Kentucky data expert discusses the impact of the state’s beloved 120 counties Louisville Public Media
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Atthisyear’sKentuckyStateFair,representativesofmorethan100countiesaremakingtheirpitchtofairgoersonwhytheyshouldpayavisittotheircommunities.
Catchingsightofthemallisnoeasyfeat:Kentuckyhasthethird-mostcountiesintheU.S.,behindonlyTexasandGeorgia—fourthifcountingVirginia’sindependentcities.
Thatlargenumberofcountiesleadstosmallerpopulationsineach,anditcanbetrickyfordataanalysis.That’saccordingtoMattRuther,directoroftheKentuckyStateDataCenter,whichispartoftheUniversityofLouisville.
TheagencyisaffiliatedwiththeU.S.CensusBureauandusesitsdatatopresentfindingsforlocalandstatewidegroups.ThoseincludeKentucky’sLegislativeResearchCommissionandthestate’s15AreaDevelopmentDistricts,likeKIPDA,whichhandlesLouisvilleandsurroundingcounties.
RutherspokewithLPMNews’JacobMunozabouthowthe120countiestieintohiswork.Thisconversationhasbeeneditedforclarityandlength.
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