Nemaha County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Jail and sheriff residence inSeneca (2015) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:39°48′N96°01′W / 39.800°N 96.017°W /39.800; -96.017 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | August 25, 1855 |
| Named after | Nemaha River |
| Seat | Seneca |
| Largest city | Sabetha |
| Area | |
• Total | 719 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Land | 717 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) 0.3% |
| Population | |
• Total | 10,273 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 10,114 |
| • Density | 14.3/sq mi (5.53/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 785 |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | nmcoks.us |
Nemaha County is acounty located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat isSeneca.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 10,273.[1] The county was named for the Nemaha River.
For many millennia theGreat Plains of North America was inhabited bynomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, theKingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after theFrench and Indian War, France secretly cededNew France to Spain, per theTreaty of Fontainebleau.
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 formodern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mileLouisiana Purchase for 2.83cents per acre.
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855,Nemaha County was established.
The first railroad in Nemaha County was built in 1866.[4]
On May 30, 1879, the "Irving, Kansas Tornado" passed through Nemaha county. Thistornado measured F4 on theFujita scale, and had a damage path 800 yards (730 m) wide and 100 miles (160 km) long. Eighteen people were killed and sixty were injured in this tornado.[citation needed]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 719 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 717 square miles (1,860 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,436 | — | |
| 1870 | 7,339 | 201.3% | |
| 1880 | 12,462 | 69.8% | |
| 1890 | 19,249 | 54.5% | |
| 1900 | 20,376 | 5.9% | |
| 1910 | 19,072 | −6.4% | |
| 1920 | 18,487 | −3.1% | |
| 1930 | 18,342 | −0.8% | |
| 1940 | 16,761 | −8.6% | |
| 1950 | 14,341 | −14.4% | |
| 1960 | 12,897 | −10.1% | |
| 1970 | 11,825 | −8.3% | |
| 1980 | 11,211 | −5.2% | |
| 1990 | 10,446 | −6.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,717 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 10,178 | −5.0% | |
| 2020 | 10,273 | 0.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 10,114 | [6] | −1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 10,717 people, 3,959 households, and 2,763 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km2). There were 4,340 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.35%White, 0.49%Black orAfrican American, 0.23%Native American, 0.10%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 0.17% fromother races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.71% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 3,959 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 5.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,296, and the median income for a family was $41,838. Males had a median income of $28,879 versus $19,340 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,121. About 6.50% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.
Nemaha County is stronglyRepublican.Lyndon Johnson is the onlyDemocrat to havecarried the county since1936.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,515 | 56.54% | 1,682 | 37.81% | 251 | 5.64% |
| 1892 | 2,222 | 49.73% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,246 | 50.27% |
| 1896 | 2,568 | 50.49% | 2,478 | 48.72% | 40 | 0.79% |
| 1900 | 2,761 | 53.45% | 2,348 | 45.45% | 57 | 1.10% |
| 1904 | 2,764 | 61.93% | 1,564 | 35.04% | 135 | 3.02% |
| 1908 | 2,394 | 51.57% | 2,182 | 47.01% | 66 | 1.42% |
| 1912 | 961 | 22.19% | 1,936 | 44.71% | 1,433 | 33.09% |
| 1916 | 3,591 | 49.19% | 3,579 | 49.03% | 130 | 1.78% |
| 1920 | 4,655 | 72.32% | 1,731 | 26.89% | 51 | 0.79% |
| 1924 | 4,096 | 60.24% | 1,846 | 27.15% | 857 | 12.60% |
| 1928 | 4,639 | 61.10% | 2,919 | 38.45% | 34 | 0.45% |
| 1932 | 3,167 | 40.60% | 4,578 | 58.69% | 55 | 0.71% |
| 1936 | 3,903 | 47.76% | 4,175 | 51.09% | 94 | 1.15% |
| 1940 | 5,178 | 65.64% | 2,679 | 33.96% | 32 | 0.41% |
| 1944 | 4,277 | 66.44% | 2,149 | 33.39% | 11 | 0.17% |
| 1948 | 3,529 | 55.39% | 2,810 | 44.11% | 32 | 0.50% |
| 1952 | 5,175 | 75.97% | 1,618 | 23.75% | 19 | 0.28% |
| 1956 | 4,195 | 67.11% | 2,038 | 32.60% | 18 | 0.29% |
| 1960 | 3,360 | 53.61% | 2,884 | 46.02% | 23 | 0.37% |
| 1964 | 2,391 | 42.07% | 3,260 | 57.36% | 32 | 0.56% |
| 1968 | 3,003 | 54.01% | 1,925 | 34.62% | 632 | 11.37% |
| 1972 | 3,422 | 64.06% | 1,777 | 33.26% | 143 | 2.68% |
| 1976 | 2,759 | 50.71% | 2,586 | 47.53% | 96 | 1.76% |
| 1980 | 3,546 | 64.99% | 1,600 | 29.33% | 310 | 5.68% |
| 1984 | 3,653 | 66.60% | 1,761 | 32.11% | 71 | 1.29% |
| 1988 | 2,849 | 54.98% | 2,261 | 43.63% | 72 | 1.39% |
| 1992 | 2,220 | 39.51% | 1,580 | 28.12% | 1,819 | 32.37% |
| 1996 | 3,014 | 56.07% | 1,648 | 30.66% | 713 | 13.27% |
| 2000 | 3,578 | 67.64% | 1,494 | 28.24% | 218 | 4.12% |
| 2004 | 4,027 | 73.71% | 1,355 | 24.80% | 81 | 1.48% |
| 2008 | 3,817 | 71.23% | 1,432 | 26.72% | 110 | 2.05% |
| 2012 | 3,930 | 78.19% | 1,000 | 19.90% | 96 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 4,124 | 80.52% | 725 | 14.15% | 273 | 5.33% |
| 2020 | 4,664 | 82.05% | 927 | 16.31% | 93 | 1.64% |
| 2024 | 4,655 | 82.58% | 888 | 15.75% | 94 | 1.67% |
Nemaha County was a prohibition, or"dry", county until theKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.[13]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Nemaha County.[14]
‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Nemaha County is divided into twentytownships. The cities ofSabetha andSeneca are consideredgovernmentally 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.
Places adjacent to Nemaha County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofNemaha County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships |
| |
| Footnotes | ‡This community also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
