# Webster County, Kentucky

Webster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,017. Its county seat is Dixon and its largest city is Providence. It is the southernmost county in the Evansville, IN–KY Combined Statistical Area. The county was formed in 1860 from parts of Henderson, Hopkins, and Union Counties and named for American statesman Daniel Webster (1782–1852). It was mainly pro-Confederate during the American Civil War and was the site of several skirmishes and some guerrilla warfare. Since 2018 it has been a moist county, with Providence and Sebree voting to allow alcohol sales, and Clay doing so in 2022.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 336 square miles (870 km$^2$), of which 332 square miles (860 km$^2$) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km$^2$) (1.1%) is water. Webster County is part of the Western Coal Field region of Kentucky.

### Adjacent counties

* Henderson County (north)
* McLean County (northeast)
* Hopkins County (southeast)
* Caldwell County (south)
* Crittenden County (southwest)
* Union County (northwest)

## Demographics
### 2010 census

As of the census of 2010, 5,272 households, and 3,716 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 per square mile (16/km$^2$). There were 5,936 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 91.4% White, 4.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 4.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,272 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 19, 5.8% from 20 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. 49.7% of the population is male and 50.3% female.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,635, and the median income for a family was $49,580. Males employed full-time had a median income of $41,662 versus $26,502 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,879. About 11.9% of families and 16% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Webster County, Kentucky :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,339 | 78.10% | 1,153 | 20.75% | 64 | 1.15% |
| 2020 | 4,506 | 75.19% | 1,412 | 23.56% | 75 | 1.25% |
| 2016 | 4,397 | 75.75% | 1,240 | 21.36% | 168 | 2.89% |
| 2012 | 3,607 | 65.94% | 1,765 | 32.27% | 98 | 1.79% |
| 2008 | 3,037 | 54.82% | 2,390 | 43.14% | 113 | 2.04% |
| 2004 | 3,207 | 57.82% | 2,304 | 41.54% | 36 | 0.65% |
| 2000 | 2,599 | 51.24% | 2,388 | 47.08% | 85 | 1.68% |
| 1996 | 1,568 | 30.73% | 2,852 | 55.90% | 682 | 13.37% |
| 1992 | 1,408 | 24.85% | 3,380 | 59.66% | 877 | 15.48% |
| 1988 | 2,159 | 41.50% | 3,019 | 58.04% | 24 | 0.46% |
| 1984 | 2,504 | 44.87% | 3,042 | 54.52% | 34 | 0.61% |
| 1980 | 1,939 | 35.03% | 3,506 | 63.34% | 90 | 1.63% |
| 1976 | 1,402 | 28.21% | 3,523 | 70.89% | 45 | 0.91% |
| 1972 | 2,396 | 57.57% | 1,712 | 41.13% | 54 | 1.30% |
| 1968 | 1,446 | 29.48% | 2,114 | 43.10% | 1,345 | 27.42% |
| 1964 | 1,217 | 24.52% | 3,741 | 75.36% | 6 | 0.12% |
| 1960 | 2,498 | 44.00% | 3,179 | 56.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,948 | 37.08% | 3,050 | 58.06% | 255 | 4.85% |
| 1952 | 1,858 | 34.50% | 3,516 | 65.28% | 12 | 0.22% |
| 1948 | 1,087 | 23.93% | 3,288 | 72.38% | 168 | 3.70% |
| 1944 | 1,840 | 35.46% | 3,324 | 64.06% | 25 | 0.48% |
| 1940 | 2,107 | 33.33% | 4,197 | 66.40% | 17 | 0.27% |
| 1936 | 1,983 | 29.20% | 4,788 | 70.49% | 21 | 0.31% |
| 1932 | 2,257 | 31.62% | 4,833 | 67.71% | 48 | 0.67% |
| 1928 | 3,527 | 49.49% | 3,591 | 50.39% | 9 | 0.13% |
| 1924 | 3,131 | 47.08% | 3,449 | 51.86% | 71 | 1.07% |
| 1920 | 3,554 | 42.23% | 4,831 | 57.41% | 30 | 0.36% |
| 1916 | 2,082 | 43.35% | 2,673 | 55.65% | 48 | 1.00% |
| 1912 | 905 | 22.47% | 2,036 | 50.55% | 1,087 | 26.99% |

### Elected officials

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025 :
| U.S. House | James Comer (R) | KY 1 |
| Ky. Senate | Robby Mills (R) | 4 |
| Ky. House | Jim Gooch Jr. (R) | 12 |

## Communities
### Cities

* Clay
* Dixon (county seat)
* Providence
* Sebree
* Slaughters
* Wheatcroft

### Census-designated places

* Onton
* Poole (partially in Henderson County)

### Other unincorporated communities

* Blackford
* Derby
* Diamond
* Elmwood
* Fairmont
* Free Union
* Hearin
* Jolly
* Lisman
* Little Zion
* Ortiz
* Pratt
* Stanhope
* Tilden
* Vanderburg
* Wanamaker

## Notable residents

* Robert A. Baker, psychologist, author, influential skeptic, and Past Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
* William O. Head, mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1909 to 1913
* Kristen Johnson, Miss Kentucky USA 2005, 2nd runner-up Miss USA 2005, Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2000
* Chris Knight, musician/songwriter.
* Cale Young Rice, American poet and dramatist.
* Laban Lacy Rice, educator, author, and President of Cumberland University
* Garrett L. Withers, represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives
* Amy Slaton-Halterman, reality TV star
* Tammy Slaton, reality TV star