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Oldham County 2000 Census Data Fact Sheet # 2

Subject:  Adjusting Oldham County Census 2000 data for Correctional Institutional Population

            The Oldham County 2000 Census data reflect an overall growth of 12,915  residents    (7^th in the state); an overall growth rate of 38.8 percent (5^th in the state); and an under 18 age population percent of 27.4 (11^th in the state).

            However, the large correctional institutional population that resides in the Buckner/LaGrange area Census Tract 302 skews that tract as well as the overall Oldham County population, social and economic data.

            The 2000 census reflects that Census Tract 302 grew 89%--a net gain of 1,960 residents from the 1990.  However, it appears that 1,688 of those residents are incarcerated.  Based on the data available, the correctional institutional population grew 91.6% the past ten years—from a 1990 total of 1,843 to 3,531 in 2000.

The 2000 census reflects the following selected data for Census Tract 302:  (The overall totals and the block data that includes incarcerated populations are depicted.)

            Because 7.6 percent of the overall Oldham County population resided in group institutional quarters in 2000, it is instructive to “back out” those totals to look at the resulting population trends within the county over the past ten years.

            The adjusted data reflect that the county grew about 3 percent slower in real terms as opposed to the official 2000 Census results.  This would place Oldham County as the 6^th fastest growing county as opposed to the fifth, as Scott County (with a 38.5 percent population increase) would swap places with Oldham County in state rankings.

            Backing out the correctional institutional data would propel Oldham County to second in the state in the percentage of under-18 population.  Oldham’s percentage would increase from its present 27.4% (11^th in the state) to 29.6%.  The adjusted 2000 figure is slightly lower than  the 30.3% adjusted number from 1990.   The county’s sustained high youth population has potential schools, parks, and other infrastructure implications for county officials and planners.

            The correctional institutional population also skews per capital income and educational level data for the county.  Although the 2000 detailed census data has not been released yet, the 1990 data reflected that the per capita income for institutionalized persons in group quarters was $5,110 versus $16,160 for persons in households. 

            For additional census information and analyses, visit the Oldham Ahead website at www.oldhamahead.org.  We will update the Census 2000 data as it is released from the Census Bureau and the Kentucky State Data Center and provide both raw data from the bureau as well as tailored Oldham County data.

  Please direct comments and suggestions to Doug Wampler at OldhamAhead@aol.com or call 394-9105.