London, Kentucky

History

Upon the establishment of Laurel County in 1825, a vote was held to provide for the new area's seat of government. The land offered by John and Jarvis Jackson was selected, along with their suggested name of London, honoring their English heritage. The town was founded the next year; its post office established in 1831; and its city rights granted in 1836.

Geography

London is located at 37°7′39″N 84°5′3″W (37.127504, -84.084181) and at an elevation of 1,240 feet (378 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.33 square miles (26.76 km²), of which 10.30 square miles (26.67 km²) is land and 0.037 square miles (.097 km²) is water. Between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, the city annexed a significant portion of land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,692 people, 2,400 households, and 1,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 738.1 people per square mile (285.0/km²). There were 2,676 housing units at an average density of 347.0/sq mi (134.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.03% White, 1.83% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.

There were 2,400 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city, the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,283, and the median income for a family was $34,340. Males had a median income of $32,355 versus $19,873 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,046. About 19.4% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.9% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

London is located in a transition area between a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) and a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). Summers are hot and humid with frequent storms. July is the warmest month, with an average high of 86 °F (30 °C) and an average low of 66 °F (19 °C). Winters are cold with a few mild periods. January is the coldest month with an average high of 44 °F (7 °C) and an average low of 26 °F (−3 °C). The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F (41 °C) on June 29, 2012, and the lowest recorded temperature was −25 °F (−32 °C) on January 19, 1994. May has the highest average rainfall of 4.92 inches (125 mm) and October has the lowest average rainfall of 3.01 inches (76 mm).

Education

All of the following schools (excluding private schools) are administered by the Laurel County School District.

Primary schools

High schools

Colleges

Economy

Major employers in London include:

Notable people