Somerset, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
The major demographic differences between the city and the micropolitan area relate to income, housing composition and age. The micropolitan area, as compared to the incorporated city, is more suburban in flavor and has a significantly younger housing stock, a higher income, and contains most of the area's school age population. Over the last 20 years, significant housing growth has occurred along the Fishing Creek tributary of Lake Cumberland, which lies just to the west of the City of Somerset, and along the main body of Lake Cumberland between the City of Burnside and Fishing Creek. Much of the Somerset area housing growth in the last 20 years is decidedly lake-oriented.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 11,352 people, 4,831 households, and 2,845 families residing within the City of Somerset (proper). The population density
for the city proper was 1,007.1 persons per square mile (388.9/km²). A large karst valley occupies the south-central portion of the city, taking up about 25% of the land area; this valley is quasi-industrialized and also contains parks and recreational facilities; most of the population lies to the east and north of this valley in fairly compact and well-kept residential neighborhoods that have a real population density of about 1,800 persons per square mile. There were 5,428 housing units at an average density of 481.5 per square mile (186.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.16% White, 3.66% Black, 0.18% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.26% from other races
, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population. However, there is a growing influx of immigrants from Mexico and Central America, many of whom are undocumented and not counted in this census.
There were 4,831 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city proper, 20.6% were under the age of 18, 8.5% were in the age cohort from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,362, and the median income for a family was $31,226. Males had a median income of $28,536 versus $20,194 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,048. About 16.4% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.
took place in nearby Nancy, KY and the reenactments held there often draw large crowds. In November 2006, the Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum opened. Their efforts focus on the preservation of the battlefield while providing educational resources to visitors.
Commerce, driven in part by the area's tourism, thrives in Somerset. The city is home to a small mall and several shopping centers. Most of these stores, as well as many restaurants and hotels are located along U.S. Route 27
, making up the state's longest stretch of businesses outside of Louisville
and Lexington
.
Just outside Somerset, located off Highway 461, is the Valley Oak Technology Complex, a key industrial center in the region. Housed there are such companies as Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC), Safeauto, Presidium Learning and others. Somerset's location along Lake Cumberland has caused it to become a major houseboat manufacturing center. The city also has auto-associated, flooring, wood-associated, and other industries.
Somerset has also increasingly been taking on the functions of a major medical center. In 2006, a new 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) medical park, called MedPark West, was finished near the Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (LCRH). Since completion, several new medical practices have opened there. LCRH is one of the largest in the state and is surrounded by many doctor's offices and pharmacies. LCRH is regional hub for the region's only advanced medical services. LCRH is a JACHO accredited hospital with 304 beds. For a Virtual tour of Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital: http://www.lakecregional.com An advanced ventilator care facility Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center
is in adjoining Rockcastle County, KY.
(PCHS) and Southwestern High School
, which was built in 1993 to alleviate overcrowding.
There are several other smaller schools, including Tabernacle Christian Academy,Science Hill Independent, Somerset Christian School, and Saline Christian Academy. The four main high schools are Southwestern, Pulaski County, Somerset, and Somerset Christian. There is a local two-year college, Somerset Community College
, part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
(KCTCS). Somerset Community College offers one of the few Aviation Maintenance Technology programs (Airframe and Powerplant) in Kentucky.
The former Eastern Baptist Seminary operated in Somerset during the 1950s and 1960s, having been founded by the theologian I. K. Cross.
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 11,352 people, 4,831 households, and 2,845 families residing within the City of Somerset (proper). 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...
for the city proper was 1,007.1 persons per square mile (388.9/km²). A large karst valley occupies the south-central portion of the city, taking up about 25% of the land area; this valley is quasi-industrialized and also contains parks and recreational facilities; most of the population lies to the east and north of this valley in fairly compact and well-kept residential neighborhoods that have a real population density of about 1,800 persons per square mile. There were 5,428 housing units at an average density of 481.5 per square mile (186.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.16% White, 3.66% Black, 0.18% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.26% 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 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population. However, there is a growing influx of immigrants from Mexico and Central America, many of whom are undocumented and not counted in this census.
There were 4,831 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% 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, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city proper, 20.6% were under the age of 18, 8.5% were in the age cohort from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,362, and the median income for a family was $31,226. Males had a median income of $28,536 versus $20,194 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 city was $14,048. About 16.4% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.
Local Economy
Tourism is economic for Somerset, due to its proximity to Lake Cumberland and other events. Lake Cumberland alone generates approximately $150 million dollars in revenue each year. The city holds the annual Master Musician's Festival. Somerset is home to the Somernites Cruise, the largest monthly car show in the state. The Civil War Battle of Mill SpringsBattle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs, also known as the Battle of Fishing Creek in Confederate terminology, and the Battle of Logan's Cross Roads in Union terminology, was fought in Wayne and Pulaski counties, near current Nancy, Kentucky, on January 19, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It...
took place in nearby Nancy, KY and the reenactments held there often draw large crowds. In November 2006, the Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum opened. Their efforts focus on the preservation of the battlefield while providing educational resources to visitors.
Commerce, driven in part by the area's tourism, thrives in Somerset. The city is home to a small mall and several shopping centers. Most of these stores, as well as many restaurants and hotels are located along U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana...
, making up the state's longest stretch of businesses outside of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
Just outside Somerset, located off Highway 461, is the Valley Oak Technology Complex, a key industrial center in the region. Housed there are such companies as Science Applications International Corporation
Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC is a FORTUNE 500 scientific, engineering and technology applications company headquartered in the United States with numerous federal, state, and private sector clients...
(SAIC), Safeauto, Presidium Learning and others. Somerset's location along Lake Cumberland has caused it to become a major houseboat manufacturing center. The city also has auto-associated, flooring, wood-associated, and other industries.
Somerset has also increasingly been taking on the functions of a major medical center. In 2006, a new 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) medical park, called MedPark West, was finished near the Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital (LCRH). Since completion, several new medical practices have opened there. LCRH is one of the largest in the state and is surrounded by many doctor's offices and pharmacies. LCRH is regional hub for the region's only advanced medical services. LCRH is a JACHO accredited hospital with 304 beds. For a Virtual tour of Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital: http://www.lakecregional.com An advanced ventilator care facility Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center
Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center
Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center is a not-for-profit acute and long-term care hospital located in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky...
is in adjoining Rockcastle County, KY.
Local schools
There are several schools in the county, served by two main school systems - Somerset Independent and Pulaski County. Students living within the city limits typically fall under the Somerset Independent school district. The Pulaski County School System contains Pulaski County High SchoolPulaski County High School (Kentucky)
Pulaski County High School, or PCHS, is a public high school located in Pulaski County, Kentucky and operated by Pulaski County Schools. It serves the communities of Eubank, Shopville, Woodstock, and parts of the City of Somerset Kentucky...
(PCHS) and Southwestern High School
Southwestern High School (Kentucky)
Southwestern High School is a public high school in Somerset, Kentucky. Operated by Pulaski County Schools, Southwestern opened its doors in the fall of 1993 to alleviate crowding at the district's other high school, Pulaski County High School...
, which was built in 1993 to alleviate overcrowding.
There are several other smaller schools, including Tabernacle Christian Academy,Science Hill Independent, Somerset Christian School, and Saline Christian Academy. The four main high schools are Southwestern, Pulaski County, Somerset, and Somerset Christian. There is a local two-year college, Somerset Community College
Somerset Community College
Somerset Community College , located in Somerset, Kentucky, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System . The college offers academic, general education, and technical curricula leading to certificates, diplomas, and associate's degrees...
, part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Headquartered in Versailles, Kentucky, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System comprises 16 colleges with over 68 campuses. Programs offered include associate degrees, pre-baccalaureate education to transfer to a public 4-year institution; adult education, continuing and developmental...
(KCTCS). Somerset Community College offers one of the few Aviation Maintenance Technology programs (Airframe and Powerplant) in Kentucky.
The former Eastern Baptist Seminary operated in Somerset during the 1950s and 1960s, having been founded by the theologian I. K. Cross.
Notable people
- Josh AndersonJosh Anderson (baseball)Joshua Aaron Anderson is an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
- Major league baseball player for the Kansas City Royals - Harriette Simpson ArnowHarriette Simpson ArnowHarriette Arnow was an American novelist, who lived in Kentucky and Michigan. Arnow has been called an expert on the people of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, but she herself loved cities and spent crucial periods of her life in Cincinnati, and Detroit.-Early life and education:She was born...
- The Author of the Dollmaker - John Sherman Cooper - Former U.S. senator, liberal RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and a member of the Warren CommissionWarren CommissionThe President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, known unofficially as the Warren Commission, was established on November 27, 1963, by Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963... - Daniel DuttonDaniel DuttonDaniel Dutton, born 1959 near Somerset, Kentucky, is a contemporary artist, lyricist, composer, artistic director, and amateur filmmaker, whose work combines visual, musical, and narrative arts. He is best known for his first opera, The Stone Man....
- artist, lyricist, and composer - Jack I. GregoryJack I. GregoryJack Irvin Gregory is a former General in the United States Air Force and the former commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces.-Early life:...
- (1931- ) General, USAF, Commander in Chief Pacific Air Forces 1986-1988 - Edwin P. MorrowEdwin P. MorrowEdwin Porch Morrow was an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Kentucky from 1919 to 1923. He was the only Republican elected to this office between 1907 and 1927. He championed the typical Republican causes of his day, namely equal rights for African-Americans and the use of...
- Kentucky Governor, 1919–1923 - Venus RameyVenus RameyVenus Ramey was Miss America in 1944, and was the first red-haired contestant to win the title.Ramey competed as Miss District of Columbia and worked during her reign to help win suffrage for Washington D.C. in 1945...
- Miss America 1944 - Hal RogersHal RogersHarold Dallas "Hal" Rogers is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and early career:...
- U.S. Congressman, Kentucky's 5th District - Tommy Lee WallaceTommy Lee WallaceTommy Lee Wallace is an American film producer, director and screenwriter.He is best known for directing Halloween III: Season of the Witch and It.-Early life:...
- American film producer, director, and screenwriter - Jimmy RaveJimmy RaveJames Guffey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Jimmy Rave. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
(James Guffey) - Professional Wrestler