# Carter County, Kentucky

Carter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,627. Its county seat is Grayson. Carter County is in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to Carter Caves State Resort Park.

## History

Carter County was formed on February 9, 1838, from portions of Greenup County and Lawrence County. It was named after Colonel William Grayson Carter, a Kentucky state Senator. The county seat is named for his uncle, Robert Grayson.
The original courthouse was rebuilt in 1907.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 412 square miles (1,070 km$^2$), of which 409 square miles (1,060 km$^2$) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km$^2$) (0.6%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Greenup County (northeast)
* Boyd County (east)
* Lawrence County (southeast)
* Elliott County (south)
* Rowan County (southwest)
* Lewis County (northwest)

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,889 people, 10,342 households, and 7,746 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 per square mile (25/km$^2$). There were 11,534 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 99.02% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 10,342 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,427, and the median income for a family was $31,278. Males had a median income of $28,690 versus $20,554 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,442. About 19.20% of families and 22.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.90% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Carter County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 8,981 | 78.63% | 2,305 | 20.18% | 136 | 1.19% |
| 2020 | 8,775 | 75.74% | 2,642 | 22.80% | 169 | 1.46% |
| 2016 | 7,587 | 73.82% | 2,276 | 22.14% | 415 | 4.04% |
| 2012 | 5,279 | 59.26% | 3,383 | 37.98% | 246 | 2.76% |
| 2008 | 5,252 | 53.52% | 4,316 | 43.98% | 245 | 2.50% |
| 2004 | 5,422 | 48.77% | 5,577 | 50.17% | 118 | 1.06% |
| 2000 | 4,617 | 51.53% | 4,182 | 46.68% | 160 | 1.79% |
| 1996 | 3,240 | 41.69% | 3,728 | 47.97% | 803 | 10.33% |
| 1992 | 3,305 | 38.61% | 4,224 | 49.35% | 1,031 | 12.04% |
| 1988 | 4,325 | 48.36% | 4,570 | 51.10% | 49 | 0.55% |
| 1984 | 4,656 | 53.67% | 3,985 | 45.94% | 34 | 0.39% |
| 1980 | 3,934 | 50.18% | 3,782 | 48.25% | 123 | 1.57% |
| 1976 | 3,185 | 44.65% | 3,915 | 54.89% | 33 | 0.46% |
| 1972 | 4,082 | 60.68% | 2,591 | 38.52% | 54 | 0.80% |
| 1968 | 3,234 | 49.67% | 2,344 | 36.00% | 933 | 14.33% |
| 1964 | 2,821 | 40.37% | 4,136 | 59.20% | 30 | 0.43% |
| 1960 | 4,956 | 58.76% | 3,479 | 41.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 5,127 | 62.09% | 3,112 | 37.68% | 19 | 0.23% |
| 1952 | 4,221 | 58.12% | 3,019 | 41.57% | 22 | 0.30% |
| 1948 | 3,472 | 52.61% | 3,082 | 46.70% | 46 | 0.70% |
| 1944 | 4,117 | 60.01% | 2,733 | 39.84% | 10 | 0.15% |
| 1940 | 4,520 | 56.88% | 3,403 | 42.83% | 23 | 0.29% |
| 1936 | 4,372 | 55.98% | 3,403 | 43.57% | 35 | 0.45% |
| 1932 | 4,376 | 48.51% | 4,565 | 50.61% | 79 | 0.88% |
| 1928 | 5,342 | 68.73% | 2,392 | 30.77% | 39 | 0.50% |
| 1924 | 4,472 | 61.50% | 2,552 | 35.10% | 247 | 3.40% |
| 1920 | 4,595 | 61.98% | 2,757 | 37.19% | 62 | 0.84% |
| 1916 | 2,818 | 58.48% | 1,954 | 40.55% | 47 | 0.98% |
| 1912 | 1,174 | 28.64% | 1,506 | 36.74% | 1,419 | 34.62% |
Carter County leaned increasingly Republican during the 2010s, with Donald Trump dramatically shifting it to the right in 2016. In 8 out of 28 presidential elections since 1912 has the Democratic candidate carried this county, even though they carried it three times in a row from 1988 to 1996. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

### Elected officials

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 :
| U.S. House | Thomas Massie (R) | KY 4 |
| U.S. House | Hal Rogers (R) | KY 5 |
| Ky. Senate | Robin L. Webb (D) | 18 |
| Ky. House | Patrick Flannery (R) | 96 |

## Education

* Carter County School District
* Kentucky Christian University, located in Grayson. In 2022, they awarded 133 degrees. The student population was 629 - 388 male students and 241 female students. Demographics were White (93 and 73.8%), followed by Black or African American (16 and 12.7%), Unknown (8 and 6.35%), and Hispanic or Latino (7 and 5.56%).

## Alcohol sales

Carter County is a moist county, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except in certain areas as voted on by the residents of the area, with at least one area approving full retail alcohol sales. In the case of Carter County, alcohol sales are only permitted as follows:
* At a single approved winery in the Iron Hill precinct, near the unincorporated community of Carter City.
* Within the city of Grayson after a vote on June 11, 2013, approved full retail alcohol sales within the city limits by a vote of 511 in favor of alcohol sales to 393 against.
* Within the city of Olive Hill after a vote on March 10, 2014, approved full retail alcohol sales within the city limits by a vote of 257 in favor of alcohol sales to 206 against.

## Communities
### Cities

* Grayson (county seat)
* Olive Hill

### Unincorporated communities

* Access
* Beech Grove
* Beetle
* Boone Furnace
* Carter
* Davy Run
* Denton
* Grahn
* Hitchins
* Mount Savage
* Norton Branch
* Rooney
* Rush (part)
* Smiths Creek
* Soldier
* Straight Creek
* Willard

## Transportation

Carter County is accessible by U.S. Route 60 and Interstate 64. Until 2010, the city of Olive Hill owned an airport.