Kiowa County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Kiowa County Courthouse in Hobart | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOklahoma | |
 Oklahoma's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:34°55′N98°59′W / 34.92°N 98.98°W /34.92; -98.98 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| Founded | July 8, 1901 |
| Seat | Hobart |
| Largest city | Hobart |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,031 sq mi (2,670 km2) |
| • Land | 1,015 sq mi (2,630 km2) |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2) 1.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,509[1] |
| • Density | 9.3/sq mi (3.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | https://kiowacountyok.us/ |
Kiowa County is acounty located in the southwestern part of theU.S. state ofOklahoma. As of the2020 census, its population was 8,509.[1] Itscounty seat isHobart.[2] The county was created in 1901 as part ofOklahoma Territory.[3] It was named for theKiowa people.[4]
In 1892, theJerome Commission began enrolling the Kiowas, Comanches, and Apaches to prepare for the opening of their reservation to settlement by Whites. Dennis Flynn, the territorial representative to the U. S. Congress, proposed holding a lottery for opening the reservation. He argued successfully that the lottery would be safer and more orderly than land runs used earlier. Individuals could register at offices inLawton orEl Reno; 165,000 individuals registered for 13,000 160-acre claims. The drawing was held August 6, 1901. After the opening, the area was designated as Kiowa County in Oklahoma Territory. The town of Hobart, named for Vice PresidentGarrett A. Hobart, was designated as county seat.[5]
By 1908, residents of the southern part of the county were already agitating for a new county to be formed. In 1910, GovernorCharles N. Haskell proclaimed that parts of Kiowa and Comanche Counties would become the newSwanson County. The new county became defunct in 1911, after the Oklahoma Supreme Court voided the change.[5] Ownerships of land parcels from 1913 are to be found in plat books.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,031 square miles (2,670 km2), of which 15 square miles (39 km2) (1.5%) are covered by water.[6] The county is largely composed of flatlands, although the southern border is covered by the Washita Mountains.[5]
TheNorth Fork of the Red River serves as the southern and western boundaries with Jackson County. Water bodies includeLake Altus-Lugert, which impounds the North Fork of the Red River,[7] andTom Steed Reservoir on Otter Creek. Other water bodies in the county include theWashita River and Elk Creek.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 27,526 | — | |
| 1920 | 23,094 | −16.1% | |
| 1930 | 29,630 | 28.3% | |
| 1940 | 22,817 | −23.0% | |
| 1950 | 18,926 | −17.1% | |
| 1960 | 14,825 | −21.7% | |
| 1970 | 12,532 | −15.5% | |
| 1980 | 12,711 | 1.4% | |
| 1990 | 11,347 | −10.7% | |
| 2000 | 10,227 | −9.9% | |
| 2010 | 9,446 | −7.6% | |
| 2020 | 8,509 | −9.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 8,509. Of the residents, 23.7% were under the age of 18 and 21.9% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 44.2 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males.[13][14]
The racial makeup of the county was 76.6% White, 3.8%Black or African American, 6.6%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Asian, 3.7% from some other race, and 8.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.2% of the population.[14]
There were 3,553 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 4,681 housing units, of which 24.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.1% were owner-occupied and 29.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.2%.[13]
As of thecensus of 2000, 10,227 people, 4,208 households, and 2,815 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was 10 people per square mile (3.9 people/km2). The 5,304 housing units had an average density of 5 units per square mile (1.9/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 83.54% White, 4.67% Black or African American, 6.31% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.68% from other races, and 2.42% from two or more races. About 6.74% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.[15]
Of the 4,208 households, 27.9% had children under 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were not families. About 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.[15]
In the county, the age distribution was 24.2% under 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.[15]
The median income for a household in the county was $26,053, and for a family was $34,654. Males had a median income of $25,552 versus $19,497 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,231. About 15.0% of families and 19.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 23.3% of those under 18 and 15.7% of those 65 or over.[15]
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023[16] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 1,493 | 31.51% | |||
| Republican | 2,622 | 55.30% | |||
| Others | 626 | 13.20% | |||
| Total | 4,741 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 1,591 | 37.30% | 2,354 | 55.19% | 320 | 7.50% |
| 1912 | 1,167 | 29.55% | 1,831 | 46.37% | 951 | 24.08% |
| 1916 | 1,017 | 22.98% | 2,279 | 51.49% | 1,130 | 25.53% |
| 1920 | 2,649 | 47.22% | 2,518 | 44.88% | 443 | 7.90% |
| 1924 | 1,688 | 34.78% | 2,635 | 54.29% | 531 | 10.94% |
| 1928 | 4,116 | 63.54% | 2,270 | 35.04% | 92 | 1.42% |
| 1932 | 966 | 15.66% | 5,204 | 84.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,684 | 22.88% | 5,624 | 76.40% | 53 | 0.72% |
| 1940 | 2,539 | 35.01% | 4,679 | 64.52% | 34 | 0.47% |
| 1944 | 2,081 | 33.14% | 4,175 | 66.48% | 24 | 0.38% |
| 1948 | 1,530 | 26.41% | 4,263 | 73.59% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,100 | 54.03% | 3,489 | 45.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,713 | 44.59% | 3,371 | 55.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,515 | 57.13% | 2,638 | 42.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,206 | 37.44% | 3,686 | 62.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,418 | 43.22% | 2,219 | 39.67% | 957 | 17.11% |
| 1972 | 3,711 | 69.81% | 1,495 | 28.12% | 110 | 2.07% |
| 1976 | 1,971 | 36.37% | 3,403 | 62.79% | 46 | 0.85% |
| 1980 | 2,636 | 51.44% | 2,372 | 46.29% | 116 | 2.26% |
| 1984 | 2,951 | 59.08% | 2,016 | 40.36% | 28 | 0.56% |
| 1988 | 2,030 | 46.58% | 2,296 | 52.68% | 32 | 0.73% |
| 1992 | 1,635 | 33.30% | 2,143 | 43.65% | 1,132 | 23.05% |
| 1996 | 1,638 | 39.68% | 1,973 | 47.80% | 517 | 12.52% |
| 2000 | 2,173 | 57.95% | 1,544 | 41.17% | 33 | 0.88% |
| 2004 | 2,610 | 64.88% | 1,413 | 35.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 2,537 | 67.42% | 1,226 | 32.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 2,316 | 67.68% | 1,106 | 32.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 2,596 | 74.32% | 767 | 21.96% | 130 | 3.72% |
| 2020 | 2,673 | 78.00% | 699 | 20.40% | 55 | 1.60% |
| 2024 | 2,569 | 78.37% | 658 | 20.07% | 51 | 1.56% |
Places adjacent to Kiowa County, Oklahoma | |
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Municipalities and communities ofKiowa County, Oklahoma,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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