household is a group of people living together.

The county had about 70 people per square mile. This is called the population density. Most people living in Mason County were White. About 7% were Black or African American.

Many households had children under 18 living with them. Over half of the households were married couples. Some households had a single female parent. About 27% of households were single people living alone.

The average age of people in Mason County was 38 years old. About 24% of the population was under 18. About 15% of people were 65 or older.

The average income for a family in the county was about $37,257 per year. Some families and people lived below the poverty line. This means they had a lower income.

Towns and Places

Mason County has several towns and smaller communities.

Cities

Census-Designated Place

  • Mays Lick is a special area. It is counted in the census but is not a city.

Other Small Communities

Education in Mason County

The Mason County Schools system runs the public schools here.

Here are some of the schools:

  • Mason County High School (for older students)
  • Mason County Middle School (for middle school students)
  • Mason County Intermediate School
  • Straub Elementary School (for younger students)

In 1990, the Maysville school district joined with the Mason County school district. This made one larger school system.

Famous People from Mason County

Many interesting people have come from Mason County.

  • Joshua Bean: He was the first mayor of San Diego. This was a city in California. He was mayor from 1850 to 1851.
  • Albert Sidney Johnston: He was a military leader. He commanded the Army of the Republic of Texas. He also served as Secretary of War for Texas. Later, he was a commander for the Confederacy during the Civil War. He died in the Battle of Shiloh.
  • Judge Roy Bean: He was a famous judge in Texas. People called him the "Hanging Judge." He was known for his unique way of applying the law.
  • Deron Feldhaus: He was a basketball player. He was part of the "The Unforgettables" team at the University of Kentucky.
  • Chris Lofton: He played basketball for the University of Tennessee. In 2003, he was named Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball." This is a big award for high school players.
  • Darius Miller: He also played basketball for the University of Kentucky. He helped his team win the NCAA Championship in 2012. He was Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" in 2008. He later played for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA.
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