Radcliff, Kentucky

Radcliff is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Its economy is largely dominated by the county seat of Hardin County, Elizabethtown, as well as Fort Knox, as it sits by the entrance to the base. Its population reflects the transient military officers who work on post.

In 1988, a youth group from the First Assembly of God in Radcliff was involved in the worst drunk-driving accident in U.S. history, a bus accident in which a drunk driver going the wrong way on Interstate 71 hit the group's vehicle, killing 27 people in the crash and the resulting fire.

Despite being in a dry county (Hardin), sales by the drink in restaurants seating at least 100 diners are allowed.

Geography
Radcliff is located at °N, °W (37.829918, -85.945541).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.5 square miles (29.7 km²), of which, 11.5 square miles (29.7 km²) of it is land and 0.09% is water.

History
The City of Radcliff has a population approximately 22,000 citizens. Incorporated in 1956, Radcliff was actually born in 1919, when a man named Horace McCullum subdivided lots along Wilson Avenue and sold them at auction to the highest bidder. McCullum named the new community after his friend Major William Radcliffe, head of the Quartermaster Corps at the newly established Camp Henry Knox. After selling the general store which he had opened in the new town, McCullum no longer played a role in the development of the town into Kentucky's fastest growing city.

The next significant step in Radcliff's history happened during the 1930s when Fort Knox expanded and dislocated the towns of Stithton and New Stithton causing various residents and businesses of those communities to move to Radcliff. During World War II, thousands of soldiers trained at Fort Knox and spent their leisure hours at the USO in Radcliff.

Hardin Water District No. 1 was formed in 1953, and became a reality in 1955 with the sale of bonds to finance the project. Today, the Water District is the principal source of fresh water to all Hardin County. Radcliff's Fire Department was established in 1955, with Joseph B. Hutcherson named the first Fire Chief. The Radcliff Civic Club was also organized that year with the city being incorporated in March 1956 as a 6th class city. Radcliff Police Department was formed with officers paid on a fee basis. The population was estimated at 800. The population growth of Radcliff over the last 50 years is due to the transient military population, and trends are showing a plateau and decline. At one time, Radcliff was larger than Elizabethtown, but that was short lived after the 2000 Census and more so after the BRAC transformation in the latter part of the twenty-first century. Starting with 800 in 1956, the Census Bureau reported populations of 3,381 in 1960, 8,281 in 1970, 14,519 in 1980, and 21,961 in 2000.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 21,961 people, 8,487 households, and 5,856 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,914.1 people per square mile (739.2/km²). There were 9,487 housing units at an average density of 826.9 per square mile (319.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.76% White, 25.65% African American, 0.61% Native American, 3.52% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 2.60% from other races, and 4.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.66% of the population.

There were 8,487 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.09.

The age distribution is 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,763, and the median income for a family was $41,260. Males had a median income of $30,518 versus $20,982 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,436. About 11.3% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Schools
Radcliff has two public secondary schools within its city limits. Most high-schoolers in the city attend North Hardin High School, with some zoned to attend John Hardin High School (which is in a portion of the city served by the Elizabethtown post office). There are also: North Park Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Meadowview Elementary, North Middle School, Radcliff Elementary and the all-grades North Hardin Christian School private school run by Radcliff's Fellowship Independent Baptist Church.