Owen County is a county in Kentucky, United States, on the Kentucky River in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 11,278 at the 2020 census and covers 351 square miles (910 km2) of land centred near 38°32′N 84°50′W.
Owenton is the county seat, and its postal code is 40359. The county has three incorporated cities and a number of small unincorporated communities. It runs on Eastern Time and is a prohibition county, with a limited exception for one local winery.
Towns & Villages in Owen County
Owen County has three incorporated cities and roughly a dozen recognised unincorporated communities. The table below lists each place with its type; CDP means Census-Designated Place and Unincorp. means an unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owenton | City · seat | — | 40359 |
| Glencoe | City | — | 41046 |
| Gratz | City | — | 41039 |
| Monterey | Unincorp. | — | 40359 |
| New Liberty | Unincorp. | — | 40355 |
| Sparta | Unincorp. | — | 41086 |
| Perry Park | Unincorp. | — | 40359 |
| Long Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Home | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Squiresville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wheatley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Columbus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hesler | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Natlee | Unincorp. | — | — |
Sparta sits at the Owen–Gallatin county line along the Kentucky River, and travellers should confirm which side of the river a mailing address falls on before assuming a ZIP code.
ZIP Codes
- 40359 — Owenton (also serves Monterey and Perry Park)
- 41046 — Glencoe
- 41039 — Gratz
- 40355 — New Liberty
- 41086 — Sparta
Smaller communities such as Long Ridge, Pleasant Home, Squiresville, Wheatley, New Columbus, Hesler and Natlee share a ZIP code with the nearest post office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Owen County lies in the Outer Bluegrass region, drained by the Kentucky River along its eastern edge and by Eagle Creek through the middle of the county. The terrain is rolling to hilly, and most of the land is in pasture, cropland or woodlot rather than dense development. The Kentucky River forms much of the boundary with Gallatin and Franklin counties.
Owen County borders Carroll County to the northwest, Gallatin County to the northeast, Grant County to the east, Scott County to the southeast, Franklin County to the southwest, and Henry County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 11,278 residents in Owen County. Owenton is by far the largest place, followed by Glencoe. Median household income runs below the Kentucky median of $61,118, typical for a small, mostly rural county without a large employer base. Population density works out to roughly 32 people per square mile, one of the lower figures among counties bordering the Louisville and Lexington metro areas.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture is the traditional backbone of the county — cattle, tobacco and hay farming on the rolling pastureland — alongside small manufacturing and services centred in Owenton. Owen County is a prohibition (dry) county, with a narrow exception that lets one local winery sell its own product and allows limited alcohol sales within Owenton’s city limits. The county courthouse and county fair remain focal points of local life.
History
Owen County was formed in 1819 from parts of Franklin, Gallatin and Scott counties and named for Colonel Abraham Owen, a Kentucky legislator and militia officer killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. In the 19th century, packet boats worked the Kentucky River past Monterey and other river landings, carrying tobacco and produce toward Frankfort and the Ohio River.
Getting There
US Route 227 and US Route 127 are the main highways through the county, crossing at Owenton.
- Frankfort — 20 miles south
- Georgetown — 25 miles southeast
- Carrollton — 20 miles northwest
- Louisville — 55 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Blue Grass Airport in Lexington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Owen County, Kentucky?
It sits in north-central Kentucky along the Kentucky River, between Frankfort and the Ohio River communities of Carroll and Gallatin counties.
What is the population of Owen County?
11,278 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Owen County?
351 square miles (910 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Owen County?
Owenton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Owen County?
Three incorporated cities — Owenton, Glencoe and Gratz — plus about a dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Owen County?
40359 (Owenton), 41046 (Glencoe), 41039 (Gratz), 40355 (New Liberty) and 41086 (Sparta).
Can you buy alcohol in Owen County?
Owen County is dry, with a narrow exception for one local winery and limited sales inside Owenton’s city limits.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kentucky.