Owen County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Owenton. The county is named for Colonel Abraham Owen. It is a prohibition or dry county, with the exception of a winery that is authorized to sell its product to the public, and limited sales within the incorporated city limits of Owenton.

History

Numerous Native American burial mounds were located in Owen County. Many pioneers made their homes on land grants along the many streams which flow through the county.

Owen County was formed as the 63rd county by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and approved February 6, 1819. It was formed from the counties of Franklin, Scott, Gallatin, and Pendleton. Hesler (Heslerville) was the first county seat. Owen County was named after Abraham Owen, an Indian fighter and Kentucky legislator, who was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Colonel Owen also surveyed and mapped the region that became Owen County.

Adjacent counties

  • Carroll County (northwest)
  • Gallatin County (northeast)
  • Grant County (east)
  • Scott County (southeast)
  • Franklin County (southwest)
  • Henry County (west)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,278. The median age was 41.9 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.2% from some other race, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.2% of the population.

There were 4,349 households in the county, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,296 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

The age distribution was 21.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 20 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. The population distribution for males was 49.7% and for females was 50.3%.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,719 and the median income for a family was $59,242. Males had a median income of $41,563 versus $31,016 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,633. About 12.8% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

Libraries

Located in downtown Owenton, the Owen County Public Library was established in 1946 by the Owen County Woman's Club. It was housed in the front parlor of Elizabeth Holbrook Thomas's home on the same corner where the present library, built in 1973, now stands.

The library's collection comprises more than 25,000 items, including a genealogy collection. Among the services it provides are printing, fax sending, notaries, and access to a public meeting room.

Currently this library changed to a center for the elderly when the county build a new library on the outskirts of the city of Owenton

Communities

Cities

  • Glencoe
  • Gratz
  • Monterey
  • Owenton (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

  • Hesler
  • Long Ridge
  • Lusby's Mill
  • New Columbus
  • New Liberty
  • Perry Park
  • Pleasant Home
  • Squiresville
  • Wheatley

Owen County serves as the opening setting in the 1992 Paul Russell novel Boys of Life where it is referred to simply as Owen. The majority of the novel is set in the early 1980s New York City. Points of interest within Owen and nearby areas such as Christian County are mentioned and referenced throughout the story.

Politics

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Elected officials

{| class=wikitable

|-

| colspan="3" |Elected officials as of January 3, 2025

|-

! scope=row|U.S. House

| |Thomas Massie (R)

| |

|-

! scope=row|Ky. Senate

| |Gex Williams (R)

| |20

|-

! scope=row|Ky. House

| |Felicia Rabourn (R)

| |47

|}

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Owen County, Kentucky

References

  • Northern Kentucky Views - Owen County Historical Images and Documents