Lyon County, Kentucky

Lyon County
County
Lyon County Courthouse in Eddyville, Kentucky.
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°03′32″N 88°06′49″W / 37.058964°N 88.113643°W / 37.058964; -88.113643
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Founded	1854
Named for	Chittenden Lyon
Seat	Eddyville
Largest city	Eddyville
Area
• Total	257 sq mi (670 km2)
• Land	214 sq mi (550 km2)
• Water	43 sq mi (110 km2)  17%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,680
• Estimate  (2023)	9,187
• Density	34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.lyoncountyky.com

Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,680.^[1] Its county seat is Eddyville.^[2] The county was formed from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854 and named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon.^[3][4]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 257 square miles (670 km²), of which 214 square miles (550 km²) is land and 43 square miles (110 km²) (17%) is water.^[5]

• Crittenden County (north)
• Caldwell County (east)
• Trigg County (south)
• Marshall County (southwest)
• Livingston County (northwest)

• Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (part)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	5,307		—
1870	6,233		17.4%
1880	6,768		8.6%
1890	7,628		12.7%
1900	9,319		22.2%
1910	9,423		1.1%
1920	8,795		−6.7%
1930	8,530		−3.0%
1940	9,067		6.3%
1950	6,853		−24.4%
1960	5,924		−13.6%
1970	5,562		−6.1%
1980	6,490		16.7%
1990	6,624		2.1%
2000	8,080		22.0%
2010	8,314		2.9%
2020	8,680		4.4%
2023 (est.)	9,187	[6]	5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2021[1]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 8,080 people, 2,898 households, and 2,043 families living in the county. The population density was 38 per square mile (15/km²). There were 4,189 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.86% White, 6.72% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The largest ancestry groups in Lyon County, Kentucky according to the census^[11] of 2000 are:

• English - 21%
• Irish - 15%
• German - 12%
• African - 7%
• French - 4%
• Scottish - 2%
• Scots-Irish - 20%
• Dutch - 2%

There were 2,898 households, out of which 25.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 26.80% 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 2.26 and the average family size was 2.70.

The age distribution was 15.80% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 27.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 133.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 138.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,694, and the median income for a family was $39,940. Males had a median income of $36,034 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,016. About 10.20% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.

• Eddyville (county seat)
• Kuttawa

• Carmack
• Confederate
• Commerce Landing
• Eddy Bay
• Eden Bay
• Confederate
• Greenacres
• Indian Hills
• Lamasco
• Palisades
• Paradise Hills
• Saratoga
• Suwanee
• Twin Lakes
• Wildhood Hills

• Keen Johnson, publisher and Kentucky governor, born in Lyon County, 1896
• Hylan Benton Lyon, Confederate general and Kentucky political figure
• Forrest Pogue, World War II Historian, born in Lyon County, 1912

United States presidential election results for Lyon County, Kentucky^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,187	76.12%	950	22.69%	50	1.19%
2020	3,100	73.32%	1,092	25.83%	36	0.85%
2016	2,789	70.39%	1,045	26.38%	128	3.23%
2012	2,412	62.83%	1,373	35.76%	54	1.41%
2008	2,220	57.59%	1,577	40.91%	58	1.50%
2004	2,132	54.32%	1,769	45.07%	24	0.61%
2000	1,688	49.36%	1,680	49.12%	52	1.52%
1996	999	34.03%	1,641	55.89%	296	10.08%
1992	820	30.34%	1,583	58.56%	300	11.10%
1988	1,077	44.47%	1,337	55.20%	8	0.33%
1984	969	42.97%	1,272	56.41%	14	0.62%
1980	968	38.31%	1,496	59.20%	63	2.49%
1976	585	26.34%	1,606	72.31%	30	1.35%
1972	1,030	58.52%	687	39.03%	43	2.44%
1968	579	29.88%	719	37.10%	640	33.02%
1964	583	29.06%	1,412	70.39%	11	0.55%
1960	1,024	42.61%	1,379	57.39%	0	0.00%
1956	989	39.01%	1,527	60.24%	19	0.75%
1952	746	34.57%	1,404	65.06%	8	0.37%
1948	582	26.18%	1,505	67.70%	136	6.12%
1944	924	34.53%	1,743	65.13%	9	0.34%
1940	921	31.57%	1,979	67.84%	17	0.58%
1936	929	33.19%	1,861	66.49%	9	0.32%
1932	873	29.31%	2,099	70.46%	7	0.23%
1928	1,215	48.39%	1,286	51.21%	10	0.40%
1924	993	36.33%	1,696	62.06%	44	1.61%
1920	1,275	38.85%	1,968	59.96%	39	1.19%
1916	748	38.16%	1,191	60.77%	21	1.07%
1912	568	31.98%	996	56.08%	212	11.94%

Elected officials as of January 3, 2025[13][14]
U.S. House	James Comer (R)	KY 1
Ky. Senate	Jason Howell (R)	1
Ky. House	Chris Freeland (R)	6

The school district for all of the county is Lyon County School District.^[15]

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

• Local Information
• Lyon County School's student index
• Land Between the Lakes Homepage

37°03′32″N 88°06′49″W / 37.058964°N 88.113643°W / 37.058964; -88.113643