[1] The county was founded in 1886 and named for John Griffin Carlisle, a Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky.

Carlisle County is included in the Paducah, KY-IL, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[3] The county's western border with Missouri is formed by the Mississippi River.

There were 2,490 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km2).

26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.