Laurel County is a county in Kentucky, United States, in the southeastern part of the state along the Laurel River. It had a population of 62,613 at the 2020 census and covers 444 square miles (1,150 km2), of which 434 square miles is land and 9.7 square miles is water, centred near 37°06′38″N 84°07′04″W.
London is the county seat, and its postal code is 40741. The county has one incorporated city and two census-designated places, plus dozens of unincorporated communities. Laurel County is in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Laurel County
London is the only incorporated city in Laurel County; East Bernstadt and North Corbin are census-designated places (CDPs) with their own population counts but no city government. Everything else on the list below is an unincorporated community — a crossroads, church, or old post-office name rather than a governed town.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | City · seat | 7,572 | 40741 |
| North Corbin | CDP | 1,727 | 40701 |
| East Bernstadt | CDP | 809 | 40729 |
| Atlanta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baldrock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bernstadt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Billows | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackwater | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boreing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bush | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camp Grounds | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cane Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cornette | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crawford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cruise | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dorthae | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fariston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fletcher | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenmount | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hazel Patch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hightop | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hopewell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keavy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lamero | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Langnau | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lesbas | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lida | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lily | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maplesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marydell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McHargue | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McWhorter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mershons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pittsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sasser | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sublimity City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Symbol | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tuttle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Victory | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vox | Unincorp. | — | — |
North Corbin is the Laurel County side of Corbin, a city whose larger portion sits across the county line in Whitley County — the two are one built-up area but separate census entities.
ZIP Codes
- 40741 — London (also serves the surrounding rural county)
- 40744 — London
- 40745 — London
- 40729 — East Bernstadt
- 40701 — North Corbin (shared with Corbin in Whitley County)
Most of the unincorporated communities listed above use a London or East Bernstadt mailing address rather than a ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Laurel County sits in the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau in southeastern Kentucky, where rolling ridgeland gives way to the deeper gorges of the Daniel Boone National Forest, part of which lies within the county. The Laurel River, source of the county’s name, runs through the western half of the county and feeds Laurel River Lake near the McCreary County line. Rockcastle River forms part of the county’s northwestern edge.
Laurel County borders Jackson County to the northeast, Clay County to the east, Knox County to the southeast, Whitley County to the south, McCreary County to the southwest, Pulaski County to the west, and Rockcastle County to the northwest.
Demographics
Laurel County had 62,613 residents at the 2020 census, spread across roughly 434 square miles of land for a density of about 144 people per square mile. London, the seat, is the largest community at 7,572 residents, followed by North Corbin at 1,727 and East Bernstadt at 809; the rest of the county is rural. Median household income in Laurel County runs below the Kentucky median of $61,118, typical of the coalfield counties of southeastern Kentucky.
Economy & Local Life
London anchors the county’s retail and healthcare economy, drawing shoppers and patients from several surrounding counties along the Corbin-London commercial corridor. Saint Joseph London hospital and Somerset Community College’s Laurel Campus are among the county’s larger employers, alongside logistics and manufacturing firms along the Interstate 75/Highway 192 corridor. Laurel County is the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken: Colonel Harland Sanders ran his first restaurant and motel in southern Laurel County before the business grew into a national chain. London now hosts the annual World Chicken Festival each September, a Sanders-themed event built around what organizers bill as the world’s largest skillet, drawing crowds that have topped 200,000 in past years.
History
Laurel County was formed December 21, 1825, from parts of Knox, Rockcastle, Clay, and Whitley counties, and was the 80th county organized in Kentucky. It takes its name from the Laurel River, whose banks were thick with mountain laurel when the area was settled. During the Civil War, the Battle of Wildcat Mountain was fought in the county in October 1861, an early Union victory in the fight for control of eastern Kentucky. London itself was founded in 1826 and chartered in 1836; one of its founding family’s sons, Hancock Lee Jackson, went on to serve as governor of Missouri. On May 16, 2025, an EF4 tornado struck London and southern Laurel County, destroying roughly 280 homes and killing 17 people, one of the deadliest tornadoes in modern Kentucky history.
Getting There
Interstate 75 runs north-south through the eastern side of the county, meeting US 25 and KY 80 at London; the KY 80/KY 90 corridor connects west toward Somerset and Laurel River Lake.
- Corbin — 8 miles south
- Somerset — 35 miles west
- Berea — 25 miles north
- Lexington — 75 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is London-Corbin Airport for general aviation; the closest major commercial service is Blue Grass Airport in Lexington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Laurel County, Kentucky?
It is in southeastern Kentucky, in the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau along the Laurel River, about 75 miles south of Lexington.
What is the population of Laurel County?
62,613 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Laurel County?
444 square miles, of which 434 square miles is land and 9.7 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Laurel County?
London is the county seat.
How many towns are in Laurel County?
One incorporated city (London), two census-designated places (East Bernstadt and North Corbin), and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Laurel County?
40741, 40744, and 40745 (London), 40729 (East Bernstadt), and 40701 (North Corbin, shared with Corbin in Whitley County).
Why is Laurel County known for fried chicken?
Colonel Harland Sanders ran his first Kentucky restaurant and motel in southern Laurel County before Kentucky Fried Chicken grew into a national chain; London now hosts the annual World Chicken Festival in his honor.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.