Reno County, Kansas

Reno County
County
Reno County Courthouse in Hutchinson (2008)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°57′N98°05′W / 37.950°N 98.083°W / 37.950; -98.083
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Jesse Lee Reno
Seat	Hutchinson
Largest city	Hutchinson
Area
• Total	1,272 sq mi (3,290 km2)
• Land	1,255 sq mi (3,250 km2)
• Water	17 sq mi (40 km2)  1.3%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	61,898
• Estimate  (2023) [2]	61,497
• Density	49.3/sq mi (19.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	620
Congressional district	1st
Website	renocountyks.gov

Reno County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Hutchinson. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the population was 61,898. ^[1] The county is named for Jesse Reno, a general during the American Civil War.

History

1915–1918 railroad map of Reno County

Early history

See also: History of Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

In 1867, Reno County was established, named for General Jesse L. Reno.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway extended its main line from Herington to Pratt. ^[4] This main line connected Herington, Ramona, Tampa, Durham, Waldeck, Canton, Galva, McPherson, Groveland, Inman, Medora, Hutchinson, Whiteside, Partridge, Arlington, Langdon, Turon, Preston, Natrona, Pratt. In 1888, this main line was extended to Liberal. Later, this line was extended to Tucumcari, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. This line is called the "Golden State Limited".

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,272 square miles (3,290 km²), of which 1,255 square miles (3,250 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (1.3%) is water. ^[5] It is the third-largest county by area in Kansas.

Adjacent counties

• Rice County (north)
• McPherson County (northeast)
• Harvey County (east)
• Sedgwick County (southeast)
• Kingman County (south)
• Pratt County (southwest)
• Stafford County (west)

National protected area

• Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	12,826		—
1890	27,079		111.1%
1900	29,027		7.2%
1910	37,853		30.4%
1920	44,423		17.4%
1930	47,785		7.6%
1940	52,165		9.2%
1950	54,058		3.6%
1960	59,055		9.2%
1970	60,765		2.9%
1980	64,983		6.9%
1990	62,389		−4.0%
2000	64,790		3.8%
2010	64,511		−0.4%
2020	61,898		−4.1%
2023 (est.)	61,497	[6]	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010-2020 [1]

The Hutchinson Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Reno County.

As of the census of 2000, there were 64,790 people, 25,498 households, and 17,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile (20 people/km²). There were 27,625 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.56% White, 2.88% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.69% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 5.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 25,498 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,510, and the median income for a family was $42,643. Males had a median income of $31,495 versus $21,329 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,520. About 8.10% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.90% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Reno County is strongly Republican. The last time a Democratic candidate won the county was in 1976 when Jimmy Carter did so. However, 1988 was somewhat close as Michael Dukakis lost the county by only 5 percentage points due to a persistent drought and farm crisis.

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Reno County, Kansas ^[11]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	17,388	65.93%	8,334	31.60%	653	2.48%
2020	18,443	65.73%	8,886	31.67%	731	2.61%
2016	15,513	63.23%	6,837	27.87%	2,186	8.91%
2012	15,718	64.36%	8,085	33.11%	619	2.53%
2008	16,112	60.57%	9,916	37.28%	574	2.16%
2004	17,748	64.95%	9,114	33.36%	462	1.69%
2000	15,179	59.69%	9,025	35.49%	1,226	4.82%
1996	14,275	54.28%	9,108	34.63%	2,917	11.09%
1992	11,377	40.10%	9,257	32.63%	7,738	27.27%
1988	12,753	51.11%	11,545	46.27%	656	2.63%
1984	16,568	63.34%	9,229	35.28%	362	1.38%
1980	13,804	52.85%	9,615	36.81%	2,702	10.34%
1976	11,212	42.29%	14,620	55.14%	680	2.56%
1972	15,714	63.81%	8,183	33.23%	731	2.97%
1968	11,804	50.29%	9,872	42.06%	1,798	7.66%
1964	8,829	36.83%	14,936	62.30%	208	0.87%
1960	14,655	60.21%	9,557	39.27%	127	0.52%
1956	15,057	66.56%	7,461	32.98%	102	0.45%
1952	15,762	68.58%	6,555	28.52%	666	2.90%
1948	11,187	51.87%	9,957	46.17%	423	1.96%
1944	11,004	58.71%	7,604	40.57%	135	0.72%
1940	12,448	53.64%	10,543	45.43%	217	0.94%
1936	8,607	37.59%	14,203	62.03%	88	0.38%
1932	8,972	47.30%	9,351	49.29%	647	3.41%
1928	12,872	76.31%	3,843	22.78%	153	0.91%
1924	10,339	65.23%	3,675	23.18%	1,837	11.59%
1920	9,649	67.12%	4,385	30.50%	341	2.37%
1916	6,870	46.05%	6,683	44.80%	1,366	9.16%
1912	1,668	20.92%	3,360	42.13%	2,947	36.95%
1908	4,092	52.72%	3,381	43.56%	289	3.72%
1904	4,245	69.33%	1,423	23.24%	455	7.43%
1900	3,769	56.02%	2,859	42.49%	100	1.49%
1896	3,373	51.96%	3,051	47.00%	67	1.03%
1892	3,166	50.00%	0	0.00%	3,166	50.00%
1888	3,398	56.61%	1,841	30.67%	763	12.71%

Laws

Reno County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 2004. ^[12]

Education

Colleges

• Hutchinson Community College

Unified school districts

• Hutchinson USD 308
• Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309
• Fairfield USD 310
• Pretty Prairie USD 311
• Haven USD 312
• Buhler USD 313

Private schools

There are three private schools in Hutchinson:

• Central Christian School (K-12)
• Trinity Catholic High School (7-12)
• Holy Cross Catholic school (PreK-6)

Communities

2005 map of Reno County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Reno County. ^[13]

Cities

• Abbyville
• Arlington
• Buhler
• Haven
• Hutchinson (county seat)
• Langdon
• Nickerson
• Partridge
• Plevna
• Pretty Prairie
• South Hutchinson
• Sylvia
• The Highlands
• Turon
• Willowbrook

Unincorporated communities

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

• Castleton
• Darlow
• Huntsville
• Lerado
• Medora
• St. Joe
• Yaggy
• Yoder†

Ghost towns

• Kent

Townships

Reno County is divided into thirty-one townships. The cities of Hutchinson and Nickerson are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships. 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Albion	00875	Pretty Prairie	837	9 (22)	97 (38)	0 (0)	0.02%	37°47′5″N98°0′2″W / 37.78472°N 98.00056°W / 37.78472; -98.00056
Arlington	02350	Arlington	621	7 (17)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	37°53′16″N98°11′1″W / 37.88778°N 98.18361°W / 37.88778; -98.18361
Bell	05350		87	1 (2)	98 (38)	0 (0)	0.11%	37°46′8″N98°17′30″W / 37.76889°N 98.29167°W / 37.76889; -98.29167
Castleton	11000		256	2 (5)	140 (54)	0 (0)	0.01%	37°51′44″N97°57′6″W / 37.86222°N 97.95167°W / 37.86222; -97.95167
Center	12050	Partridge	672	7 (19)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.17%	37°57′38″N98°5′23″W / 37.96056°N 98.08972°W / 37.96056; -98.08972
Clay	13600		3,302	38 (98)	88 (34)	1 (0)	0.58%	38°3′52″N97°52′11″W / 38.06444°N 97.86972°W / 38.06444; -97.86972
Enterprise	21475		139	1 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.06%	38°3′0″N98°11′34″W / 38.05000°N 98.19278°W / 38.05000; -98.19278
Grant	28025		1,307	11 (30)	114 (44)	1 (1)	1.25%	38°8′4″N98°0′27″W / 38.13444°N 98.00750°W / 38.13444; -98.00750
Grove	29025		64	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.06%	37°51′47″N98°24′58″W / 37.86306°N 98.41611°W / 37.86306; -98.41611
Haven	30750	Haven	1,592	11 (29)	143 (55)	1 (0)	0.41%	37°53′56″N97°46′46″W / 37.89889°N 97.77944°W / 37.89889; -97.77944
Hayes	31000		106	1 (1)	186 (72)	0 (0)	0.06%	38°3′50″N98°25′38″W / 38.06389°N 98.42722°W / 38.06389; -98.42722
Huntsville	33550		118	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.11%	38°3′0″N98°17′54″W / 38.05000°N 98.29833°W / 38.05000; -98.29833
Langdon	38525	Langdon	160	2 (4)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.16%	37°51′40″N98°18′57″W / 37.86111°N 98.31583°W / 37.86111; -98.31583
Lincoln	41050		703	8 (20)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.07%	37°57′46″N97°58′7″W / 37.96278°N 97.96861°W / 37.96278; -97.96861
Little River	41550	Buhler	1,881	20 (52)	93 (36)	1 (0)	0.57%	38°8′15″N97°45′44″W / 38.13750°N 97.76222°W / 38.13750; -97.76222
Loda	41700		119	1 (3)	98 (38)	0 (0)	0.27%	37°47′2″N98°12′22″W / 37.78389°N 98.20611°W / 37.78389; -98.20611
Medford	45450		144	2 (5)	83 (32)	0 (0)	0.18%	38°8′14″N98°12′24″W / 38.13722°N 98.20667°W / 38.13722; -98.20667
Medora	45600		1,594	21 (53)	77 (30)	0 (0)	0%	38°8′40″N97°51′3″W / 38.14444°N 97.85083°W / 38.14444; -97.85083
Miami	46125	Turon	521	5 (14)	98 (38)	0 (0)	0.15%	37°47′33″N98°25′3″W / 37.79250°N 98.41750°W / 37.79250; -98.41750
Ninnescah	50700		226	3 (7)	79 (31)	27 (10)	25.53%	37°47′9″N97°51′27″W / 37.78583°N 97.85750°W / 37.78583; -97.85750
Plevna	56750	Plevna	235	3 (6)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.04%	37°58′1″N98°18′36″W / 37.96694°N 98.31000°W / 37.96694; -98.31000
Reno	58975	South Hutchinson	4,496	50 (129)	90 (35)	2 (1)	1.65%	38°2′31″N97°57′27″W / 38.04194°N 97.95750°W / 38.04194; -97.95750
Roscoe	61150		108	1 (3)	98 (38)	0 (0)	0%	37°46′11″N98°4′23″W / 37.76972°N 98.07306°W / 37.76972; -98.07306
Salt Creek	62850		483	3 (9)	139 (54)	1 (0)	0.39%	38°3′48″N98°5′57″W / 38.06333°N 98.09917°W / 38.06333; -98.09917
Sumner	69200		547	5 (13)	106 (41)	7 (3)	6.13%	37°46′24″N97°45′51″W / 37.77333°N 97.76417°W / 37.77333; -97.76417
Sylvia	69825	Sylvia	393	4 (11)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.34%	37°57′24″N98°24′46″W / 37.95667°N 98.41278°W / 37.95667; -98.41278
Troy	71600		112	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.16%	37°51′56″N98°5′25″W / 37.86556°N 98.09028°W / 37.86556; -98.09028
Valley	73075		887	6 (16)	143 (55)	1 (0)	0.90%	38°0′33″N97°45′2″W / 38.00917°N 97.75056°W / 38.00917; -97.75056
Walnut	75100		114	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0%	38°7′40″N98°18′7″W / 38.12778°N 98.30194°W / 38.12778; -98.30194
Westminster	77175	Abbyville	243	3 (7)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0%	37°57′48″N98°12′23″W / 37.96333°N 98.20639°W / 37.96333; -98.20639
Yoder	80775		742	8 (20)	96 (37)	1 (0)	1.03%	37°56′54″N97°52′34″W / 37.94833°N 97.87611°W / 37.94833; -97.87611

See also

• Kansas portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Reno County, Kansas
• Reno County Area Transit, known as Rcat, provides public transportation for the citizens of the county.

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

References

1. "QuickFacts; Reno County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
2. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Rock Island Rail History". Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
10. "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 28, 2014.
11. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
12. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
13. "General Highway Map of Reno County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). July 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2023.

Notes

Further reading

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

• History of Reno County, Kansas : Its People, Industries, and Institutions; 2 Volumes; Sheridan Ploughe; Bowen and Company; 445 / 959 pages; 1917. (Volume1 - Download 19MB PDF eBook), (Volume2 - Download 32MB PDF eBook)
• Standard Atlas of Reno County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 110 pages; 1918.
• Plat Book of Reno County, Kansas; Hutchinson Blue Print Co; 61 pages; 1912.
• Plat Book of Reno County, Kansas; North West Publishing Co; 77 pages; 1902.

External links

County

• Reno County - official website
• Reno County - Directory of Public Officials

Other

• Reno County Museum

Maps

• Reno County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas railroad maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society