Grayson County is a county located in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

. It was formed in 1810. As of 2000, the population was 24,053. Its county seat

County seat

A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is Leitchfield

Leitchfield, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,139 people, 2,485 households, and 1,615 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,797 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.63% White, 1.56% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.18%...

. The county is named for William Grayson

William Grayson

William Grayson was a soldier, lawyer, and statesman from Virginia. He was one of the first two U.S. Senators from Virginia, and belonged to the Anti-Federalist faction.-Biography:...

 (1740-1790), a Revolutionary War colonel and a prominent Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 political figure. It is a prohibition or dry county

Dry county

A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...

, though a bill was passed on March 23, 2010 to allow limited alcohol sales in restaurants.

Geography

Grayson County is part of the Western Coal Fields

Western Coal Fields

thumb|right|Regions of Kentucky, with the Western Coal Fields shown in brownThe Western Coal Fields of Kentucky compose an area in the west-central part of the state, bounded by the Dripping Springs Escarpment. This area is bordered on three sides by the Pennyroyal Plateau and to the north by the...

 region of Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 510.85 square miles (1,323.1 km²), of which 503.68 square miles (1,304.5 km²) (or 98.60%) is land and 7.17 square miles (18.6 km²) (or 1.40%) is water.

Grayson County is home to two large lakes, the Rough River Lake

Rough River Lake

Rough River Lake is a reservoir in Breckinridge, Grayson, and Hardin counties in Kentucky. It was impounded from the Rough River in 1959 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It is the primary attraction of Rough River Dam State Resort Park....

 on the northern border of the county and Nolin River Lake

Nolin River Lake

Nolin River Lake is a reservoir in Edmonson, Grayson, and Hart counties in Kentucky. It was impounded from the Nolin River by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1963. The Nolin River dam was authorized in 1938 as part of a flood control act...

 in the south. The lakes attract many tourists and have led to the nickname "Twin Lakes" region being applied to the county as a whole.

Adjacent counties

• Breckinridge County
  Breckinridge County, Kentucky
  As of the census of 2000, there were 18,648 people, 7,324 households, and 5,309 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,890 housing units at an average density of...
  
    (north)
• Hardin County
  Hardin County, Kentucky
  As of the census of 2000, there were 94,174 people, 34,497 households, and 25,355 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,673 housing units at an average density of...
  
    (northeast)
• Hart County
  Hart County, Kentucky
  Hart County is a county located in the U.S. state — or, more correctly, "Commonwealth" — of Kentucky. It was formed in 1819. , the population was 17,445. Its county seat is Munfordville. The county is named for Captain Nathaniel G. S. Hart, a Kentucky militia officer in the War of 1812...
  
    (southeast)
• Edmonson County
  Edmonson County, Kentucky
  Edmonson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1826. As of 2007, the population was 11,978. It is included in the Bowling Green Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Brownsville...
  
    (south)
• Butler County
  Butler County, Kentucky
  Butler County is a county located in the US state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1810, becoming Kentucky's 53rd county. As of 2000, the population was 13,010. Its county seat is Morgantown, Kentucky. Butler is a prohibition or dry county.- History :...
  
    (southwest)
• Ohio County
  Ohio County, Kentucky
  Ohio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,916. Its county seat is Hartford. The county is named for the Ohio River, which originally formed its northern boundary. It is a dry county, which means that the sale of alcohol is restricted or...
  
    (west)

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 24,053 people, 9,596 households, and 6,966 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 48 /sqmi. There were 12,802 housing units at an average density of 25 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.26% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.50% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.17% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.14% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.01% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.22% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.71% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

There were 9,596 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,639, and the median income for a family was $33,080. Males had a median income of $27,759 versus $19,302 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $14,759. About 13.90% of families and 18.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.10% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.