Wichita County, Kansas

Not to be confused with Wichita, Kansas or Sedgwick County, Kansas.

Wichita County
County
Wichita County Courthouse in Leoti (2015)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°28′00″N101°21′00″W / 38.4667°N 101.35°W / 38.4667; -101.35
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	December 24, 1886
Named for	Wichita tribe
Seat	Leoti
Largest city	Leoti
Area
• Total	719 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Land	719 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)  0.0%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	2,152
• Density	3.0/sq mi (1.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	WichitaCounty.org

Wichita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Leoti. ^[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,152. ^[1] The county was named after the Wichita tribe.

History

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, in accordance with 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 1886, Wichita County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 719 square miles (1,860 km²), virtually all of which is land. ^[3]

Major highways

• Kansas Highway 25
• Kansas Highway 96

Adjacent counties

• Logan County (north)
• Scott County (east)
• Kearny County (south)
• Hamilton County (southwest/Mountain Time border)
• Greeley County (west/Mountain Time border)
• Wallace County (northwest/Mountain Time border)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	14		—
1890	1,827		12,950.0%
1900	1,197		−34.5%
1910	2,006		67.6%
1920	1,856		−7.5%
1930	2,579		39.0%
1940	2,185		−15.3%
1950	2,640		20.8%
1960	2,765		4.7%
1970	3,274		18.4%
1980	3,041		−7.1%
1990	2,758		−9.3%
2000	2,531		−8.2%
2010	2,234		−11.7%
2020	2,152		−3.7%
2023 (est.)	2,082	[4]	−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [5] 1790-1960 [6] 1900-1990 [7] 1990-2000 [8] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census ^[9] of 2000, there were 2,531 people, 967 households, and 723 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (1.5 people/km²). There were 1,119 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.25% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 10.51% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. 18.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 967 households, out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.30% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.20% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 104.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,462, and the median income for a family was $41,034. Males had a median income of $27,523 versus $18,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,720. About 11.20% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 4.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Wichita County, Kansas ^[10]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	728	86.15%	105	12.43%	12	1.42%
2020	808	83.47%	149	15.39%	11	1.14%
2016	769	80.44%	140	14.64%	47	4.92%
2012	821	83.18%	157	15.91%	9	0.91%
2008	840	82.43%	163	16.00%	16	1.57%
2004	869	81.83%	183	17.23%	10	0.94%
2000	859	78.81%	207	18.99%	24	2.20%
1996	796	71.13%	239	21.36%	84	7.51%
1992	681	55.37%	241	19.59%	308	25.04%
1988	721	62.80%	399	34.76%	28	2.44%
1984	916	78.90%	232	19.98%	13	1.12%
1980	880	69.95%	303	24.09%	75	5.96%
1976	593	47.90%	614	49.60%	31	2.50%
1972	794	69.89%	288	25.35%	54	4.75%
1968	757	60.37%	364	29.03%	133	10.61%
1964	529	44.19%	662	55.30%	6	0.50%
1960	702	55.63%	554	43.90%	6	0.48%
1956	747	70.41%	312	29.41%	2	0.19%
1952	910	75.90%	276	23.02%	13	1.08%
1948	606	56.27%	443	41.13%	28	2.60%
1944	604	64.32%	329	35.04%	6	0.64%
1940	644	59.08%	433	39.72%	13	1.19%
1936	448	41.06%	637	58.39%	6	0.55%
1932	375	32.92%	732	64.27%	32	2.81%
1928	464	54.91%	370	43.79%	11	1.30%
1924	482	62.68%	147	19.12%	140	18.21%
1920	422	73.91%	127	22.24%	22	3.85%
1916	318	44.04%	333	46.12%	71	9.83%
1912	82	22.10%	135	36.39%	154	41.51%
1908	233	54.31%	173	40.33%	23	5.36%
1904	245	67.31%	91	25.00%	28	7.69%
1900	201	60.36%	128	38.44%	4	1.20%
1896	214	52.32%	192	46.94%	3	0.73%
1892	245	53.26%	0	0.00%	215	46.74%
1888	438	59.35%	207	28.05%	93	12.60%

Wichita County is overwhelmingly Republican. It was last carried for the Democratic Party by Jimmy Carter in 1976, but since then the only Democrat to win over a quarter of the county's vote has been Michael Dukakis during the 1988 election when the Democratic vote was boosted by reaction against a major Great Plains drought. In the past seven elections no Democrat has topped twenty percent of Wichita County's vote – a situation now almost general in the High Plains.

Laws

Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Wichita County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county. ^[11] The latest county alcohol control map indicates the county now allows liquor sales. ^[12]

Education

• Leoti USD 467

Communities

2005 map of Wichita County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Wichita County. ^[13]
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Cities

• Leoti (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Coronado
• Lydia
• Marienthal†
• Selkirk

Ghost towns

• Farmer City

Townships

Wichita County has a single township. 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.

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
Leoti	39575	Leoti	2,531	1 (4)	1,861 (719)	0 (0)	0%	38°29′54″N101°21′50″W / 38.49833°N 101.36389°W / 38.49833; -101.36389

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

References

1. "QuickFacts; Wichita County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
4. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
8. "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 29, 2014.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
11. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2004. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2007.
12. "Kansas Liquor by the Drink Map (Wet and Dry Counties)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
13. "General Highway Map of Wichita County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). March 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 30, 2023.

Notes

Further reading

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

• Standard Atlas of Wichita County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 60 pages; 1920.

External links

County

• Wichita County - Official Website
• Wichita County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

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

38°28′N101°21′W / 38.467°N 101.350°W / 38.467; -101.350