Radcliff, Kentucky Facts for Kids

Radcliff is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's a "home rule-class city," which means it has the power to govern itself in many ways. In 2020, about 23,042 people lived there. This was an increase from 21,692 people in 2010.

The city's economy is mostly connected to Fort Knox, a large U.S. Army base nearby. It's also influenced by the city of Elizabethtown. Radcliff's population used to change a lot when army units moved in or out of Fort Knox. However, a big change in 2005, called the BRAC reorganization, brought the U.S. Army's Human Resources Command to Fort Knox. This has made Radcliff's population much more stable.

Where is Radcliff Located?
A Look Back: Radcliff's History
Who Lives in Radcliff? (Demographics)
Learning in Radcliff (Education)
See also

Where is Radcliff Located?

Radcliff is in the northern part of Hardin County. You can find it at these coordinates: 37°49′48″N 85°56′44″W / 37.83000°N 85.94556°W / 37.83000; -85.94556. To its north is Fort Knox, and to its west is Vine Grove.

U.S. Route 31W goes through the eastern side of the city. This road leads north about 34 miles (55 km) to Louisville. It also goes south about 11 miles (18 km) to Elizabethtown.

The United States Census Bureau says that Radcliff covers a total area of about 13.39 square miles (34.67 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water.

The area once known as Rogersville is now part of southern Radcliff. It was named after a local family.

A Look Back: Radcliff's History

Radcliff was officially made a city in 1956. But its story began earlier, in 1919. That year, a man named Horace McCullum divided land along Wilson Avenue into lots. He then sold these lots to people who offered the most money. McCullum named this new community after Major William Radcliffe. Major Radcliffe was in charge of the Quartermaster Corps at the new Camp Henry Knox. After selling his general store in the new town, McCullum didn't play a big role in its growth anymore.

A major event for Radcliff happened in the 1930s. Fort Knox expanded, and this caused two towns, Stithton and New Stithton, to be moved. Many people and businesses from those towns came to live in Radcliff. During World War II, thousands of soldiers trained at Fort Knox. They often spent their free time at the USO in Radcliff.

In 1953, the Hardin Water District No. 1 was created. It started providing fresh water to Hardin County in 1955. Today, this water district is the main source of water for the whole county. Radcliff also got its fire department in 1955, with Joseph B. Hutcherson as the first fire chief. The Radcliff Civic Club was also formed that year.

The city officially became a 6th-class city in March 1956. At that time, the Radcliff Police Department was formed. The city's population was estimated to be around 800 people. Radcliff's population grew a lot over the next 50 years because of the military families moving in and out. However, more recently, the population has become more stable.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1960	3,384	—
1970	8,426	149.0%
1980	14,656	73.9%
1990	19,772	34.9%
2000	21,961	11.1%
2010	21,688	−1.2%
2020	23,042	6.2%
2022 (est.)	22,953	5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Radcliff has its own local government. The city has a mayor and a city council. These leaders are elected by the people of Radcliff to make decisions for the city. For example, Mike Weaver was elected mayor in 2014 and started his four-year term in 2015. City council members are also elected to serve the community. Elections happen regularly, and new members join the council to help guide the city's future.

Who Lives in Radcliff? (Demographics)

"Demographics" is a way to describe the people who live in a place. As of the census in 2000, there were 21,961 people living in Radcliff. These people lived in 8,487 households, and 5,856 of these were families.

The population was made up of different groups:

About 62.76% were White.
About 25.65% were African American.
About 3.52% were Asian.
Other groups made up the rest.
About 5.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (38.5%) had children under 18 living with them. About 48.7% were married couples. The average household had about 2.57 people.

Looking at age groups, the population was spread out:

29.1% were under 18 years old.
32.6% were between 25 and 44 years old.
8.6% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the city was 33 years.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,763. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. For families, the median income was $41,260. About 12.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 18.0% of those under 18.

Learning in Radcliff (Education)

Radcliff has several schools for students. There are two public high schools within the city limits. Most high school students go to North Hardin High School. Some students are assigned to John Hardin High School, which is also in a part of the city.

There are also several elementary and middle schools:

North Park Elementary
Woodland Elementary
Meadowview Elementary
Radcliff Elementary
North Middle School

For those interested in private education, there is the North Hardin Christian School. This school is run by Radcliff's Fellowship Independent Baptist Church and teaches all grades.

Radcliff used to have a lending library, which was a branch of the Hardin County Public Library. This branch, called the North Branch, closed in September 2020. The building where the library used to be was sold in July 2022.

Radcliff, Kentucky facts for kids

Contents

Where is Radcliff Located?

A Look Back: Radcliff's History

Who Lives in Radcliff? (Demographics)

Learning in Radcliff (Education)

See also