The county was formed in 1840 and is named for Simon Kenton, a frontiersman notable in the early history of the state.

27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Kenton County has five school districts providing education, from the extremely rural southern areas to the highly urbanized north.

Thomas More University is the only institute of higher learning wholly in the county itself.

Northern Kentucky University had a Covington campus located at 1401 Dixie Highway until it closed at the end of 2008.

NKU's main campus is not far from Kenton County – only about 4 miles from the Licking River.

Classes are provided at GCTC locations in Boone County, Covington, Park Hills and Edgewood.

[14] Visalia and Latonia Lakes have been dissolved as cities within Kenton County.