Taylor County
County
Entrance to Clay Hill, located along Kentucky Route 289.
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°22′N 85°20′W / 37.37°N 85.33°W / 37.37; -85.33
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1848
Named for	Zachary Taylor
Seat	Campbellsville
Largest city	Campbellsville
Area
• Total	277 sq mi (720 km2)
• Land	266 sq mi (690 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  3.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,023
• Estimate  (2023)	26,443
• Density	94/sq mi (36/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.taylorcounty.us

Taylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,023.^[1] Its county seat is Campbellsville.^[2] Settled by people from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina after the American Revolutionary War, the county was organized in 1848 in the Highland Rim region. It is named for United States Army General Zachary Taylor, later President of the United States.^[3] Taylor County was the 100th of the 120 counties created by Kentucky. The Campbellsville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Taylor County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 277 square miles (720 km²), of which 266 square miles (690 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (3.8%) is water.^[4]

Taylor County has a geographic boundary shaped like a heart, and also claims to be the geographic center of Kentucky.^[5] It includes a fabled center marker of Kentucky, a U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey magnetic station marker placed in Taylor County circa 1916 which in time since has been regarded by citizens as the geodetic center of the state. Information on this marker is currently not available in federal databases. The claim to the geographic center of Kentucky is disputed by surrounding counties^[6] in part due to the planar methods^[7] used to initially determine the geographic centers of the states.

The American Civil War skirmish, The Battle of Tebbs Bend, was fought in Taylor County.

• Marion County (north)
• Casey County (east)
• Adair County (southeast/CST Border)
• Green County (south & west/CST Border)
• LaRue County (northwest)

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,927 people, 9,233 households, and 6,555 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 per square mile (33/km²). There were 10,180 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.62% White, 5.06% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,233 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,089, and the median income for a family was $33,854. Males had a median income of $26,633 versus $20,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,162. About 14.20% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 18.30% of those age 65 or over.

• Campbellsville (county seat)

Taylor County is represented in the Kentucky House of Representatives by Republican Sarge Pollock and in the state Senate by another Republican, Max Wise. In 2019, Republican Barry Smith took office as county judge. Smith unseated the Democrat Eddie Rogers in the general election held on November 6, 2018.

School districts include:^[14]

• Campbellsville Independent School District
• Taylor County School District

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

37°22′N 85°20′W / 37.37°N 85.33°W / 37.37; -85.33