Lincoln County is a county in Kentucky, United States, in the south-central part of the state
along the Knobs region, about 40 miles south of Lexington. It had a population of 24,275 at the
2020 census, an estimated 25,353 by 2025, and covers 337 square miles (872.8 km2) centred near
37°28′N 84°40′W.
Stanford is the county seat and the county’s largest city; its postal code is 40484. The
county holds 5 cities, 1 census-designated place and 16 smaller unincorporated communities, and
it runs on Eastern Time. Kentucky counties have no civil townships, so places here are not
grouped under one.
Towns & Villages in Lincoln County
Lincoln County has 22 named places on record: 5 incorporated cities, 1 census-designated
place (McKinney) and 16 unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. CDP
stands for census designated place; Unincorp. covers crossroads and rural communities with no
formal boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford | City · seat | 3,640 | 40484 |
| Junction City | City | 2,268 | 40440 |
| Crab Orchard | City | 744 | 40419 |
| Hustonville | City | 387 | 40437 |
| Eubank | City | 313 | 42567 |
| McKinney | CDP | 201 | 40448 |
| Kings Mountain | Unincorp. | — | 40442 |
| Waynesburg | Unincorp. | — | 40489 |
| Blue Lick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chicken Bristle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dog Walk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Halls Gap | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hubble | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jumbo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Miracle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moreland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ottenheim | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Preachersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rowland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turkeytown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walnut Flat | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two places on this list straddle county lines. Eubank sits mostly in Pulaski County, with only
a northern edge of the city reaching into Lincoln — its population figure above is
citywide. Junction City runs the other way: most of the city is in Boyle County, and only a small
southern portion extends into Lincoln, so its 2,268 residents are overwhelmingly Boyle County
residents, not Lincoln County ones.
ZIP Codes
- 40484 — Stanford
- 40440 — Junction City (shared with Boyle County)
- 40419 — Crab Orchard
- 40437 — Hustonville
- 42567 — Eubank (shared with Pulaski County)
- 40448 — McKinney
- 40442 — Kings Mountain
- 40489 — Waynesburg
Blue Lick, Chicken Bristle, Dog Walk, Halls Gap, Highland, Hubble, Jumbo, Miracle, Moreland,
Ottenheim, Preachersville, Rowland, Turkeytown and Walnut Flat have no ZIP code of their own;
mail there is delivered under the nearest incorporated town’s code.
Geography
Lincoln County sits astride the southern part of the Knobs region, a ring of steep, isolated
hills that separates the Bluegrass region to the north from the Pennyroyal Plateau to the south
and east. Of its 337 square miles, 334 are land and 2.5 are water, about 0.7 percent — low
for Kentucky, since the county holds no large lake and its water comes mainly from creeks. The
county contains the source and headwaters of the Green River, and Hanging Fork Creek, which gave
Hustonville one of its early names, runs through the county’s western half. Lincoln County
is part of Appalachia.
Boyle County lies to the northwest, Garrard County to the northeast, Rockcastle County to the
east, Pulaski County to the south, and Casey County to the west. Boyle County, Garrard County, Rockcastle County, Pulaski County and Casey County all border Lincoln directly.
Demographics
Lincoln County had a population of 24,275 at the 2020 census, down slightly from 24,742 in
2010, and the latest estimate puts the county near 25,353 residents by 2025. Stanford and Junction
City’s Lincoln County portion are the two largest communities, though Stanford alone holds
well under a fifth of the county’s total population — most residents live outside the
incorporated towns. Median household income runs $52,440 (2024 estimate), well below
Kentucky’s 2023 statewide figure of $61,118. Population density works out to roughly 73
people per square mile of land, low even by rural Kentucky standards. The county is 93.4 percent
White, 3.5 percent multiracial, and 2.0 percent Hispanic or Latino, with small Black and Asian
populations.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 1,486 people, followed by health
care and social assistance at 1,261 and educational services at 1,249, out of roughly 9,488
total jobs countywide in 2024. Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford, named for the pioneer fort the
town grew from, is a major local health care employer. The Lincoln County Public Library and the
Harvey Helm Memorial Historic Library and Museum, both on Stanford’s Main Street, anchor
the county seat’s downtown. Stanford’s historic commercial district, built around the
1787 log courthouse site, still forms the retail core of the county.
History
The Virginia General Assembly formed Lincoln County, then part of Virginia, in June 1780,
naming it for Revolutionary War general Benjamin Lincoln. It is one of Kentucky’s nine
original counties, carved along with Fayette and Jefferson out of Virginia’s Kentucky
County. Harrodsburg served as the first county seat until an 1785 partition moved that territory
into the new Mercer County; Stanford has been the permanent seat since.
Stanford itself began in 1775 as Benjamin Logan’s fort, known as St. Asaph or
Logan’s Fort, one of the earliest American settlements in Kentucky. It was chartered by
1786, and the log courthouse built on its original site in 1787 still stands — Lincoln
County has preserved its original records back to November 1789. Crab Orchard, on the Wilderness
Road, grew into a major 19th-century destination after mineral springs were discovered there; the
Crab Orchard Springs Resort operated from 1827 until 1922, at its 1850s peak drawing nearly 500
visitors a day before the hotel burned in 1871 and was rebuilt with more than 250 rooms.
Getting There
No interstate crosses Lincoln County. US 27 runs north–south through the county’s
eastern side, and KY 1247 and KY 70 cross near Eubank on the Pulaski County line.
- Danville — about 15 miles northwest
- Somerset — about 25 miles south
- Lexington — about 40 miles north
- London — about 30 miles southeast
Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, roughly 40 miles north of Stanford, is the nearest major
commercial airport. Amtrak does not serve Lincoln County; the nearest station is in Maysville,
well outside normal commuting range, so most residents drive to Lexington or Louisville for rail
connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lincoln County located?
It sits in south-central Kentucky along the Knobs region, about 40 miles south of Lexington,
bordered by Boyle, Garrard, Rockcastle, Pulaski and Casey counties.
What is the population of Lincoln County?
24,275 at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 25,353.
How big is Lincoln County?
337 square miles (872.8 km2), of which 334 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Lincoln County?
Stanford, settled in 1775 as Logan’s Fort, is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and cities are in Lincoln County?
Five incorporated cities — Stanford, Junction City (partly), Crab Orchard, Hustonville and
Eubank (partly) — plus the McKinney census-designated place and 16 unincorporated
communities.
What ZIP codes does Lincoln County use?
40484 for Stanford, 40440 for Junction City, 40419 for Crab Orchard, 40437 for Hustonville, 42567
for Eubank, 40448 for McKinney, 40442 for Kings Mountain and 40489 for Waynesburg.
What is Lincoln County known for?
Being one of Kentucky’s nine original 1780 counties, Stanford’s 1787 log courthouse,
and Crab Orchard’s 19th-century mineral springs resort.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.