# Livingston County, Kentucky

Livingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,888. Its county seat is Smithland and its largest community is Ledbetter. The county was established in 1798 from land taken from Christian County and is named for Robert R. Livingston, a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The county was strongly pro-Confederate during the American Civil War and many men volunteered for the Confederate Army. Livingston County is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is a prohibition or dry county with the exception of Grand Rivers which voted to allow alcohol sales in 2016.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 342 square miles (890 km$^2$), of which 313 square miles (810 km$^2$) is land and 29 square miles (75 km$^2$) (8.5%) is water. The western border with Illinois is formed by the Ohio River.

### Adjacent counties

* Hardin County, Illinois (north)
* Crittenden County (northeast)
* Lyon County (southeast)
* Marshall County (south)
* McCracken County (southwest)
* Massac County, Illinois (west)
* Pope County, Illinois (northwest)

### Major highways

* U.S. Route 60
* U.S. Route 62
* Interstate 24
* Interstate 69
* Kentucky Route 453

## Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,519 people living in the county. The population density was 31 per square mile (12/km$^2$). There were 4,772 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 98.49% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
There were 3,996 households, out of which 29.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.86.
The age distribution was 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 27.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,776, and the median income for a family was $39,486. Males had a median income of $33,633 versus $19,617 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,072. About 7.60% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.70% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Carrsville
* Grand Rivers
* Salem
* Smithland (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Burna
* Ledbetter (largest community)

### Other unincorporated communities
#### North Livingston

* Bayou
* Birdsville
* Hampton
* Joy
* Lola
* Mullikan Junction

#### South Livingston

* Cooper Landing
* Heater
* Iuka
* Lake City
* Newbern
* Pinckneyville
* Stanley Landing
* Tiline
* Vicksburg

### Ghost Town

* Berry Ferry

## Notable people

* Andrew Jackson Smith (September 3, 1843 – March 4, 1932) was a runaway slave, Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Honey Hill.
* James Ford (1775–1833), was a civic leader and businessman who was later discovered to be the secret criminal leader of a gang of Ohio River pirates and highwaymen in the early 19th century.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Livingston County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,021 | 80.87% | 886 | 17.82% | 65 | 1.31% |
| 2020 | 4,010 | 80.14% | 939 | 18.76% | 55 | 1.10% |
| 2016 | 3,570 | 76.86% | 887 | 19.10% | 188 | 4.05% |
| 2012 | 3,089 | 68.48% | 1,346 | 29.84% | 76 | 1.68% |
| 2008 | 2,890 | 62.92% | 1,622 | 35.31% | 81 | 1.76% |
| 2004 | 2,675 | 56.84% | 2,007 | 42.65% | 24 | 0.51% |
| 2000 | 2,118 | 50.07% | 2,022 | 47.80% | 90 | 2.13% |
| 1996 | 1,258 | 31.70% | 2,228 | 56.15% | 482 | 12.15% |
| 1992 | 1,339 | 31.05% | 2,386 | 55.33% | 587 | 13.61% |
| 1988 | 1,834 | 46.92% | 2,052 | 52.49% | 23 | 0.59% |
| 1984 | 1,866 | 47.96% | 2,007 | 51.58% | 18 | 0.46% |
| 1980 | 1,670 | 41.67% | 2,287 | 57.06% | 51 | 1.27% |
| 1976 | 878 | 25.71% | 2,497 | 73.12% | 40 | 1.17% |
| 1972 | 1,673 | 59.96% | 1,065 | 38.17% | 52 | 1.86% |
| 1968 | 1,079 | 32.63% | 1,272 | 38.46% | 956 | 28.91% |
| 1964 | 821 | 27.56% | 2,147 | 72.07% | 11 | 0.37% |
| 1960 | 1,639 | 51.92% | 1,518 | 48.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,247 | 40.94% | 1,795 | 58.93% | 4 | 0.13% |
| 1952 | 1,102 | 41.48% | 1,554 | 58.49% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 671 | 28.81% | 1,622 | 69.64% | 36 | 1.55% |
| 1944 | 1,202 | 41.56% | 1,686 | 58.30% | 4 | 0.14% |
| 1940 | 1,184 | 36.85% | 2,013 | 62.65% | 16 | 0.50% |
| 1936 | 1,039 | 35.26% | 1,897 | 64.37% | 11 | 0.37% |
| 1932 | 1,070 | 32.31% | 2,231 | 67.36% | 11 | 0.33% |
| 1928 | 1,767 | 59.12% | 1,217 | 40.72% | 5 | 0.17% |
| 1924 | 1,267 | 40.84% | 1,768 | 57.00% | 67 | 2.16% |
| 1920 | 1,790 | 47.30% | 1,933 | 51.08% | 61 | 1.61% |
| 1916 | 923 | 40.04% | 1,287 | 55.84% | 95 | 4.12% |
| 1912 | 732 | 35.11% | 1,009 | 48.39% | 344 | 16.50% |

### 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 | Randy Bridges (R) | 3 |