Daviess County is located in northwestern Kentucky along the Ohio River, forming part of the state’s western coalfield region and bordering Indiana across the river. Established in 1815 and named for Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, it developed as a river- and rail-connected trade center for surrounding agricultural areas. The county is mid-sized by Kentucky standards, with a population of roughly 100,000 residents. Owensboro, the county seat and largest city, anchors the county’s economy and services, while much of the surrounding area remains rural. The landscape is characterized by broad river bottoms near the Ohio and gently rolling terrain inland, supporting row-crop farming, livestock operations, and related agribusiness. Owensboro contributes a regional cultural profile through its performing arts venues and festivals, and the county functions as a commercial hub for neighboring counties in the Green River area.

Daviess County Local Demographic Profile

Daviess County is located in northwestern Kentucky along the Ohio River, anchored by the regional hub city of Owensboro. It is part of the broader Ohio River Valley region and serves as a key population and service center in the state’s western corridor.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s county-level totals in QuickFacts for Daviess County, Kentucky, Daviess County had a population of 103,312 (2020) and an estimated population of 103,087 (2023).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts for Daviess County (most recent year shown on the page for each item), the county’s age and gender profile includes:

  • Age distribution (percent of total population)

    • Under 5 years: 5.9%
    • Under 18 years: 22.3%
    • Age 65 and over: 17.1%
  • Gender ratio (percent of total population)

    • Female persons: 50.8%

(QuickFacts presents the female share directly; it does not present a single “males per 100 females” ratio on the same summary table.)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Daviess County, the county’s racial and ethnic composition (percent of total population; categories shown as reported by the Census Bureau summary table) includes:

  • White alone: 87.3%
  • Black or African American alone: 3.9%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.2%
  • Asian alone: 1.2%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
  • Two or More Races: 5.3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 3.4%

Household & Housing Data

According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Daviess County, key household and housing indicators include:

  • Households (2019–2023): 41,258
  • Persons per household (2019–2023): 2.41
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2019–2023): 68.3%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (2019–2023): $171,700
  • Median gross rent (2019–2023): $863

For local government and planning resources, visit the Daviess County official website.

Email Usage

Daviess County, Kentucky combines Owensboro’s urban core with surrounding lower-density areas, so digital communication depends on neighborhood-level broadband buildout and last‑mile service availability.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not routinely published; email adoption is commonly proxied using household internet, broadband subscription, and computer access from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) and related American Community Survey tables.

Digital access indicators (proxies for email access)

ACS measures such as “households with a broadband internet subscription” and “households with a computer (desktop/laptop/tablet)” indicate the practical capacity to use email at home. Lower subscription or device access rates typically correspond to reduced email use, particularly for account verification and two‑factor authentication workflows.

Age distribution and email adoption

County age composition (ACS age tables) informs likely adoption patterns: older cohorts often rely on email for healthcare and government portals, while younger cohorts may substitute messaging apps, reducing email centrality despite high connectivity.

Gender distribution

Sex composition is available in ACS; it is generally less predictive of email access than age and household connectivity.

Connectivity and infrastructure limitations

Coverage gaps, affordability constraints, and provider competition are tracked through federal broadband mapping such as the FCC National Broadband Map, which reflects service availability that can limit consistent email access.

Mobile Phone Usage

Daviess County is located in northwestern Kentucky along the Ohio River, with Owensboro as the county seat and primary population center. The county includes an urban core (Owensboro) surrounded by lower-density suburban and rural areas with predominantly flat river-valley terrain and agricultural land. This settlement pattern typically produces strong mobile coverage in and around Owensboro and more variable performance at the rural edges where fewer towers serve larger areas and indoor coverage can be weaker. County geography and population distribution can be reviewed through Census.gov QuickFacts for Daviess County and local context from the Daviess County, Kentucky official website.

Key distinction: network availability vs. adoption

  • Network availability (supply-side) describes where mobile carriers report service (coverage, technology such as LTE/5G, and advertised speeds).
  • Adoption (demand-side) describes whether residents actually subscribe to mobile service, use mobile broadband, rely on smartphones, or substitute mobile service for wired internet at home.

County-specific coverage maps and county-specific adoption statistics do not always align because availability does not guarantee affordability, device ownership, indoor signal quality, or meaningful performance.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (adoption)

County-level mobile adoption is limited and typically proxied through broader measures (e.g., household broadband subscriptions and device access). The most consistent public source for local adoption indicators is the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), which reports household technology access and internet subscription types.

  • Household internet and device access (ACS): The ACS provides estimates for:

    • Households with a computer (including smartphones in some device categories in certain tables, and separately “smartphone” in detailed technology tables).
    • Households with an internet subscription, including cellular data plans as a subscription type in detailed ACS technology tables.
    • Households with broadband of any type and households with no internet subscription.

    These are adoption indicators, not coverage indicators. County-level tables can be accessed via the Census Bureau’s main portal and ACS data tools; a starting point is data.census.gov and the county profile on Census.gov QuickFacts.
    Limitation: ACS technology tables are sample-based and may have margins of error that are meaningful at county scale; they also describe subscriptions and devices at the household level rather than measuring signal quality or speeds.

  • Phone-only / wireless substitution: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and similar products measure “wireless-only” households, but these are generally published at national/state levels rather than by county. As a result, wireless-only prevalence cannot be stated for Daviess County from standard federal releases without specialized small-area estimation. State-level context is available from CDC/NCHS NHIS.
    Limitation: Not county-specific in standard tables.

Mobile internet usage patterns and technology (availability: 4G LTE, 5G)

County-specific network availability is best documented using carrier-submitted coverage datasets compiled by the FCC. These are availability claims and modeled coverage, not verified performance at every location.

  • FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) – mobile availability: The FCC publishes provider-reported mobile broadband availability by technology generation and geography. This is the primary public reference for:

    • 4G LTE availability (widely present in most populated areas; exact coverage extent should be read from FCC maps rather than inferred).
    • 5G availability (varies by carrier and band; typically strongest in urbanized areas such as Owensboro and along major roads; extent and type depend on provider filings).

    The authoritative interface is the FCC National Broadband Map.
    Limitation: The FCC map represents provider-reported coverage and does not guarantee indoor reception, congestion-free throughput, or consistent service at parcel level.

  • Kentucky state broadband context: State broadband offices often compile additional planning materials and local initiatives that affect connectivity. Kentucky’s statewide broadband planning and mapping resources provide context for infrastructure investment and coverage validation processes. Reference: Kentucky Office of Broadband Development.
    Limitation: State resources may summarize coverage at broader scales and may not provide a county-by-county breakdown for mobile beyond what the FCC map offers.

  • Performance and real-world usage patterns: Publicly comparable, county-specific mobile performance (latency, throughput, congestion) is less consistently published in a definitive, government-standard form than availability. Some third-party analytics exist but are not official. The FCC map should be treated as the principal reference for availability, while ACS remains the principal reference for adoption.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

Device-type prevalence at the county level is primarily captured through ACS household technology questions and related tables.

  • Smartphone presence (adoption indicator): ACS detailed technology tables include estimates for households with a smartphone and related device categories (desktop/laptop/tablet). These measures indicate device access but do not indicate mobile plan type, 4G/5G capability, or data use intensity. The most direct access point for county tables is data.census.gov.
    Limitation: ACS measures household device access, not individual ownership, and does not classify devices by cellular generation (e.g., 5G handset share).

  • Non-smartphone devices: ACS device categories include computers and tablets; it does not provide a granular breakdown of feature phones versus smartphones in the way carrier datasets might. For that reason, a precise split between smartphones and feature phones cannot be stated for Daviess County using standard public county-level sources.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage (adoption and experience)

Several structural factors influence both adoption and user experience in Daviess County, with the main sources for demographic and housing context being the U.S. Census Bureau:

  • Urban–rural settlement pattern: Owensboro’s higher density supports more cell sites and generally stronger capacity. Outlying lower-density areas typically have fewer towers per square mile, which can reduce signal strength indoors and increase sensitivity to terrain/building materials. County urbanization and housing patterns are reflected in Census.gov QuickFacts.
    Availability vs. adoption note: A rural area can be shown as “covered” on availability maps while still experiencing weaker indoor service and limited competition, influencing adoption and reliance on mobile-only service.

  • Income, age, and education: These factors correlate with smartphone ownership, mobile broadband subscription, and the ability to maintain multiple connections (mobile plus fixed home internet). County-level socioeconomic indicators can be referenced via data.census.gov and QuickFacts.
    Limitation: These datasets describe population characteristics but do not directly measure mobile usage behavior (e.g., streaming frequency, hotspot dependence).

  • Housing type and indoor reception: Larger lots, detached housing, and modern energy-efficient building materials can reduce indoor signal penetration in some locations. ACS housing characteristics (structure type, tenure, and related measures) can be used as contextual indicators via data.census.gov.
    Limitation: These are contextual correlates rather than direct measures of signal quality.

What can be stated definitively with public sources (and what cannot)

  • Definitively available at county scale:

    • Provider-reported 4G/5G availability by location through the FCC National Broadband Map (availability).
    • Household device and internet subscription indicators (including cellular data plan subscription in detailed ACS tables) through data.census.gov (adoption).
  • Not definitively available from standard public county-level releases:

    • A precise countywide mobile penetration rate expressed as “percent of people with a mobile subscription,” since common federal reporting is not structured as county mobile-subscription penetration.
    • A precise countywide smartphone vs. feature phone split.
    • Verified, location-by-location experienced performance (speed, latency, congestion) as an official county metric.

Sources for direct county lookup

Social Media Trends

Daviess County is in northwestern Kentucky along the Ohio River and includes Owensboro (the county seat and a regional employment, healthcare, and retail hub). The county’s mix of mid-sized urban amenities and surrounding suburban/rural areas generally aligns its social media usage with broader Kentucky and U.S. patterns, with usage shaped by mobile-first access, local community networks, and regionally oriented news and events.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration is not published in standard federal datasets; most reliable measurement is available at the U.S. national and state level rather than by county.
  • United States (benchmark): Approximately 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site (Pew Research Center, 2023). Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2023.
  • Kentucky (connectivity context): Internet availability and adoption influence social media access. For local context, county demographics and broadband indicators are commonly referenced via U.S. Census and related programs (not a direct measure of social media use). Source: U.S. Census Bureau data portal.

Age group trends

Nationally, age is the strongest predictor of social media use, and this pattern is typically reflected in counties with similar demographic profiles:

  • 18–29: Highest usage; about 84% use social media (U.S. adults).
  • 30–49: High usage; about 81%.
  • 50–64: Majority usage; about 73%.
  • 65+: Minority-to-majority depending on platform; about 45% overall.
    Source: Pew Research Center (2023).

Gender breakdown

  • Overall social media use by gender (U.S. adults): Pew reports modest differences by gender for overall social media adoption, with platform-specific gaps more notable than “any social media” use.
  • Platform-specific examples (U.S. adults): Women are more likely than men to use platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, while YouTube and Facebook are broadly used across genders.
    Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024.

Most-used platforms (percent of U.S. adults)

County-level platform shares are not typically published; the most defensible reference is national platform penetration, which often tracks local usage rankings:

  • YouTube: ~83%
  • Facebook: ~68%
  • Instagram: ~47%
  • Pinterest: ~35%
  • TikTok: ~33%
  • LinkedIn: ~30%
  • X (formerly Twitter): ~22%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
  • WhatsApp: ~29%
    Source: Pew Research Center (2024).

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

  • Video-led consumption is dominant: High YouTube penetration and growth in short-form video use (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels) indicate strong preference for video formats over text-only updates. Source: Pew Research Center platform adoption (2024).
  • Facebook remains central for local/community information: In many U.S. localities, Facebook is frequently used for community groups, local news links, event promotion, and marketplace activity; its broad reach across age groups supports this role. Source: Pew Research Center (2023).
  • Age-linked platform specialization: Younger adults over-index on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, while older adults over-index on Facebook and increasingly use YouTube for how-to and informational content. Source: Pew Research Center (2024).
  • Messaging and “networked” sharing: Use of WhatsApp and direct messaging within major platforms reflects a continued shift toward smaller-audience sharing (friends/family/groups) rather than exclusively public posting. Source: Pew Research Center (2024).

Family & Associates Records

Daviess County, Kentucky family-related public records include vital records (birth and death certificates), marriage records (licenses and returns), divorce records (court case files), probate records (wills, estates, guardianships), and some adoption-related court records. In Kentucky, birth and death certificates are issued and kept by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics; local access is typically provided through county health departments for certified copies. Marriage licenses are recorded by the county clerk, while divorce, adoption, and many family-court matters are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk.

Online access is available for many recorded and court indexes. The Daviess County Clerk provides county recording and licensing information, and the Kentucky Court of Justice CourtNet provides statewide court case search access (subscription-based) for participating courts. Statewide vital record ordering and information is provided by Kentucky Vital Statistics.

In-person access is available through the Daviess County Clerk (marriage and recording), the Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk (court files), and the Daviess County health department for certified vital records.

Privacy restrictions apply to certified vital records and to sealed or confidential court matters. Adoption files are generally closed and accessible only under statutory authorization; some family court records may be restricted by court order or law.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses/certificates and returns)

  • Marriage license application and license: Issued at the county level for marriages performed in Kentucky.
  • Marriage return/certificate: The officiant’s completed return is filed back with the county clerk, creating the county’s recorded proof of marriage.
  • Marriage record indexes: Many clerks maintain internal indexes by name and date for retrieval.

Divorce records (decrees and case files)

  • Divorce decree (judgment/order): The final court order dissolving a marriage.
  • Divorce case file (court record): May include petitions/complaints, summons/returns, motions, agreements, findings, child support/custody orders, and related filings.
  • Divorce indexes: Court clerk maintains case indexes/dockets for locating filings.

Annulment records

  • Annulment decree (judgment/order): Court order declaring a marriage void or voidable under Kentucky law.
  • Annulment case file: Similar in structure to divorce case files (pleadings, evidence filings, orders).

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Daviess County marriage records

  • Filing office: Daviess County Clerk (marriage licenses and recorded marriage returns).
  • Access methods:
    • In-person: Requests are handled at the County Clerk’s office during business hours.
    • By mail: Written requests are commonly accepted for certified copies, typically requiring identifying details and applicable fees.
    • State-level access: Kentucky maintains statewide vital records, but county clerks remain the primary local repository for the recorded county marriage record.

Daviess County divorce and annulment records

  • Filing office: Daviess Circuit Court Clerk (family law case files, including divorce and annulment actions, and final decrees).
  • Access methods:
    • In-person: Public access terminals or clerk counter services are typically used to locate and obtain copies from the case file.
    • Kentucky Court of Justice online case search: Kentucky provides online access to certain case information through its CourtNet services, with public and subscription components depending on the product and user category. Official site: https://kcoj.kycourts.net/
    • Certified copies: Certified copies of decrees/orders are obtained from the Circuit Court Clerk.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage licenses/recorded marriage documents

  • Full names of spouses (including prior/maiden names as reported)
  • Date and place of marriage (county and venue as stated)
  • Date license issued; date return recorded
  • Ages or dates of birth (varies by form/era)
  • Residences (city/county/state)
  • Officiant name/title and certification/return details
  • Witnesses (when required by the form used at the time)
  • Signatures and clerk recording information

Divorce decrees and divorce case files

  • Names of parties and case number
  • Date of filing and date of decree
  • Court and judge identification
  • Findings and orders regarding:
    • Dissolution of marriage
    • Division of property and debts
    • Spousal maintenance (alimony) when ordered
    • Child custody/parenting time and decision-making
    • Child support and medical support provisions
    • Name restoration (as ordered)
  • In case files: pleadings, sworn statements, agreements, notices, and other supporting documents (extent varies by case)

Annulment decrees and annulment case files

  • Names of parties and case number
  • Legal basis for annulment as reflected in pleadings/orders
  • Date of judgment and court/judge
  • Related orders on property, support, custody, and name matters when applicable
  • Supporting filings included in the case file (varies by case)

Privacy or legal restrictions

Marriage records

  • Marriage licenses and recorded marriage returns are generally treated as public records under Kentucky’s open records framework, subject to statutory exceptions and redaction practices.
  • Certified copies generally require a formal request and fee; identification requirements and proof of entitlement depend on the record type and the office’s procedures.

Divorce and annulment records

  • Court records are generally public, but access to specific documents may be limited by:
    • Sealing orders entered by the court
    • Confidential information rules and redactions (for example, Social Security numbers, minor children’s identifying information, financial account numbers)
    • Protected case types or filings (such as certain domestic violence-related filings or sensitive custody evaluations), when designated confidential by law or court order
  • Certified copies are available through the Circuit Court Clerk; copying fees and certification fees apply under court and clerk fee schedules.

Vital records administration notes

  • Kentucky vital records practices distinguish between county-recorded documents (maintained by the County Clerk for marriages) and court judgments (maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk for divorces/annulments). State repositories may hold parallel indexes or compiled vital statistics, but certified court judgments are issued by the court clerk and recorded marriage documents by the county clerk.

Education, Employment and Housing

Daviess County is in northwestern Kentucky along the Ohio River, anchored by the city of Owensboro (the county seat). It is a mid-sized metropolitan county by Kentucky standards, with a mix of urban neighborhoods in and around Owensboro and rural/agricultural areas outside the city. Population and socioeconomic conditions are commonly summarized using U.S. Census Bureau and Kentucky state agency datasets (most frequently the American Community Survey for education, commuting, and housing, and BLS-style measures for labor conditions).

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Daviess County’s primary public K–12 system is Daviess County Public Schools (DCPS), with additional public options in Owensboro operated by Owensboro Public Schools (OPS). A consolidated, authoritative list of school buildings and names is maintained by the districts:

A single “number of public schools” total varies by definition (elementary/middle/high only vs. inclusion of alternative, preschool, and special program sites). The most reliable approach is using the districts’ current school directory pages as the source of record.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios and high school graduation rates are reported annually at the district and school level by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) through its accountability and report card systems. Countywide summaries are typically derived from DCPS and OPS district profiles.

Because Daviess County contains two major public districts (DCPS and OPS), graduation rates and ratios differ by district and by high school. KDE’s report card is the standard reference for the most recent year available.

Adult educational attainment

Adult education levels are most consistently measured by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) (population age 25+). Core indicators commonly cited for Daviess County include:

  • High school diploma or higher (25+)
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+)

The most recent multi-year ACS county estimates are accessible through:

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, Advanced Placement)

Common program categories documented in district and school profiles include:

  • Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit offerings at high school level (course availability varies by building)
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways (trade, health, IT, manufacturing-related programs typical for the region)
  • STEM coursework and career pathways, often integrated through science/engineering electives, partnerships, and CTE tracks

Program availability is best verified through district curricula pages and individual high school course catalogs (DCPS/OPS), supplemented by KDE school-level profiles on the Kentucky School Report Card.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Public school safety and student supports in Kentucky generally include:

  • School resource officers (SROs) and/or law-enforcement partnerships (varies by building)
  • Visitor management, controlled entry procedures, and emergency drills
  • School counselors and student services staff; many schools also coordinate referrals to community mental-health providers

District student services/safety pages and KDE profiles provide the most direct documentation:

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The most recent official county unemployment rate is published through U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) local area statistics and state workforce reporting. The standard reference is:

Daviess County’s unemployment rate typically tracks close to Kentucky’s statewide trend and regional metro dynamics; the exact “most recent year” value depends on the latest annual average release.

Major industries and employment sectors

Daviess County’s employment base is typically described using NAICS sector employment (ACS and workforce datasets). Major sectors commonly prominent in the Owensboro-area labor market include:

  • Health care and social assistance
  • Manufacturing (including advanced manufacturing and food/beverage-related production in the broader region)
  • Retail trade
  • Educational services
  • Construction and transportation/warehousing (regional logistics patterns)

Primary sources for sector breakdowns:

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational composition is typically summarized by ACS categories (management/business, service, sales/office, natural resources/construction/maintenance, production/transportation/material moving). County-level occupational distributions are available via:

In Daviess County, the presence of a regional city center (Owensboro) usually corresponds with higher shares of healthcare, office/administrative, education, and service occupations, alongside manufacturing/production and logistics roles common to the Ohio River/US-60 corridor economy.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

ACS provides:

  • Mean travel time to work (minutes)
  • Commuting mode share (drive alone, carpool, work from home, public transit, walk/bike)

Daviess County’s commuting pattern is predominantly private vehicle commuting, with limited public transit share relative to large metros. The authoritative source for the most recent estimates is:

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Two common approaches are used:

  • ACS “place of work” and commuting-flow style tables (limited detail in standard tables)
  • LEHD/OnTheMap origin–destination employment flows (where available), which quantify in-county jobs filled by residents vs. residents working outside the county

Primary reference:

Daviess County’s role as a regional employment center generally increases the share of in-county jobs relative to surrounding rural counties, while also showing outbound commuting to nearby employment nodes in western Kentucky and the Evansville, Indiana area.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

The most consistent county measures come from the ACS:

  • Owner-occupied housing unit share (homeownership rate)
  • Renter-occupied share

Primary source:

Daviess County typically reflects a majority-owner housing market with a substantial renter segment concentrated in Owensboro and near major corridors and employment centers.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median owner-occupied home value (ACS) provides a standardized, annually updated estimate.
  • Recent market trends (short-run price movement) are often tracked by housing market indexes and listing platforms, but ACS remains the most consistent “official” statistic for county comparisons.

Primary source:

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent and rent distribution are reported in ACS, including affordability measures (rent as a percent of income).

Primary source:

Types of housing

Daviess County’s housing stock is generally characterized by:

  • Single-family detached homes as the dominant unit type (countywide)
  • Apartments and multi-unit buildings concentrated in Owensboro and along commercial corridors
  • Manufactured homes and rural-lot housing in unincorporated areas

Unit-type shares (single-family, multi-unit, mobile/manufactured) are available from ACS:

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

  • Owensboro contains the densest mix of amenities (schools, medical facilities, retail, and civic services), with shorter travel distances to major services.
  • Suburban-style areas around Owensboro commonly combine newer subdivisions with proximity to schools and arterial roads.
  • Rural areas offer larger lots and agricultural adjacency, with longer drive times to major employment and medical centers.

Because neighborhood-level conditions vary within the county, official county datasets are typically supplemented by municipal planning documents and district boundary maps (DCPS/OPS) for school proximity context.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Kentucky property taxes are primarily a combination of:

  • County property tax
  • City property tax (where applicable, e.g., Owensboro)
  • School district tax
  • Special districts (varies by location)

The most comparable household-level measure of property tax burden is ACS:

  • Median real estate taxes paid (for owner-occupied housing units)

Primary sources:

A single “average rate” is not fully representative because rates differ by jurisdiction (city vs. unincorporated areas) and by tax district; ACS median taxes paid is the standard proxy for typical homeowner cost in the absence of a unified countywide effective-rate figure.