[2] The county was founded December 17, 1823, and named for Captain James M. Meade, who was killed in action at the Battle of River Raisin during the War of 1812.

[3][4][5] Meade County is part of the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Louisville/Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Madison, KY-IN Combined Statistical Area.

[6] All 56 miles (90 km) of the county's northern border faces Indiana, across from the Ohio River.

Of all households 18.40% were made up of individuals, and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

However people living on Fort Knox are instead zoned to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA),[16] which operates Fort Knox Middle High School.