Comanche County, Kansas

Comanche County
County
Comanche County Museum in Coldwater (2010)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°11′N99°16′W / 37.183°N 99.267°W / 37.183; -99.267
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Comanche Native Americans
Seat	Coldwater
Largest city	Coldwater
Area
• Total	790 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Land	788 sq mi (2,040 km2)
• Water	1.4 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	1,689
• Estimate  (2021) [2]	1,670
• Density	2.1/sq mi (0.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	620
Congressional district	4th
Website	comanchecoks.org

Comanche County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Coldwater. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,689. ^[1] The county was named after the Comanche tribe. ^[4]

History

See also: History of Kansas

In 1867, Comanche County was established and named for the Comanche tribe. The first American settlers arrived in 1873. Initially, the land was dominated by cattlemen who took advantage of the open range, many of whom organized a cattle company known as the "Comanche Pool." A large number of homesteaders arrived to claim and farm the land in 1884, and by 1885 most of the desirable homesteads had been claimed and the fencing in of the open range had ended the dominance of the cattlemen ^[5] .

The town of Coldwater was founded in 1884 by a group from Harper, Kansas, who saw potential in the northern part of Comanche County. The county organized in 1885 with Coldwater serving as the county seat. The arrival of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in 1887 boosted prosperity population growth by improving transportation in the county. The opening of the Indian Territory to homesteading led to a temporary depopulation, however, and the dry years from 1891 to 1897 brought economic hardship, reducing the population significantly ^[5] . The first decades of the 20th century brought economic and population recovery ^[5] , but the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and subsequent rural flight in the 20th and 21st centuries have significantly impacted the county's fortunes.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 790 square miles (2,000 km²), of which 788 square miles (2,040 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[6]

Adjacent counties

• Kiowa County (north)
• Barber County (east)
• Woods County, Oklahoma (south)
• Harper County, Oklahoma (southwest)
• Clark County (west)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	372		—
1890	2,549		585.2%
1900	1,619		−36.5%
1910	3,281		102.7%
1920	5,302		61.6%
1930	5,238		−1.2%
1940	4,412		−15.8%
1950	3,888		−11.9%
1960	3,271		−15.9%
1970	2,702		−17.4%
1980	2,554		−5.5%
1990	2,313		−9.4%
2000	1,967		−15.0%
2010	1,891		−3.9%
2020	1,689		−10.7%
2023 (est.)	1,655	[7]	−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10] 1990–2000 [11] 2010–2020 [1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,967 people, 872 households, and 540 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 1,088 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.05% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 872 households, out of which 24.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.00% were non-families. Of all households 35.90% were made up of individuals, and 21.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.10% under the age of 18, 4.50% from 18 to 24, 21.00% from 25 to 44, 26.50% from 45 to 64, and 25.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,415, and the median income for a family was $36,790. Males had a median income of $24,844 versus $18,221 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,037. About 8.50% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.70% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Comanche County, Kansas ^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	727	83.18%	130	14.87%	17	1.95%
2020	762	83.19%	126	13.76%	28	3.06%
2016	715	82.47%	102	11.76%	50	5.77%
2012	767	82.65%	143	15.41%	18	1.94%
2008	765	78.54%	194	19.92%	15	1.54%
2004	770	78.49%	200	20.39%	11	1.12%
2000	760	75.55%	211	20.97%	35	3.48%
1996	691	61.31%	298	26.44%	138	12.24%
1992	636	49.49%	325	25.29%	324	25.21%
1988	738	65.72%	375	33.39%	10	0.89%
1984	993	76.80%	285	22.04%	15	1.16%
1980	877	65.45%	393	29.33%	70	5.22%
1976	719	52.71%	630	46.19%	15	1.10%
1972	1,052	77.18%	281	20.62%	30	2.20%
1968	906	62.66%	451	31.19%	89	6.15%
1964	694	45.54%	818	53.67%	12	0.79%
1960	1,187	71.85%	460	27.85%	5	0.30%
1956	1,238	72.40%	461	26.96%	11	0.64%
1952	1,443	78.98%	374	20.47%	10	0.55%
1948	1,077	61.90%	650	37.36%	13	0.75%
1944	1,048	61.47%	642	37.65%	15	0.88%
1940	1,322	59.50%	880	39.60%	20	0.90%
1936	932	39.44%	1,428	60.43%	3	0.13%
1932	945	43.91%	1,175	54.60%	32	1.49%
1928	1,554	79.98%	385	19.81%	4	0.21%
1924	1,049	60.25%	432	24.81%	260	14.93%
1920	1,121	63.05%	612	34.42%	45	2.53%
1916	732	38.55%	963	50.71%	204	10.74%
1912	148	13.05%	377	33.25%	609	53.70%
1908	392	59.67%	245	37.29%	20	3.04%
1904	272	63.40%	129	30.07%	28	6.53%
1900	249	54.85%	194	42.73%	11	2.42%
1896	142	44.94%	172	54.43%	2	0.63%
1892	259	45.52%	0	0.00%	310	54.48%
1888	490	50.67%	384	39.71%	93	9.62%

Laws

The Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Comanche County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation. ^[13]

Education

Unified school districts

• Comanche County USD 300

Communities

2005 map of Comanche County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Comanche County. ^[14]

Cities

• Coldwater (county seat)
• Protection
• Wilmore

Unincorporated community

• Buttermilk

Townships

Comanche County is divided into four townships. None of the cities within the county are considered "governmentally independent", and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Avilla	03525		58	0 (0)	309 (119)	0 (0)	0.15%	37°5′14″N99°17′20″W / 37.08722°N 99.28889°W / 37.08722; -99.28889
Coldwater	14725	Coldwater	1,086	1 (3)	1,099 (424)	2 (1)	0.17%	37°16′6″N99°18′5″W / 37.26833°N 99.30139°W / 37.26833; -99.30139
Powell	57325		89	0 (1)	186 (72)	0 (0)	0.03%	37°20′36″N99°8′37″W / 37.34333°N 99.14361°W / 37.34333; -99.14361
Protection	57875	Protection	734	2 (4)	448 (173)	1 (0)	0.28%	37°12′20″N99°29′16″W / 37.20556°N 99.48778°W / 37.20556; -99.48778
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

See also

• Kansas portal

Community information for Kansas

• Kansas locations by per capita income
• List of counties in Kansas
• List of townships in Kansas
• List of cities in Kansas
• List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
• List of ghost towns in Kansas
• Dry counties
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Comanche County, Kansas

References

1. "QuickFacts; Comanche County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
2. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021" . Retrieved October 23, 2022.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Profile for Comanche County, Kansas". ePodunk. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
5. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. ... with a Supplementary Volume Devoted to Selected Personal History and Reminiscence. Standard publishing Company.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
13. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties" (PDF). Kansas Department of Revenue Alcoholic Beverage Control. December 30, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
14. "General Highway Map of Comanche County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). July 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2023.

Notes

Further reading

See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities

• Standard Atlas of Comanche County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 42 pages; 1909.

External links

County

• Comanche County - Official
• Comanche County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

• Comanche County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society