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Vicco, Kentucky
Vicco
Vicco
Location in Perry County and Knott County, Kentucky
Location in Perry County and Knott County, Kentucky
Country United States
State Kentucky
Counties Perry, Knott
Unincorporated Community June 1, 1964
Government
 • Type Former Unincorporated Community
Area
 • Total 0.85 sq mi (2.20 km2)
 • Land 0.84 sq mi (2.17 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation
942 ft (287 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 327
 • Density 389.75/sq mi (150.50/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
41773
Area code(s) 606
FIPS code 21-79590
GNIS feature ID 0506035

Vicco is a small city in Kentucky, United States. It is located in Perry and Knott counties. In 2010, about 334 people lived there.

On January 16, 2013, Vicco became the smallest city in the United States to pass a special rule. This rule made it illegal to treat people unfairly because of who they love. This was a big step for equal rights in a small town.

History of Vicco

Vicco started as a town where people worked in coal mining. Its name comes from the first letters of the Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Company. The city was once known for its fun places and entertainment. The New York Times even called it "the local coal miner's Vegas."

When the coal industry started to decline, Vicco faced tough times. Many local businesses closed, and the city had money problems. However, in the early 2010s, the city tried to make a comeback. They even brought back their police force.

Why Vicco Might Disappear

On March 24, 2022, Governor Andy Beshear signed a new law called Senate Bill 106. This law makes it easier to close down cities that are no longer active. It also helps to lower local taxes.

In Kentucky, a city is called "defunct" (inactive) if it collects taxes but doesn't have elected leaders to spend the money.

The leader of Perry County, Scott Alexander, said Vicco was inactive in 2020. He explained that people in Vicco were still paying a tax on their insurance. But, this money was just sitting there because no one could spend it. So, they are looking at closing Vicco to help residents avoid these taxes.

Senate Bill 106 gave Vicco and other inactive cities until January 1, 2023, to fix things. If they didn't, they would automatically close down. As of November 2022, Vicco had not taken action. Perry County then took over most of the city's duties.

Where is Vicco?

Vicco is located in the eastern part of Perry County. A small part of the city also goes into Knott County. The city sits in a valley near a stream called Carr Fork. This stream flows into the North Fork of the Kentucky River.

Kentucky Route 15 goes right through the middle of Vicco. This road leads west about 11 miles to Hazard. Hazard is the main city in Perry County. The road also goes east about 20 miles to Whitesburg.

The United States Census Bureau says Vicco covers about 0.85 square miles (2.2 square kilometers). Only a tiny part of this area, about 0.01 square miles (0.03 square kilometers), is water.

People in Vicco

Historical population
Census Pop.
1970 377
1980 456 21.0%
1990 244 −46.5%
2000 318 30.3%
2010 334 5.0%
2020 327 −2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

In the year 2000, there were 318 people living in Vicco. These people lived in 132 homes. About 99.69% of the people were White.

About 28.8% of homes had children under 18 living there. Almost half, 49.2%, were married couples. The average home had about 2.41 people.

The people in Vicco had different ages. About 23.9% were under 18 years old. About 12.6% were 65 years or older. The average age was 36 years.

The average income for a home in Vicco was $13,235 in 2000. For families, it was $14,688. About 39.5% of all people in Vicco lived below the poverty line. This included 42.4% of those under 18.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Vicco (Kentucky) para niños

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