Crofton, Kentucky
12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1912 and the latest in 1983. It stands in the Crofton census division. It lies in ZIP code area 42217. The Survey maps it on the Crofton quadrangle. 653 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 597 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresCrofton fell from 749 to 653 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 749 | |
| 2020 | 653 | -96 (-13%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 12 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1912 USGS Nortonville quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1952 USGS Crofton quadrangle1:24000
- 1954 USGS Evansville quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Evansville quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1961 USGS Evansville quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1969 USGS Crofton quadrangle1:24000
- 1983 USGS Madisonville quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
22 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 22 fires within 5 miles of Crofton between 1999 and 2014, burning about 316 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 12 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 5 |
| Debris and open burning | 2 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 September 1999 | Smoking | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 28 June 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 88 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | QUAD COUNT |
| 26 June 2012 | Railroad operations and maintenance | under an acre | Kentucky Division of Forestry | ROADSIDE F |
| 5 April 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | TRESSLE |
| 22 April 2007 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 7 March 2007 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 7.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 6 March 2012 | Recreation and ceremony | 22 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | HOOSIER |
| 6 March 2010 | Recreation and ceremony | 8.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
50 since 1998Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Crofton in 50 storm reports between 1998 and 2023: 24 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 4 heavy rain, 3 tornado. The reports record 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | 2 hurt, $50,000 | Numerous trees were blown down, approximately two to three dozen. Some of the trees were up to four feet in diameter. A tree went through the windshield of a CSX freight train locomotive, injuring two crew members. All of the damage was near U.S. Highway 41 from Highway 407 to Highway 800. |
| January 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | 1 hurt, $250,000 | At a shopping mall in Hopkinsville, glass windows were blown out of a department store. A woman was injured when a flying glass pane struck her in the back. She was treated at a hospital for cuts to her back. Five tractor-trailer rigs were blown over, including one blown over on Interstate 24. One of the trucks was a fuel tanker that was leaking fuel. Widespread tree damage was reported from Crofton through Hopkinsville. Hundreds of trees were blown down, despite not being in leaf. At least a few cars were damaged by falling trees. At an industrial park, two storage buildings sustained roof damage. Another building collapsed. Several utility poles were snapped. Lots of shingles were ripped off roofs. A couple of mobile homes were damaged. A commercial building sign was blown over. A wind gust to 69 mph was measured at the Fort Campbell weather station. |
| March 2020 | Tornado (EF1) | Crofton | $80,000 | A National Weather Service damage survey was conducted along the path of this tornado. At least four farm structures were damaged or destroyed, along with a portable garage and a regular constructed garage. Several homes lost siding or shingles. A couple dozen trees were uprooted. One home had six windows shattered or blown out. A cluster of damage survey points was in an area of structures along U.S. Highway 41 just south of Crofton. The tornado was witnessed by a meteorologist. Peak winds were estimated near 90 mph. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $60,000 | The roof was blown off of a porch. A large tree about 3.5 feet in diameter fell onto a car. The metal roof was blown off another building. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $50,000 | A section of barn was blown off. |
| September 2023 | Flash Flood | Crofton | $40,000 | About six miles southeast of Crofton, flash flooding caused a basement wall of a house to collapse, causing the entire house to collapse. Rescue personnel could not reach the site due to high water. One mile east of Crofton, a creek was out of its banks and over Highway 800. |
| June 1998 | Hail | Crofton | $30,000 | Golf ball size hail dented vehicles and tore leaves from trees. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $25,000 | Six trees were blown down in the community of Crofton, crushing a tool shed and at least one vehicle. A small metal shed was lifted off the ground and destroyed. Electrical power was knocked out for 3 hours in Crofton. |
| April 2009 | Hail | Crofton | $20,000 | Hen egg to baseball size hail occurred. Damage was reported. A hailstone saved by a weather spotter was 3 inches in diameter even after it had melted slightly before being placed in a freezer. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $15,000 | Trees and power lines were down. A pole barn metal roof was partially peeled off. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $15,000 | Approximately 20 trees were down, including some that were uprooted. One large tree landed on a house. A vehicle struck a fallen tree on U.S. Highway 41, injuring two children (indirect). The injuries were not life-threatening. |
| April 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $15,000 | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $12,000 | Spotty wind damage occurred over northern Christian County. The first wind event occurred on State Route 109, about 6 miles west of Crofton. Winds near 65 MPH uprooted or snapped numerous trees. About two miles northeast of the first event, more significant damage occurred. Winds near 80 MPH destroyed an unanchored trailer home on Highway 1348, and nearby trees were damaged. The final event occurred near Mannington, where some trees were blown down in the area of U.S. Highway 41 and Kentucky 407. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $10,000 | Trees were down, blocking at least two roads. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $10,000 | Numerous trees were blown down, including some which took down power lines. |
| March 2016 | Tornado (EF0) | Crofton | $6,000 | Minor roof damage occurred on two homes. A few trees were uprooted or snapped. Large tree limbs were down. The average path width was 75 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 80 mph. Much of the path was along or near Highway 800 west of Crofton. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $5,000 | West of Crofton, several trees were blown down across the roadway at the intersection of Kentucky Highways 109 and 800. Further south on Highway 109 near the community of Sinking Fork, trees were blown down, blocking the southbound lane. |
| October 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $5,000 | Large tree limbs up to one foot in diameter were blown down. The street department removed several of them from streets. A rotating wall cloud was photographed just northwest of Crofton. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $4,000 | Large tree limbs were blown across power lines in northern parts of the county. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $3,000 | A few trees were down in the Fruit Hill area. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $3,000 | A large tree fell into power lines, which blocked the Pennyrile Parkway at mile marker 25. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $3,000 | A wind gust to 60 mph was measured at Highway 800 and the Pennyrile Parkway. Some tree damage was reported around the county. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $3,000 | Trees were down near U.S. Highway 41. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | $2,000 | Minor shingle damage occurred at a residence. |
| April 2003 | Tornado (F1) | Crofton | $1,000 | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Funnel Cloud | Crofton | - | The funnel cloud eventually touched down just before crossing into Muhlenberg County. |
| April 2015 | Funnel Cloud | Crofton | - | A funnel cloud was reported by trained spotters and the general public. |
| December 2015 | Heavy Rain | Crofton | - | Water was over a primary road near Crofton. |
| July 2013 | Heavy Rain | Crofton | - | Four inches of water covered U.S. Highway 41. |
| January 2012 | Heavy Rain | Crofton | - | Minor flooding was reported on Highway 800 at an intersection in Crofton. |
| March 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts around 60 mph were estimated near Crofton. |
| June 2006 | Hail | Crofton | - | Nickel to quarter size hail fell. |
| August 2005 | Heavy Rain | Crofton | - | Secondary roads in the northern part of the county experienced some flooding. |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | - | Trees and power lines were blown down. |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | - | Several trees were blown down. |
| July 2003 | Hail | Crofton | - | Two-inch diameter hailstones were reported near Crofton. Half-dollar size hail fell three miles north-northeast of Hopkinsville. |
| September 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | - | Two trees were down. |
| June 1999 | Flash Flood | Crofton | - | Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall, with rates estimated by radar of up to 2.5 inches per hour. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2021 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2021 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| March 2020 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2019 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2016 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| June 2014 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| March 2012 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Hail | Crofton | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empire | 2.7 miles | 12 | |
| East Macedonia (historical) | 3.3 miles | 12 | |
| Grapevine (historical) | 3.7 miles | 12 | |
| Thomas Store (historical) | 4.0 miles | 12 | |
| Cavanaugh | 4.0 miles | 9 | |
| Adams (historical) | 4.4 miles | 12 | |
| Old Empire (historical) | 4.5 miles | 12 | |
| Castleberry (historical) | 4.9 miles | 12 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Crofton | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2617616 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 490363. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.






