Menifee County is a county in Kentucky, United States, in the state’s Cumberland Plateau foothills. It had a population of 6,113 at the 2020 census and covers 206 square miles (530 km2) centred near 37°57′N 83°36′W.
Frenchburg is the county seat, and its postal code is 40322. The county has one incorporated city and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities, sits in the Eastern time zone, and much of its land lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Towns & Villages in Menifee County
Frenchburg is Menifee County’s only incorporated city; every other place on the list below is an unincorporated community or CDP. Population figures are 2020 census counts where the community is a recognised CDP; smaller crossroads communities have no separate census count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchburg | City · seat | — | 40322 |
| Wellington | Unincorp. | — | 40387 |
| Means | Unincorp. | — | 40346 |
| Denniston | Unincorp. | — | 40316 |
| Pomeroyton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Scranton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sudith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Korea | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mariba | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fagan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hill Top | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stoll | Unincorp. | — | — |
Big Woods, Cornwell, Dan, Ratliff, and Rothwell appear on some older maps and postal listings but have little to no verifiable presence today; they are not included in the table above.
ZIP Codes
- 40322 — Frenchburg (the county’s main post office town, also serves most of central Menifee County)
- 40387 — Wellington
- 40346 — Means
- 40316 — Denniston
Smaller communities without their own post office, such as Pomeroyton and Scranton, receive mail through one of these four ZIP codes.
Geography
Menifee County sits at the bottom edge of the Cumberland Plateau, a hilly, heavily forested landscape of narrow ridges and hollows. Roughly 10% of the county is cultivated farmland; the rest is woodland, much of it within the Daniel Boone National Forest. Of the county’s 206 square miles, about 2.3 square miles are water. The county has no major lake or navigable river of its own, but Beaver Creek and several smaller forks of the Licking River drain the county.
Menifee County borders Bath County to the north, Rowan County to the northeast, Morgan County to the east, Wolfe County to the south, Powell County to the southwest, and Montgomery County to the west.
Demographics
Menifee County had 6,113 residents at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-least populous county in Kentucky. Frenchburg is the largest community, followed by Wellington. The county’s median household income runs well below the Kentucky median of $61,118, reflecting its small population and rural, forest-dominated land base. Population density works out to roughly 30 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Menifee County’s economy centres on forestry, small-scale farming, and public-sector jobs tied to the surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest and county government in Frenchburg. It is a dry county under Kentucky’s local-option alcohol laws, meaning package alcohol sales are prohibited countywide. Outdoor recreation — hunting, hiking, and horseback riding on national forest land — draws visitors and supports a handful of local outfitters and campgrounds. Cave Run Lake, just over the county line to the northeast, is a common weekend destination for boating and fishing among Menifee County residents, and several small sawmills and logging operations still work the county’s timberland.
History
Menifee County was formed on May 29, 1869, from parts of Bath, Montgomery, Morgan, Powell, and Wolfe counties. It is named for Richard Hickman Menefee, a Kentucky congressman who died in 1837; the county’s spelling of the name diverged from his over time. On March 2, 2012, an EF3 tornado struck the county as part of a larger outbreak across the region, killing three people and causing significant damage.
Getting There
Kentucky Route 460 and Kentucky Route 36 are the main highways through the county, connecting Frenchburg to neighboring county seats.
- Mount Sterling, KY — 20 miles west
- Morehead, KY — 22 miles northeast
- Campton, KY — 18 miles south
- Lexington, KY — 55 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Blue Grass Airport in Lexington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Menifee County, Kentucky?
It is in east-central Kentucky, on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau, about 55 miles east of Lexington.
What is the population of Menifee County?
6,113 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Menifee County?
206 square miles (530 km2), of which about 2.3 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Menifee County?
Frenchburg is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns are in Menifee County?
One incorporated city (Frenchburg) plus a number of unincorporated communities including Wellington, Means, and Denniston.
What ZIP codes are in Menifee County?
40322 (Frenchburg), 40387 (Wellington), 40346 (Means), and 40316 (Denniston).
Is Menifee County a dry county?
Yes. Menifee County prohibits package alcohol sales countywide under Kentucky’s local-option law.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.