Spencer County, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spencer County
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Spencer County Courthouse in Taylorsville.
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Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
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 Kentucky's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | 1824 |
| Named for | Spier Spencer |
| Seat | Taylorsville |
| Largest city | Taylorsville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 192 sq mi (500 km2) |
| • Land | 187 sq mi (480 km2) |
| • Water | 5.0 sq mi (13 km2) 2.6% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,490 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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20,531  |
| • Density | 101.51/sq mi (39.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 2nd, 4th |
Spencer County is a place in the state of Kentucky, USA. It's known for its beautiful nature and growing communities. As of 2020, about 19,490 people live here. The main town and county seat is Taylorsville. Spencer County was created in 1824. It was named after Spier Spencer, a brave captain.
Spencer County is part of the larger Louisville area. This means it's connected to a bigger group of cities and towns.
One of the most important places in the county is Taylorsville Lake. This lake helps the local economy. For a long time, Spencer County did not allow alcohol sales. But in 2009, people voted to change that rule. Between 2000 and 2005, Spencer County grew very fast. Its population increased by 33%, which was one of the fastest rates in the whole country!
Contents
History of Spencer County
Spencer County was officially formed in January 1824. This happened when the Kentucky government decided to use land from three nearby counties: Bullitt County, Shelby County, and Nelson County. Spencer County became the 77th county in Kentucky.
The county got its name from Spier Spencer. He was a captain from Kentucky who bravely fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe. Sadly, he died during that battle.
Later in 1824, Taylorsville was chosen as the county seat. This means it became the main town where the county government is located. The town officially became a city in 1829.
During the American Civil War, the courthouse in Taylorsville was burned down in January 1865. This was done by soldiers who supported the Confederacy. Luckily, all of the county's important records were saved from the fire.
Geography of Spencer County
Spencer County covers a total area of about 192 square miles. Most of this area, about 187 square miles, is land. The rest, about 5 square miles, is water.
Neighboring Counties
Spencer County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Shelby County (to the north)
- Anderson County (to the east)
- Nelson County (to the south)
- Bullitt County (to the west)
- Jefferson County (to the northwest)
Main Roads
Two important roads run through Spencer County:
- Kentucky Route 44
- Kentucky Route 55
People of Spencer County
In 2000, there were 11,766 people living in Spencer County. There were 4,251 households, which are groups of people living together. Most of the households, about 67.9%, were married couples. About 38.4% of households had children under 18 living with them.
The average household had about 2.74 people. The average family had about 3.08 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 27% were under 18 years old.
- 7.7% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 33.5% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 22.7% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 9.1% were 65 years or older.
The average age of people in the county was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were about 101.8 males.
The average income for a household in the county was $47,042 per year. For families, the average income was $52,038 per year. About 8.8% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 8.9% of children under 18.
Education in Spencer County
The Spencer County Public Schools system has six schools. These schools help students from preschool all the way through high school.
- Spencer County High School
- Spencer County Middle School
- Spencer County Elementary School
- Taylorsville Elementary School
- Hillview Academy
- Spencer County Preschool
Communities in Spencer County
City
- Taylorsville (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
Census-Designated Place
- Elk Creek (This is a special area recognized by the census.)
Other Small Towns and Places
- Little Mount
- Mount Eden
- Rivals
- Waterford
- Yoder
- Wakefield
- Wilsonville
- Crenshaw
- Normandy
- Edgewater Resort
- Taylorsville Lake
- Taylorsville Lake State Park
