# Hancock County, Kentucky

Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,095. Its county seat is in the city of Hawesville located in the Northern part of the county, and its largest city of Lewisport is located in the Northwestern part of the county.
Hancock County is included in the Owensboro, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Hancock County Board of Education consists of 4 public school systems. Hancock County High School (HCHS), Hancock County Middle School (HCMS), South Hancock Elementary School, & North Hancock Elementary School (NHES). North Hancock Elementary School being the only one located in Lewisport. NHES replaced the previously outdated Lewisport Elementary School with a newly constructed $8,829,532 building.

## History

Hancock County was formed in 1829 from portions of Breckinridge, Daviess, and Ohio counties. The county is named for John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
The courthouse, the second to serve the county, was built in 1868 and renovated in 1978.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 199 square miles (520 km$^2$), of which 188 square miles (490 km$^2$) is land and 11 square miles (28 km$^2$) (5.6%) is water. The northern border of the county lies along the Ohio River.

### Adjacent counties

* Spencer County, Indiana (northwest)
* Perry County, Indiana (northeast)
* Breckinridge County (southeast)
* Ohio County (south)
* Daviess County (west)

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,392 people, 3,215 households, and 2,436 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 per square mile (17/km$^2$). There were 3,600 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.85% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,215 households, out of which 36.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.40% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,914, and the median income for a family was $42,994. Males had a median income of $35,294 versus $23,574 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,623. About 11.40% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Incorporated

* Hawesville (county seat)
* Lewisport (largest community)

### Unincorporated

* Adair
* Arrington Corner
* Boling Chapel
* Cabot
* Chambers
* Dukes
* Easton
* Floral
* Goering
* Patesville
* Pellville
* Petri
* Roseville
* Reynolds Station (mostly in Ohio County)
* Skillman
* Utility
* Waitman
* Weberstown

## Government and politics
### Politics

United States presidential election results for Hancock County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,375 | 72.85% | 1,173 | 25.32% | 85 | 1.83% |
| 2020 | 3,145 | 68.56% | 1,351 | 29.45% | 91 | 1.98% |
| 2016 | 2,788 | 64.91% | 1,244 | 28.96% | 263 | 6.12% |
| 2012 | 2,212 | 53.51% | 1,833 | 44.34% | 89 | 2.15% |
| 2008 | 1,928 | 46.53% | 2,135 | 51.52% | 81 | 1.95% |
| 2004 | 2,286 | 56.74% | 1,709 | 42.42% | 34 | 0.84% |
| 2000 | 2,032 | 56.29% | 1,508 | 41.77% | 70 | 1.94% |
| 1996 | 1,356 | 40.61% | 1,547 | 46.33% | 436 | 13.06% |
| 1992 | 1,261 | 34.98% | 1,714 | 47.55% | 630 | 17.48% |
| 1988 | 1,733 | 53.44% | 1,478 | 45.58% | 32 | 0.99% |
| 1984 | 1,967 | 59.59% | 1,287 | 38.99% | 47 | 1.42% |
| 1980 | 1,367 | 45.51% | 1,530 | 50.93% | 107 | 3.56% |
| 1976 | 1,124 | 40.92% | 1,562 | 56.86% | 61 | 2.22% |
| 1972 | 1,583 | 64.61% | 791 | 32.29% | 76 | 3.10% |
| 1968 | 1,049 | 44.70% | 867 | 36.94% | 431 | 18.36% |
| 1964 | 756 | 34.52% | 1,423 | 64.98% | 11 | 0.50% |
| 1960 | 1,488 | 59.38% | 1,018 | 40.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,317 | 56.14% | 1,022 | 43.56% | 7 | 0.30% |
| 1952 | 1,341 | 53.11% | 1,177 | 46.61% | 7 | 0.28% |
| 1948 | 985 | 45.54% | 1,146 | 52.98% | 32 | 1.48% |
| 1944 | 1,365 | 54.40% | 1,129 | 45.00% | 15 | 0.60% |
| 1940 | 1,424 | 51.52% | 1,338 | 48.41% | 2 | 0.07% |
| 1936 | 1,087 | 44.90% | 1,317 | 54.40% | 17 | 0.70% |
| 1932 | 1,174 | 41.54% | 1,623 | 57.43% | 29 | 1.03% |
| 1928 | 1,614 | 58.33% | 1,151 | 41.60% | 2 | 0.07% |
| 1924 | 1,332 | 48.88% | 1,323 | 48.55% | 70 | 2.57% |
| 1920 | 1,446 | 50.23% | 1,384 | 48.07% | 49 | 1.70% |
| 1916 | 918 | 51.14% | 833 | 46.41% | 44 | 2.45% |
| 1912 | 268 | 15.23% | 757 | 43.01% | 735 | 41.76% |
Unlike most fellow Southern counties, Hancock County has been a swing county for most of its history. No party had won the county more than three times in a row (aside from a brief Republican streak from 1916-1928), but the county has swung sharply to the right in the 21st century. The county gave Barack Obama a majority of the votes in 2008, but went back to Republican hands in 2012, and has continued to swing further right since, with Donald Trump becoming the first candidate in history to gain over 70% of the vote in 2024. Hancock County is still relatively swingy socially, having voted in favor of abortion and legalizing medical marijuana. Like most counties in Kentucky, Hancock County is much more competitive at the local level due to Kentucky's high number of conservative Democrats and Kentucky's previously Democratic history.

### Government
#### Federal and State

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 :
| U.S. House | Brett Guthrie (R) | KY 2 |
| Ky. Senate | Gary Boswell (R) | 8 |
| Ky. House | Scott Lewis (R) | 14 |

#### Fiscal Court

| Office | Name | Party |
| Magistrate District 1 | Brent Wigginton | Republican |
| Magistrate District 2 | Kasey Emmick | Democratic |
| Magistrate District 3 | John Gray | Republican |
| Magistrate District 4 | Gary Baker | Republican |

#### County Office

| Office | Name | Party |
| Judge/Executive | Johnny Roberts, Jr. | Republican |
| County Attorney | Paul Madden, Jr. | Democratic |
| Sheriff | Dale Bozarth | Democratic |
| Jailer | Roger Estes | Democratic |
| Circuit Court Clerk | Mike Boling | Democratic |
| County Clerk | Trina Ogle | Democratic |
| Property Value Administrator | Karen Keown | Republican |
| Coroner | David Gibson | Republican |