Ballard County is a county located in the west portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,728. Its county seat is Wickliffe and its largest city is LaCenter. The county was created by the Kentucky State Legislature in 1842 and is named for Captain Bland Ballard, a soldier, statesman, and member of the Kentucky General Assembly. Ballard County is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Ballard County was formed from portions of Hickman County and McCracken County. It was named for Bland Ballard (1761–1853), a Kentucky pioneer and soldier who served as a scout for General George Rogers Clark during the American Revolutionary War, and later commanded a company during the War of 1812. On February 17, 1880, the courthouse was destroyed by a fire, which also destroyed most of the county's early records. The county seat was transferred from Blandville to Wickliffe in 1882.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 274 square miles (710 km), of which 247 square miles (640 km) is land and 27 square miles (70 km) (9.9%) is water.

Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve is a 458 acres (1.85 km) nature preserve located in Ballard County, in the Barlow Bottoms. The preserve is part of the 3,000-acre (12 km) Axe Lake Swamp wetlands complex which supports at least eight rare plant and animal species. The site has been recognized as a priority wetland in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

• Pulaski County, Illinois (north) – across the Ohio River
• McCracken County (east)
• Carlisle County (south)
• Mississippi County, Missouri (southwest) – across the Mississippi River
• Alexander County, Illinois (west) – across the Ohio River

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	5,496		—
1860	8,692		58.2%
1870	12,576		44.7%
1880	14,378		14.3%
1890	8,390		−41.6%
1900	10,761		28.3%
1910	12,690		17.9%
1920	12,045		−5.1%
1930	9,910		−17.7%
1940	9,480		−4.3%
1950	8,545		−9.9%
1960	8,291		−3.0%
1970	8,276		−0.2%
1980	8,798		6.3%
1990	7,902		−10.2%
2000	8,286		4.9%
2010	8,249		−0.4%
2020	7,728		−6.3%
2023 (est.)	7,582		−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2021

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,286 people, 3,395 households, and 2,413 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 per square mile (13/km). There were 3,837 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km). The racial makeup of the county was 95.32% White, 2.87% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 3,395 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.85.

The age distribution was 23.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,130, and the median income for a family was $41,386. Males had a median income of $32,345 versus $20,902 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,035. About 10.70% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 15.40% of those age 65 or over.

Ballard County Voter Registration & Party Enrollment as of November 17, 2015
Political Party		Total Voters	Percentage
	Democratic	4,671	73.37%
	Republican	1,402	22.02%
	Others	227	3.57%
	Independent	57	0.90%
	Libertarian	5	0.08%
	Green	2	0.03%
Total		6,366	100%

United States presidential election results for Ballard County, Kentucky

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,331	81.48%	697	17.05%	60	1.47%
2020	3,356	79.43%	825	19.53%	44	1.04%
2016	3,161	77.08%	816	19.90%	124	3.02%
2012	2,647	67.96%	1,189	30.53%	59	1.51%
2008	2,537	62.49%	1,427	35.15%	96	2.36%
2004	2,389	57.19%	1,759	42.11%	29	0.69%
2000	1,824	48.38%	1,880	49.87%	66	1.75%
1996	1,064	28.43%	2,255	60.26%	423	11.30%
1992	1,108	28.56%	2,268	58.45%	504	12.99%
1988	1,460	40.23%	2,162	59.58%	7	0.19%
1984	1,663	45.13%	2,002	54.33%	20	0.54%
1980	1,190	31.10%	2,583	67.51%	53	1.39%
1976	649	17.57%	2,794	75.66%	250	6.77%
1972	1,542	49.92%	1,411	45.68%	136	4.40%
1968	564	16.38%	1,632	47.39%	1,248	36.24%
1964	519	15.22%	2,867	84.10%	23	0.67%
1960	1,121	28.99%	2,746	71.01%	0	0.00%
1956	838	21.29%	3,088	78.46%	10	0.25%
1952	851	22.59%	2,910	77.25%	6	0.16%
1948	454	14.04%	2,702	83.55%	78	2.41%
1944	637	18.25%	2,845	81.50%	9	0.26%
1940	758	19.09%	3,212	80.89%	1	0.03%
1936	773	17.96%	3,523	81.87%	7	0.16%
1932	572	12.48%	3,987	86.98%	25	0.55%
1928	940	24.49%	2,896	75.44%	3	0.08%
1924	767	19.18%	3,128	78.22%	104	2.60%
1920	1,107	21.24%	3,987	76.48%	119	2.28%
1916	692	23.05%	2,222	74.02%	88	2.93%
1912	555	21.54%	1,706	66.20%	316	12.26%

Previous gubernatorial elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2023	63.72% 1,691	36.28% 963	0.00% 0
2019	65.34% 2,010	32.90% 1,012	1.75% 54
2015	55.20% 1,312	41.65% 990	3.16% 75
2011	35.80% 773	59.01% 1,274	5.19% 112
2007	34.09% 927	65.91% 1,792	0.00% 0
2003	46.53% 1,433	53.47% 1,647	0.00% 0
1999	6.70% 99	83.28% 1,230	10.02% 148
1995	32.30% 938	67.46% 1,959	0.24% 7

• Barlow
• Blandville
• Kevil
• LaCenter (largest city)
• Wickliffe (county seat)

• Bandana
• Lovelaceville

• Ceredo
• Gage
• Hinkleville
• Ingleside
• Monkey's Eyebrow
• Needmore
• New York
• Oscar
• Slater
• Woodville

• Morris E. Crain, Medal of Honor recipient for his bravery during World War II
• Kenny Rollins, an American basketball player who was a member of the University of Kentucky's "Fab Five" who won the 1948 NCAA Championship, the 1948 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team, and the NBA's Chicago Stags and Boston Celtics
• Oscar Turner (1825–1896), state senator, U. S. representative and namesake of Oscar, Kentucky
• Earl Grace, Major League Baseball catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs
• Kelsey Waldon, Country Singer-songwriter raised in Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky

• Dry counties
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ballard County, Kentucky

37°04′N 89°00′W / 37.06°N 89.00°W / 37.06; -89.00