Oldham County, Kentucky

{{Infobox U.S. county

| flag = Flag of Oldham County, Kentucky.svg

| county = Oldham County

| state = Kentucky

| seal = Seal of Oldham County, Kentucky.svg

| founded year = 1823

| founded date = December 15

| seat wl = La Grange

| largest city wl = La Grange

| area_total_sq_mi = 196

| area_land_sq_mi = 187

| area_water_sq_mi = 9.2

| area percentage = 4.7

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 67607

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 70525 {{increase}}

| population_density_sq_mi = 377

| time zone = Eastern

| footnotes =

| website = {{URL|https://www.oldhamcountyky.gov/|oldhamcountyky.gov}}

| named for = William Oldham (1753–1791), American Revolutionary War colonel

| ex image = Oldham county courthouse.jpg

| ex image cap = Oldham County courthouse in La Grange

| district = 4th

}}

Oldham County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state and commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,607.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/oldhamcountykentucky/PST045221 |access-date=June 30, 2022 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514070712/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/oldhamcountykentucky/PST045221 |url-status=live }} Its county seat is La Grange.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=live }} The county is named for Colonel William Oldham.

Oldham County is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Oldham County is the wealthiest county in Kentucky{{Cite web |title=Oldham County KY Data & Peer Group Rankings |url=https://kentucky.hometownlocator.com/ky/oldham/ |access-date=January 31, 2018 |website=kentucky.hometownlocator.com |language=en |archive-date=February 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201020057/https://kentucky.hometownlocator.com/ky/oldham/ |url-status=live }} and 47th-wealthiest county in the U.S.{{Cite web |title=Wealthiest counties in the U.S. |url=https://stacker.com/stories/1096/wealthiest-counties-us |access-date=October 25, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028212134/https://stacker.com/stories/1096/wealthiest-counties-us |url-status=live }} (and 37th in the U.S. by median income{{cite web |title=QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221 |website=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 7, 2022 |archive-date=February 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202181905/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221 |url-status=live }}) and ranks as the most educated county in Kentucky.{{Cite web |title=Most educated county in every state | website=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/most-educated-county-in-every-state/ss-BB18xbQY#image=18 |access-date=October 15, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028212105/https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/most-educated-county-in-every-state/ss-BB18xbQY#image=18 |url-status=live }} While the causes for this are complicated, areas east of Louisville have long been popular with wealthy residents, initially as summer residences and eventually as year-round suburban estates and bedroom communities. Oldham County lies northeast of the best known of these areas, Anchorage, just outside Louisville's pre-merger East End.

History

Oldham County was established on December 15, 1823, from parts of Henry, Jefferson, and Shelby Counties.{{Cite web |year=2000 |title=Oldham County |url=http://www.kyenc.org/entry/o/OLDHA02.html |access-date=August 23, 2014 |publisher=The Kentucky Encyclopedia |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717123345/http://www.kyenc.org/entry/o/OLDHA02.html |url-status=live }} It was the 74th Kentucky county, and was named in honor of Col. William Oldham of Jefferson County, a Revolutionary War officer.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ |title=The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 1 |publisher=Kentucky State Historical Society |year=1903 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_luoxAQAAMAAJ/page/n36 36]}}

Initially, it was mainly a rural county with small, scattered developments in places like Westport which was founded in 1800 and served as the county seat early on. When the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad Company introduced rail lines in the area in the 1850s, many new towns and communities sprang up. Eventually the railroad ceased operating as a form of public transportation, but the more rural nature of the county continued to draw residents away from the metropolitan areas in Jefferson County.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} Since the early 1970s and the completion of Interstate 71, which connects Oldham County to Downtown Louisville and shopping in Eastern Jefferson County, Oldham County has increasingly become suburban in nature, a natural extension of Louisville's wealthy East End as it ran out of large tracts of undeveloped land.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|196|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|187|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|9.2|sqmi}} (4.7%) are covered by water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_21.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210847/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_21.txt |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} It is the 13th-smallest county in Kentucky. The county's northern border with Indiana is formed by the Ohio River.

=Adjacent counties=

Clark County, Indiana (northwest)
Trimble County (northeast)
Henry County (east)
Shelby County (southeast)
Jefferson County (southwest)

Demographics

Image:Graph of Oldham County population..GIF

{{US Census population

| 1830 = 9588

| 1840 = 7380

| 1850 = 7629

| 1860 = 7283

| 1870 = 9027

| 1880 = 7667

| 1890 = 6754

| 1900 = 7078

| 1910 = 7248

| 1920 = 7689

| 1930 = 7402

| 1940 = 10716

| 1950 = 11018

| 1960 = 13388

| 1970 = 14687

| 1980 = 27795

| 1990 = 43455

| 2000 = 46178

| 2010 = 60316

| 2020 = 67607

| estyear = 2024

| estimate = 70525

| estref = {{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|access-date=March 13, 2025 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

| align-fn = center

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-date=July 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701194652/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |url-status=live }}
1790–1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library |archive-date=December 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226073904/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |url-status=live }} 1900–1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ky190090.txt |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013035315/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ky190090.txt |url-status=live }}
1990–2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=August 19, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010–2020

}}

As of the census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov/ |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054630/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }} of 2000, there were 46,178 people, 14,856 households, and 12,196 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|244|/sqmi}}. There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of {{convert|82|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the county was 93.62% White, 4.21% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 1.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,856 households, out of which 44.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.50% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.90% were non-families. 14.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.17.

The age distribution was 27.40% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 33.10% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $70,171 (2005), and the median income for a family was $70,495. Males had a median income of $46,962 versus $28,985 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,374. About 2.90% of families and 4.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.50% of those under age 18 and 6.00% of those age 65 or over. Oldham County is the most affluent county in the state of Kentucky; most residents work in Louisville and choose to live in Oldham County due to the lack of crime and the nationally recognized school system. North Oldham High School in particular, is ranked very highly among state high schools, having been named a national blue ribbon school of excellence, and ranked in the top 250 best schools in the nation through Us Weekly.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} 2006 classes at Oldham County High School were reported as to have a teacher:student ratio of 1:15, but that number does not accurately reflect the ratio of a normal class.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} That number includes, for example, the small classes of five to six students in Behavioral Disorders.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} The published ratio also includes small classes at the County Career Center, which is located on the same campus.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}} The actual teacher-student ratios are closer to 1:30. Regardless of population swelling and diminishing student-teacher ratios, which have led to a slight decline as of late, Oldham county is still widely recognized as the best public school system in the state.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

Communities

=Cities=

=Census-designated places=

=Other unincorporated places=

Politics

{{PresHead|place=Oldham County, Kentucky|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=July 5, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org |archive-date=March 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ |url-status=live }}}}

The county voted "No" on 2022 Kentucky Amendment 2, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 58% to 42%, and backed Donald Trump with 60% of the vote to Joe Biden's 38% in the 2020 presidential election.{{cite web |title=November 8, 2022 - Official 2022 General Election Results |url=https://elect.ky.gov/results/2020-2029/Documents/2022%20General%20Election%20results.pdf |publisher=Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections |access-date=December 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224001202/https://elect.ky.gov/results/2020-2029/Documents/2022%20General%20Election%20results.pdf |archive-date=December 24, 2022}}

=Elected officials=

class=wikitable
colspan="3" \|Elected officials as of January 3, 2025{{Cite web \|url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html \|title=Senate Members - County \|author= \|date= \|website=apps.legislature.ky.gov \|publisher=Kentucky General Assembly \|access-date=January 3, 2025 \|quote=}}{{Cite web \|url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html \|title=House Members - County \|author= \|date= \|website=apps.legislature.ky.gov \|publisher=Kentucky General Assembly \|access-date=January 3, 2025 \|quote=}}
scope=row\|U.S. House \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|Thomas Massie (R) \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|{{ushr\|KY\|4\|B}}
scope=row\|Ky. Senate \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|Lindsey Tichenor (R) \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|6
rowspan=3 \|Ky. House \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|Jason Nemes (R) \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|33
{{party shading/Republican}}\|Ken Fleming (R) \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|48
{{party shading/Republican}}\|David W. Osborne (R) \| {{party shading/Republican}}\|59

class=wikitable

colspan="3" |Elected officials as of January 3, 2025{{Cite web |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/smembers_county.html |title=Senate Members - County |author= |date= |website=apps.legislature.ky.gov |publisher=Kentucky General Assembly |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote=}}{{Cite web |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/hmembers_county.html |title=House Members - County |author= |date= |website=apps.legislature.ky.gov |publisher=Kentucky General Assembly |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote=}}

scope=row|U.S. House

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Thomas Massie (R)

| {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|KY|4|B}}

scope=row|Ky. Senate

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Lindsey Tichenor (R)

| {{party shading/Republican}}|6

rowspan=3 |Ky. House

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jason Nemes (R)

| {{party shading/Republican}}|33

{{party shading/Republican}}|Ken Fleming (R)

| {{party shading/Republican}}|48

{{party shading/Republican}}|David W. Osborne (R)

| {{party shading/Republican}}|59

Education

It is in the Oldham County School District.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21185_oldham/DC20SD_C21185.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oldham County, KY|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-12-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21185_oldham/DC20SD_C21185_SD2MS.txt Text list] It operates Oldham County High School.