# Carlisle County, Kentucky

Carlisle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,826, making it the fourth-least populous county in Kentucky. Its county seat is Bardwell. The county was founded in 1886 and named for John Griffin Carlisle, a Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky. It remains a prohibition or dry county. Carlisle County is included in the Paducah, KY-IL, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 199 square miles (520 km$^2$), of which 189 square miles (490 km$^2$) is land and 9.5 square miles (25 km$^2$) (4.8%) is water. The county's western border with Missouri is formed by the Mississippi River.

### Adjacent counties

* Ballard County (north)
* McCracken County (northeast)
* Graves County (east)
* Hickman County (south)
* Mississippi County, Missouri (west)

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,351 people, 2,208 households, and 1,574 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 per square mile (11/km$^2$). There were 2,490 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.78% White, 0.95% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,208 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,087, and the median income for a family was $33,433. Males had a median income of $29,523 versus $19,792 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,276. About 10.50% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Carlisle County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 2,182 | 83.60% | 408 | 15.63% | 20 | 0.77% |
| 2020 | 2,159 | 81.84% | 463 | 17.55% | 16 | 0.61% |
| 2016 | 2,094 | 80.51% | 432 | 16.61% | 75 | 2.88% |
| 2012 | 1,835 | 70.06% | 750 | 28.64% | 34 | 1.30% |
| 2008 | 1,699 | 64.92% | 879 | 33.59% | 39 | 1.49% |
| 2004 | 1,734 | 60.95% | 1,102 | 38.73% | 9 | 0.32% |
| 2000 | 1,405 | 54.18% | 1,149 | 44.31% | 39 | 1.50% |
| 1996 | 816 | 33.62% | 1,355 | 55.83% | 256 | 10.55% |
| 1992 | 844 | 33.16% | 1,383 | 54.34% | 318 | 12.50% |
| 1988 | 1,104 | 43.06% | 1,428 | 55.69% | 32 | 1.25% |
| 1984 | 1,308 | 50.15% | 1,277 | 48.96% | 23 | 0.88% |
| 1980 | 975 | 38.31% | 1,542 | 60.59% | 28 | 1.10% |
| 1976 | 435 | 17.71% | 1,985 | 80.82% | 36 | 1.47% |
| 1972 | 1,169 | 55.75% | 872 | 41.58% | 56 | 2.67% |
| 1968 | 479 | 19.65% | 1,144 | 46.92% | 815 | 33.43% |
| 1964 | 282 | 15.22% | 1,565 | 84.46% | 6 | 0.32% |
| 1960 | 978 | 35.59% | 1,770 | 64.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 608 | 22.72% | 2,063 | 77.09% | 5 | 0.19% |
| 1952 | 656 | 25.99% | 1,867 | 73.97% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 279 | 12.57% | 1,899 | 85.54% | 42 | 1.89% |
| 1944 | 505 | 19.67% | 2,057 | 80.10% | 6 | 0.23% |
| 1940 | 500 | 17.37% | 2,366 | 82.21% | 12 | 0.42% |
| 1936 | 420 | 16.15% | 2,150 | 82.69% | 30 | 1.15% |
| 1932 | 402 | 12.36% | 2,840 | 87.30% | 11 | 0.34% |
| 1928 | 787 | 28.28% | 1,994 | 71.65% | 2 | 0.07% |
| 1924 | 467 | 16.93% | 2,250 | 81.58% | 41 | 1.49% |
| 1920 | 688 | 19.99% | 2,688 | 78.09% | 66 | 1.92% |
| 1916 | 494 | 22.61% | 1,646 | 75.33% | 45 | 2.06% |
| 1912 | 331 | 17.04% | 1,409 | 72.55% | 202 | 10.40% |

### Elected officials

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 :
| U.S. House | James Comer (R) | KY 1 |
| Ky. Senate | Danny Carroll (R) | 2 |
| Ky. House | Steven Rudy (R) | 1 |

## Communities
### Cities

* Arlington
* Bardwell

### Unincorporated communities

* Cunningham
* Geveden
* Milburn
* Yellow Dog Road