Barren County is a county in Kentucky, United States, about 32 miles east of Bowling Green. It
had a population of 44,485 at the 2020 census, an estimated 44,938 by 2024, and covers 500 square
miles (1,300 km2) centred near 36°58′N 85°56′W.
Glasgow is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 42141. The county holds 3
incorporated cities, 1 census-designated place and 36 unincorporated communities, and it runs on
Central Time. Its FIPS code is 21009.
Towns & Villages in Barren County
Barren County has 40 named places on record: 3 incorporated cities, 1 census-designated place
and 36 unincorporated communities and crossroads with no formal government of their own. CDP
stands for census designated place; Unincorp. covers rural hamlets and crossroads with no formal
boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | City · seat | 15,014 | 42141 |
| Cave City | City | 2,356 | 42127 |
| Park City | City | 614 | 42160 |
| Hiseville | CDP | 246 | 42152 |
| Austin | Unincorp. | — | 42123 |
| Lucas | Unincorp. | — | 42156 |
| Eighty Eight | Unincorp. | — | 42130 |
| Etoile | Unincorp. | — | 42131 |
| Apple Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bear Wallow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beckton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Berry Store | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bon Ayr | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bristletown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cooktown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coral Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dry Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Finney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goodnight | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Griderville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Halfway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Haywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kino | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lecta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Merry Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nobob | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oil City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peter Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pritchardsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Railton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Cross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rocky Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roseville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slick Rock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stovall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Temple Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tracy | Unincorp. | — | — |
Park City carried the name Glasgow Junction until 1938, when it was renamed to avoid confusion
with the county seat — the two are separate places about 12 miles apart. Hiseville was an
incorporated city until it disincorporated in 2004; it is now tracked as a census-designated place
rather than a municipality.
ZIP Codes
- 42141 — Glasgow (the county’s largest ZIP by population)
- 42142 — Glasgow (PO Box only)
- 42127 — Cave City
- 42160 — Park City
- 42123 — Austin
- 42156 — Lucas
- 42130 — Eighty Eight
- 42131 — Etoile
- 42152 — Hiseville (PO Box only)
The county has 7 standard-delivery ZIP codes and 2 PO-Box-only codes. The 32 remaining
unincorporated hamlets on the list above have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is delivered
under the nearest post office town’s code, most often Glasgow.
Geography
Barren County sits on the Pennyroyal Plateau of south-central Kentucky, a limestone karst
region riddled with caves and sinkholes. Of its 500 square miles, 488 are land and 12 are water,
about 2.4 percent. Barren River Lake, an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir, forms much of the
county’s southern boundary with Allen County, and the county’s northwestern corner reaches into
Mammoth Cave National Park, home to the longest known cave system in the world.
Hart County lies to the north, Metcalfe County to the east, Monroe County to the southeast,
Allen County to the southwest, Warren County to the west, and Edmonson County to the northwest.
Hart County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County, Allen County, Warren County and Edmonson County all border Barren
directly.
Demographics
Barren County had a population of 44,485 at the 2020 census, and the latest estimate puts the
county near 44,938 residents as of 2024. Glasgow and Cave City are by far the two largest
communities, together holding more than a third of the county’s population. Median household
income runs $50,628 (2024 estimate), well below Kentucky’s statewide figure of $61,118 (2023
ACS). Population density works out to roughly 91 people per square mile of land, low for a county
anchoring its own micropolitan area.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 4,005 people, followed by health
care and social assistance at 2,673 and retail trade at 2,501. Akebono Brake Industry and Nemak
both run auto-parts plants in Glasgow, and Walmart operates a supercenter there. T.J. Samson
Community Hospital is the county’s main health care employer, and Western Kentucky University
runs a satellite campus in Glasgow. In February 2026, Kingspan Group announced a $76 million
manufacturing facility for the city, expected to create 400 jobs. Cave City’s economy leans on
tourism tied to Mammoth Cave, ten miles west, drawing more than 40,000 visitors a year to its
convention center and antique shops. The county’s biggest annual event is the Glasgow Highland
Games, held the weekend after Memorial Day each year at Barren River Lake State Resort Park, with
most other events held in downtown Glasgow.
History
Kentucky’s legislature formed Barren County on 20 December 1798, carving it out of Warren
and Green counties. Early settlers named it for the Barrens, open meadowland that once covered
the county’s northern third despite fertile soil beneath the grass. Glasgow, established as the
seat in 1799, was chosen for its central location, a reliable spring and a 50-acre land donation
from resident John Gorin. The county has had six courthouses over its history.
Barren County stayed a dry county, banning alcohol sales, for most of its existence until a
September 2016 referendum finally allowed them. Cave City and Park City grew up around the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which carried tourists to Mammoth Cave beginning in the 1800s;
Park City was known as Glasgow Junction for that reason until its 1938 renaming. In 2007,
Progressive Farmer magazine named Barren County the best place to live in rural America.
Getting There
No interstate crosses the county directly, though Interstate 65 clips its northwestern corner
near Park City at Exit 48. The Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway passes south of downtown Glasgow
with four exits. US Route 31E and US Route 68 intersect just north of Glasgow.
- Bowling Green — about 32 miles west
- Mammoth Cave National Park — about 10 miles west of Cave City
- Barren River Lake State Resort Park — about 13 miles south of Glasgow
Nashville International Airport, south in Tennessee, and Louisville Muhammad Ali International
Airport, to the north, are the nearest major commercial airports. Bowling Green–Warren County
Regional Airport, 32 miles west, handles general aviation only and has no scheduled passenger
service. Barren County has no passenger rail service of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Barren County located?
It sits on the Pennyroyal Plateau of south-central Kentucky, about 32 miles east of Bowling
Green, bordered by Hart, Metcalfe, Monroe, Allen, Warren and Edmonson counties.
What is the population of Barren County?
44,485 at the 2020 census, with a 2024 estimate near 44,938.
How big is Barren County?
500 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 488 square miles are land and 12 are water.
What is the county seat of Barren County?
Glasgow, established in 1799, is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and villages are in Barren County?
Three incorporated cities — Glasgow, Cave City and Park City — plus the
Hiseville census-designated place and 36 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes does Barren County use?
42141 and 42142 for Glasgow; 42127 for Cave City; 42160 for Park City; 42123 for Austin; 42156
for Lucas; 42130 for Eighty Eight; 42131 for Etoile; and 42152 for Hiseville.
What is Barren County known for?
Its Mammoth Cave National Park frontage around Cave City and Park City, and the Glasgow Highland
Games held each year after Memorial Day.
More counties in this state: Towns
and villages in Kentucky.