Hardin County is a county in Kentucky, United States, straddling Interstate 65 about 45 miles southwest of Louisville and centred on the Fort Knox military reservation. It had a population of 110,702 at the 2020 census and covers 630 square miles (1,600 km2), centred near 37°42′N 85°58′W.
Elizabethtown is the county seat, and its postal code is 42701. The county holds seven incorporated cities, three census-designated places, and roughly 40 unincorporated communities. Hardin County lies in the Central time zone, unlike neighboring Jefferson and Bullitt counties on Eastern time, and its FIPS code is 21103.
Towns & Villages in Hardin County
Hardin County has seven incorporated cities — one of them, Elizabethtown, the county seat — three census-designated places (CDPs, unincorporated but tracked by the Census Bureau), and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities and crossroads. The table below lists every named place carried over from the county’s historical settlement record, with type and, where confirmed, 2020 census population and ZIP code.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | City · seat | 31,394 | 42701 |
| Radcliff | City | — | 40160 |
| Vine Grove | City | — | 40175 |
| West Point | City | — | 40177 |
| Sonora | City | — | 42776 |
| Muldraugh | City | — | 40155 |
| Upton | City | — | 42784 |
| Cecilia | CDP | — | 42724 |
| Fort Knox | CDP | — | 40121 |
| Rineyville | CDP | — | 40162 |
| Glendale | Unincorp. | — | 42740 |
| Eastview | Unincorp. | — | 42732 |
| White Mills | Unincorp. | — | 42788 |
| Booth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colesburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dietz Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flint Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Four Corners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Franklin Cross Roads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gaffey Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gaithers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glendale Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hansbrough | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harcourt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hardin Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howe Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Indian Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kraft | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Long View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Melrose | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nolin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Stephensburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perryville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pierce Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prichard Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rogersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rose Terrace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint John | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seven Corners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Solway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spurrier | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Star Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stephensburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Summit | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tunnel Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vine Grove Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Mills Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Younger Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 42701 — Elizabethtown (also serves the county’s PO-box-only 42702)
- 40160 — Radcliff (also serves PO-box-only 40159)
- 40175 — Vine Grove
- 40177 — West Point
- 42776 — Sonora
- 40155 — Muldraugh
- 42784 — Upton
- 42724 — Cecilia
- 40121 — Fort Knox (also serves 40122)
- 40162 — Rineyville
- 42740 — Glendale
- 42732 — Eastview
- 42788 — White Mills
The smaller unincorporated communities elsewhere in the county are served by the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Hardin County sits on the Pennyroyal Plateau where it meets the Knobs region, with rolling farmland in the south and east giving way to the wooded bluffs and river bottoms of the Fort Knox military reservation in the north. The Nolin River crosses the county’s southwest corner and the Ohio River forms a short stretch of the northern boundary at West Point, where it meets the Salt River. Of the county’s 630 square miles, 6.9 square miles is water.
Hardin County borders nine other counties, more than any other county in Kentucky: Jefferson County to the northeast, Bullitt County to the east, Nelson County to the southeast, LaRue County to the south, Hart County to the south, Grayson County to the southwest, Breckinridge County to the west, Meade County to the northwest, and Harrison County, Indiana, across the Ohio River to the north.
Demographics
Hardin County had 110,702 residents at the 2020 census, making it one of Kentucky’s largest counties outside the Louisville and Lexington metro cores. Elizabethtown (31,394) and Radcliff are the county’s two largest communities; Fort Knox, home to thousands of active-duty soldiers and their families, adds a large transient population that is only partly captured in census counts. Median household income runs below the Kentucky median of $61,118, reflecting the county’s mix of military, service, and light-manufacturing wages. Population density is roughly 178 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Fort Knox anchors the local economy, hosting the U.S. Army Human Resources Command and Cadet Command in an 880,000-square-foot complex opened in 2010, alongside thousands of active-duty and civilian jobs. Ford and its battery-manufacturing partner have built a large EV battery plant in Glendale, adding a new manufacturing base outside the military sector. Elizabethtown, the retail and medical hub, is home to Baptist Health Hardin and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. Agriculture, trucking along the I-65 corridor, and tourism tied to Lincoln-heritage sites round out the local economy.
History
Hardin County was formed in 1792 from Nelson County land, the 15th county established in Kentucky. It is named for Col. John Hardin, a Continental Army officer during the American Revolution and brother of Hardinsburg founder Capt. William Hardin. Abraham Lincoln was born on a farm within the county’s original boundaries in 1809; that site is now in neighboring LaRue County, which was carved from Hardin in 1843. Fort Knox was established as a military training camp during World War I and has anchored the county’s economy and identity since.
Getting There
Interstate 65 runs the length of the county between Louisville and Bowling Green, with the Bluegrass Parkway and US 31W providing secondary routes. Distances from Elizabethtown:
- Louisville — 45 miles northeast
- Bowling Green — 65 miles south
- Bardstown — 30 miles east
- Radcliff/Fort Knox — 10 miles north
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hardin County, Kentucky?
It lies in central Kentucky along Interstate 65, about 45 miles southwest of Louisville, and includes the Fort Knox military reservation.
What is the population of Hardin County?
110,702 at the 2020 census.
How big is Hardin County?
630 square miles (1,600 km2), Kentucky’s fourth-largest county by land area.
What is the county seat of Hardin County?
Elizabethtown is the county seat.
How many towns are in Hardin County?
Seven incorporated cities, three census-designated places, and roughly 40 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hardin County?
Thirteen main ZIP codes, led by 42701 (Elizabethtown) and 40160 (Radcliff); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
Is Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace in Hardin County?
Lincoln was born within Hardin County’s original 1792 boundaries, but the site itself is now in LaRue County, split off from Hardin in 1843.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.