Ledbetter, Kentucky
22 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1929 and the latest in 1987. It stands in the Smithland census division. It lies in ZIP code area 42058. It stands on Drake Branch. The Survey maps it on the Little Cypress quadrangle. 1,836 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 348 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresLedbetter grew from 1,683 to 1,836 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 | 1,683 | |
| 2020 | 1,836 | +153 (+9%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
15 surveys from 22 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.
- 1929 USGS Smithland quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1936 USGS Little Cypress quadrangle1:24000
- 1936 USGS Smithland quadrangle1:48000
- 1942 USGS Smithland quadrangle1:62500
- 1949 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1950 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
- 1954 USGS Little Cypress quadrangle1:24000
- 1954 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Little Cypress quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1961 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1964 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1982 USGS Little Cypress quadrangle1:24000
- 1984 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:100000
- 1986 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:100000
- 1987 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
Fires near this place
18 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 18 fires within 5 miles of Ledbetter between 1997 and 2020, burning about 175 acres in total. None started naturally. None 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 | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September 1999 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 1 September 2007 | Smoking | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 2 March 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.5 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | HOMES ROAD |
| 2 March 2012 | Recreation and ceremony | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | POSSUM TR |
| 13 March 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 28 February 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 16 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 8 November 2011 | Recreation and ceremony | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | BENTON RD. |
| 5 November 2008 | Recreation and ceremony | 5.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
2 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Ledbetter: 2 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Mine Dredge | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Floating Plant Ingram | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this place
29 since 1995Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ledbetter in 29 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 14 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 3 flood, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2019 | Flood | Ledbetter | $400,000 | A prolonged major river flood affected numerous homes and businesses in Livingston County. At Smithland, the Ohio River crested at 51.83 feet on the 25th. This was the worst flood since the historic flood of May 2011, when the river crested at 54.89 feet. The 1997 flood crest of 51.44 feet was similar to this crest. The primary focus of flood-fighting efforts revolved around the town of Smithland, the county seat. A makeshift levee was built along the river, requiring a multi-week closure of U.S. Highway 60 through town. The governor of Kentucky toured the site of the levee construction, which required the assistance of numerous state and federal agencies. Repeated heavy rainfall in west Kentucky and backwater from the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers caused widespread flooding in the southern part of Livingston County. Smaller rivers and creeks had nowhere to drain and kept rising with each successive round of heavy rain. Numerous roads were closed around the county, especially in the flood plain. Some of the largest state roads that were closed included U.S. Highway 60 in Smithland and State Route 70. Floodwaters came right up to the edge of U.S. Highway 60 at several locations from Ledbetter to Burna, but the road was only closed briefly when the river crested. The closure of Highway 60 outside Smithland prompted the closure of Livingston County schools for a day. The county school district estimated 50 to 60 students were directly impacted by the floodwaters. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stopped all river traffic on the Ohio River at Smithland. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | $20,000 | A tree fell through the roof of a home on Gass Rd. |
| January 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | $20,000 | no account filed |
| August 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | $10,000 | Several trees were blown down. One tree fell on a church, damaging part of the building. |
| November 1996 | Flash Flood | Ledbetter | $4,000 | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | $3,000 | Large metal panels, possibly from a carport or shed, were blown onto a city street. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | $3,000 | Large tree limbs were down. |
| December 2021 | Tornado (EF0) | Ledbetter | $1,000 | A towboat captain on the Ohio River near the confluence of the Tennessee River reported a tornado narrowly missed the boat as it crossed the river. The tornado ripped the flag off the flagpole on the bow of the vessel. No other damage was reported. Peak winds were estimated near 65 mph. |
| March 2025 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | Golfball size hail occurred near Ledbetter. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | Hail measured to quarter size fell in Ledbetter as a supercell moved east-northeastward through Livingston County. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | A trained spotter reported 1.5-inch hail at Ledbetter. The public reported golf ball size hail at Smithland. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | - | A trained spotter reported a gust to 60 mph. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Ledbetter | - | A prolonged major river flood gradually subsided in March after cresting in February. Information on the February crest height and on total property damage estimates is contained in the February report. The flood affected numerous homes and businesses in Livingston County. The primary focus of flood-fighting efforts revolved around the town of Smithland, the county seat. A makeshift levee was built along the river, requiring a multi-week closure of U.S. Highway 60 through town. The governor of Kentucky toured the site of the levee construction, which required the assistance of numerous state and federal agencies. Repeated heavy rainfall in west Kentucky and backwater from the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers caused widespread flooding in the southern part of Livingston County. Numerous roads were closed around the county, especially in the flood plain. Some of the largest state roads that were closed included U.S. Highway 60 in Smithland and State Route 70. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stopped all river traffic on the Ohio River at Smithland. |
| March 2015 | Flood | Ledbetter | - | Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Smithland river gage, the river crested at 45.22 feet on the 17th. Flood stage is 40 feet. Portions of Kentucky Highway 137 were closed in the Birdsville area. Agricultural land and wooded river bottomlands were flooded. Crop losses were negligible since planting was not yet underway. |
| April 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | - | Pea-sized hail accompanied the wind gust, which was measured at a golf course along the Ohio River. |
| October 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | - | A few trees were blown down by winds estimated near 65 MPH. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| May 2017 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 2009 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 2007 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| April 1999 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Hail | Ledbetter | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ledbetter | - | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowell Landing | 1.1 miles | 22 | |
| Upper Hodge Landing | 1.5 miles | 22 | |
| Smithland | 7.4 miles | 21 | |
| Cooper Landing | 7.7 miles | 23 | |
| Stanley Landing | 8.8 miles | 23 | |
| Newbern | 8.9 miles | 23 | |
| Heater | 9.9 miles | 19 | |
| Miller Landing | 10.7 miles | 21 |
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 Ledbetter | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2240947 | 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 508437. 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.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.














