Casey County is a county in Kentucky, United States, about 26 miles south of Danville. It had a
population of 15,941 at the 2020 census, an estimated 16,205 by 2025, and covers 446 square miles
(1,160 km2) centred near 37°19′N 84°56′W.
Liberty is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city; its postal code is 42539.
The county holds 1 city and 37 unincorporated communities, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS
code is 21045.
Towns & Villages in Casey County
Casey County has 38 named places on record: Liberty, the sole incorporated city, and 37
unincorporated communities with no city government of their own. Unincorp. covers crossroads,
former post-office stops and rural communities recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey’s
Geographic Names Information System; most have no population figure of their own because the
Census Bureau counts them only as part of the county total.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | City · seat | 2,028 | 42539 |
| Argyle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Athens | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Atterson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bass | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beech Bottom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bethelridge | Unincorp. | — | 42516 |
| Butchertown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cantown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chilton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clementsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Creston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Duncan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunnville | Unincorp. | — | 42528 |
| Ellisburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Evans Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Evona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gilpin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Honey Acre | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jacktown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Labascus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lanhamtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lawhorn Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middleburg | Unincorp. | — | 42541 |
| Mintonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Olive | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peytons Store | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phil | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pricetown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rheber | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rubert Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Teddy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walltown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ware | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windsor | Unincorp. | — | 42565 |
| Yosemite | Unincorp. | — | 42566 |
Kentucky counties have no civil townships, so Casey County’s 37 unincorporated communities
are not grouped under any subdivision below the county itself — each is simply a named place
inside county territory.
ZIP Codes
- 42539 — Liberty (the county seat, and by far the most populous ZIP)
- 42528 — Dunnville (also serves the county’s southern edge near the Green River)
- 42565 — Windsor
- 42566 — Yosemite
- 42516 — Bethelridge
- 42541 — Middleburg
The other 32 named communities on the list above have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is
delivered under whichever of the six post-office towns is closest, a common pattern in rural
Kentucky counties where small crossroads never supported their own post office or lost it decades
ago.
Geography
Casey County sits in the Knobs, a band of steep, cone-shaped hills that rings the outer edge of
Kentucky’s Bluegrass region — it is the only Kentucky county entirely inside the Knobs.
Of its 446 square miles, 444 are land and 1.5 are water, about 0.3 percent, reflecting a county
with no large natural lake and only the Green River and its tributary creeks accounting for most
of its surface water. Green River Knob, at 1,789 feet (545 meters), is the county’s highest
point. The Census Bureau classifies the county as 100 percent rural, with no urban area of any
size.
Boyle County lies to the north, Lincoln County to the east, Pulaski County to the southeast,
Russell County to the south, Adair County to the southwest, Taylor County to the west, and Marion
County to the northwest. Boyle County,
Lincoln County,
Pulaski County,
Russell County,
Adair County,
Taylor County and
Marion County all border Casey
County directly.
Demographics
Casey County had a population of 15,941 at the 2020 census, up slightly from earlier counts,
and the latest estimate puts the county near 16,205 residents. Liberty, with 2,028 people, is by
far the largest single community; every other named place on the list above is a rural crossroads
with no separate population count. Median household income runs about $45,510, well below
Kentucky’s statewide 2023 ACS figure of $61,118. Population density works out to roughly 36
people per square mile of land, low even by the standards of rural south-central Kentucky, and the
county is entirely rural under the Census Bureau’s urban-area definitions.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 1,307 people, followed by health
care and social assistance at 687 and retail trade at 623. Casey County is nationally known for
tubular-gate and farm-equipment manufacturing, an industry built around Dunnville’s sawmills
and metalworking shops in the county’s south end. Transportation and warehousing and
professional, scientific and technical services are the county’s highest-paying sectors.
Casey County is a dry county under Kentucky’s local-option alcohol laws, meaning packaged
alcohol sales are prohibited countywide. The county’s biggest annual event is the Casey
County Apple Festival, held in Liberty each September, drawing visitors from across south-central
Kentucky for its parade, craft vendors and apple-themed food.
History
The Kentucky legislature formed Casey County on November 14, 1806, carving it from the western
half of Lincoln County. It was named for Colonel William Casey, a pioneer settler who moved his
family to Kentucky in 1779 and later served in the state legislature. Liberty was laid out as the
county seat soon after the county’s formation.
Casey County is considered part of Kentucky’s Appalachian region despite sitting at the
Bluegrass region’s western edge, a distinction tied to its terrain and historically limited
road access rather than its exact location. The county drew national press attention in 2015 when
its elected county clerk announced she would refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses following
the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision, a stance that led to a federal contempt order
and national news coverage.
Getting There
No interstate highway crosses Casey County. U.S. Route 127 is the county’s main
north-south route, running through Liberty and connecting the county to Danville and points north
and to Russell Springs and points south. Kentucky routes 70, 300 and 501 provide the main
east-west connections between Liberty and the surrounding countryside.
- Danville — about 26 miles north
- Somerset — about 25 miles southeast
- Campbellsville — about 25 miles west
Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, roughly 55 miles north of Liberty, is the nearest major
commercial airport. Casey County has no Amtrak service; the nearest station is in Cincinnati,
Ohio, more than 120 miles north on the Cardinal line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Casey County located?
It sits in south-central Kentucky’s Knobs region, about 26 miles south of Danville, bordered
by Boyle, Lincoln, Pulaski, Russell, Adair, Taylor and Marion counties.
What is the population of Casey County?
15,941 at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 16,205.
How big is Casey County?
446 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 444 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Casey County?
Liberty is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns and villages are in Casey County?
One incorporated city, Liberty, plus 37 unincorporated communities including Dunnville,
Bethelridge, Middleburg, Windsor and Yosemite.
What ZIP codes does Casey County use?
42539 for Liberty, 42528 for Dunnville, 42565 for Windsor, 42566 for Yosemite, 42516 for
Bethelridge and 42541 for Middleburg.
What is Casey County known for?
Tubular-gate and farm-equipment manufacturing centred on Dunnville, the annual Casey County Apple
Festival in Liberty each September, and being the only Kentucky county entirely inside the Knobs
region.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.