Whitesburg, Kentucky
Whitesburg is a city located in Letcher County, Kentucky. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,600. It is the county seat of Letcher CountyTemplate:GR.
Geography
Whitesburg is located at 37°7'4" North, 82°49'16" West (37.117867, -82.821068)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.0 km² (3.1 mi²). 8.0 km² (3.1 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,600 people, 642 households, and 412 families residing in the city. The population density is 199.3/km² (516.9/mi²). There are 733 housing units at an average density of 91.3/km² (236.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 96.19% White, 0.62% African American, 0.00% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 642 households out of which 27.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% are married couples living together, 12.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% are non-families. 34.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.82.
In the city the population is spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 45 years. For every 100 females there are 79.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 76.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,750, and the median income for a family is $35,714. Males have a median income of $31,339 versus $25,478 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,202. 23.1% of the population and 22.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.2% of those under the age of 18 and 13.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Culture
Whitesburg is home to Appalshop, a multi-disciplinary arts and education center founded in 1969 which produces original films, video, theater, music and spoken-word recordings, radio, photography, multimedia, and books. WMMT 88.7 FM (Mountain Community Radio), also located in Whitesburg, was founded by Appalshop in 1985.
Whitesburg's major newspaper is the Mountain Eagle. Published since 1938, the Mountain Eagle has been directed by the Gish family of Letcher county for almost 50 years.
Famous residents
- Harry M. Caudill (author, historian, lawyer, legislator, and environmentalist, 1922-1990)