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Wyandotte County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Wyandotte County Courthouse inKansas City (2009) | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:39°07′N94°43′W / 39.117°N 94.717°W /39.117; -94.717 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | January 29, 1859; 166 years ago (1859-01-29) |
| Named after | Wyandot people |
| Seat | Kansas City |
| Largest city | Kansas City |
| Area | |
• Total | 156 sq mi (400 km2) |
| • Land | 152 sq mi (390 km2) |
| • Water | 4.6 sq mi (12 km2) 2.9% |
| Population | |
• Total | 169,245 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 165,281 |
| • Density | 1,087/sq mi (420/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 2nd,3rd |
| Website | wycokck.org |
Wyandotte County (/ˈwaɪ.əndɒt/) is acounty in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isKansas City,[3] with which it shares aunified government. As of the2020 census, the population was 169,245,[1] making it Kansas'sfourth-most populous county. The county was named after theWyandot tribe.
The county is named after theWyandot (also Wyandott or Wyandotte) Indians. They were called the Huron by the French in Canada, but called themselves Wendat. They were distantly related to theIroquois, with whom they sometimes fought. They had hoped to keep white Americans out of their territory and to make theOhio River the border between the United States and Canada.[4]
One branch of the Wyandot moved to the area that is now the state of Ohio. They generally took the course of assimilation into Anglo-American society. Many of them embraced Christianity under the influence of missionaries. They were transported to the current Wyandotte County in 1843, where they set up a community and worked in cooperation with Anglo settlers. TheChristian Munsee also influenced this area's early settlement.[5]
The Wyandot in Kansas set up a constitutional form of government they had devised in Ohio. They set up the territorial government for Kansas and Nebraska, and elected one of their own territorial governor.
The county was organized in 1859.[6]Tenskwatawa (Tecumseh's brother), "the Prophet", fought at theBattle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He was buried at Shawnee Native American historical siteWhitefeather Spring, at 3818 Ruby Ave. Kansas City, which was added in 1975 to theNational Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Kansas City Smelting and Refining Company employed over 250 men during the 1880s. The ore and base bullion is received from the mountains' mining districts and is crushed, separated and refined.
TheDelaware Crossing (or "Military Crossing"; sometimes "theSecondine") was where the oldIndian trail met the waters of theKaw River. Circa 1831,Moses Grinter, one of the area's earliest permanent white settlers, set up theGrinter Ferry on theKansas River there. His house was known as theGrinter Place. The ferry was used by traders, freighters, and soldiers traveling betweenFort Leavenworth andFort Scott on the military road. Others crossed this area on their way toSanta Fe.
The Diocese of Leavenworth moved its see from Leavenworth, Kansas to Kansas City, Kansas on May 10, 1947. It became an archdiocese on August 9, 1952.
In January 2025, Wyandotte County was the epicenter of the largesttuberculosis outbreak in United States history according to theKansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).[7][8]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 156 square miles (400 km2), of which 152 square miles (390 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (2.9%) is water.[9] It is Kansas's smallest county by area.[10]
The county's naturaltopography consists of gently rolling terrain. TheKansas River forms part of the county's southern boundary. The elevation generally increases from south to north as the distance from the Kansas River andMissouri River increases.
 | This sectionis missing information about streams. Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(August 2022) |
The county is drained by natural creek and stream watersheds of theKaw River, which is part of theMissouri Riverbasin. It receives plentiful rainfall.
Turkey Creek is astream spanningJohnson and Wyandotte counties.[11][12] The creek has disastrously flooded the area through all measurable history, including several cities in the Upper Turkey Creek Basin, for which theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed complicatedflood control deployments and ongoing proposals, including major drainage at Rosedale, KCK.[13][14]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,609 | — | |
| 1870 | 10,015 | 283.9% | |
| 1880 | 19,143 | 91.1% | |
| 1890 | 54,407 | 184.2% | |
| 1900 | 73,227 | 34.6% | |
| 1910 | 100,068 | 36.7% | |
| 1920 | 122,218 | 22.1% | |
| 1930 | 141,211 | 15.5% | |
| 1940 | 145,071 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 165,318 | 14.0% | |
| 1960 | 185,495 | 12.2% | |
| 1970 | 186,845 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 172,335 | −7.8% | |
| 1990 | 161,993 | −6.0% | |
| 2000 | 157,882 | −2.5% | |
| 2010 | 157,505 | −0.2% | |
| 2020 | 169,245 | 7.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 165,281 | [15] | −2.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1790–1960[17] 1900–1990[18] 1990–2000[19] 2010–2020[1] | |||
Wyandotte County is included in the Kansas City,MO-KSKansas City metropolitan area.
The 2000census has 157,882 people, 59,700 households, and 39,163 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 1,043 people per square mile (403 people/km2). There were 65,892 housing units at an average density of 435 per square mile (168/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 58.18%White, 28.33%Black orAfrican American, 1.63%Asian, 0.74%Native American, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 8.17% from other races, and 2.91% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 16.00% of the population.
By 2007, 48.1% of Wyandotte County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 26.3% of the population was African-American. Native Americans made up 0.6% of the population, Asians 1.8%, and Latinos 21.7%.
There were 59,700households, of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.10% weremarried couples living together, 17.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 28.90% 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 2.62 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $33,784, and the median income for a family was $40,333. Males had a median income of $31,335 versus $24,640 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,005. About 12.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 23% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those 65 or older.
Approximately 1.4% of the county's residents take public transportation to work. This is the highest percentage in the state.[20]
TheWyandotte County Sheriff's Office oversees the Wyandotte County Jail. TheBonner Springs Police Department,Edwardsville Police Department,Lake Quivira Police Department,[21] and theKansas City, Kansas Police Department serve those respective cities in Wyandotte County.
TheKansas City Kansas Community College Police Department,[22]Kansas City Kansas Public Schools Police Department,[23] and theUniversity of Kansas Medical Center Police Department[24] are also independent law enforcement agencies in the county.
Wyandotte County was a prohibition, or"dry", county until theKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. Voters removed the food sales requirement in 1988.[25]
The county voted against the2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 74% to 26%, outpacing its support ofJoe Biden during the2020 presidential election.[26]
In 1997, residents voted to consolidate the municipal government of Kansas City, Kansas and county government of Wyandotte into a single unified government, combining many duplicative public departments. Voters at the time largely decided the municipal government harbored widespread corruption and patronage, and that consolidation with the better run county offered a path toward better public services and increased government transparency.[27]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 2,410 | 55.09% | 1,729 | 39.52% | 236 | 5.39% |
| 1884 | 3,232 | 56.33% | 2,301 | 40.10% | 205 | 3.57% |
| 1888 | 5,431 | 55.41% | 4,155 | 42.39% | 215 | 2.19% |
| 1892 | 5,889 | 51.10% | 0 | 0.00% | 5,635 | 48.90% |
| 1896 | 6,852 | 49.44% | 6,882 | 49.65% | 126 | 0.91% |
| 1900 | 8,133 | 51.75% | 7,304 | 46.47% | 280 | 1.78% |
| 1904 | 9,147 | 64.18% | 3,815 | 26.77% | 1,290 | 9.05% |
| 1908 | 8,684 | 47.56% | 8,923 | 48.87% | 652 | 3.57% |
| 1912 | 2,107 | 11.18% | 7,370 | 39.10% | 9,371 | 49.72% |
| 1916 | 13,863 | 41.86% | 17,850 | 53.89% | 1,408 | 4.25% |
| 1920 | 19,294 | 57.25% | 13,737 | 40.76% | 671 | 1.99% |
| 1924 | 23,881 | 59.48% | 8,913 | 22.20% | 7,354 | 18.32% |
| 1928 | 32,829 | 65.69% | 16,884 | 33.78% | 265 | 0.53% |
| 1932 | 25,471 | 43.30% | 32,629 | 55.47% | 721 | 1.23% |
| 1936 | 26,239 | 40.62% | 38,101 | 58.98% | 256 | 0.40% |
| 1940 | 28,152 | 42.24% | 38,239 | 57.38% | 252 | 0.38% |
| 1944 | 26,817 | 44.74% | 32,914 | 54.91% | 214 | 0.36% |
| 1948 | 24,398 | 36.53% | 41,366 | 61.94% | 1,024 | 1.53% |
| 1952 | 34,648 | 47.04% | 38,751 | 52.61% | 258 | 0.35% |
| 1956 | 34,604 | 47.64% | 37,842 | 52.10% | 186 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 34,764 | 45.27% | 41,433 | 53.95% | 604 | 0.79% |
| 1964 | 20,553 | 31.45% | 43,442 | 66.47% | 1,356 | 2.07% |
| 1968 | 23,091 | 33.38% | 34,189 | 49.43% | 11,891 | 17.19% |
| 1972 | 34,157 | 52.70% | 28,206 | 43.52% | 2,453 | 3.78% |
| 1976 | 23,141 | 36.99% | 37,478 | 59.91% | 1,936 | 3.09% |
| 1980 | 23,012 | 38.21% | 32,763 | 54.40% | 4,448 | 7.39% |
| 1984 | 27,459 | 42.81% | 36,042 | 56.20% | 635 | 0.99% |
| 1988 | 19,097 | 32.70% | 38,678 | 66.23% | 624 | 1.07% |
| 1992 | 12,872 | 21.06% | 34,397 | 56.27% | 13,855 | 22.67% |
| 1996 | 14,011 | 28.22% | 31,252 | 62.94% | 4,391 | 8.84% |
| 2000 | 14,024 | 29.05% | 32,411 | 67.14% | 1,837 | 3.81% |
| 2004 | 17,919 | 33.56% | 34,923 | 65.40% | 559 | 1.05% |
| 2008 | 16,506 | 28.75% | 39,865 | 69.44% | 1,038 | 1.81% |
| 2012 | 15,496 | 30.45% | 34,302 | 67.40% | 1,095 | 2.15% |
| 2016 | 15,806 | 32.10% | 30,146 | 61.22% | 3,291 | 6.68% |
| 2020 | 18,934 | 33.18% | 36,788 | 64.46% | 1,349 | 2.36% |
| 2024 | 18,867 | 37.07% | 30,938 | 60.78% | 1,096 | 2.15% |
Unlike almost every other county in Kansas, Wyandotte County has been solidly Democratic ever since theNew Deal. This is largely due to its highly urbanized nature and significant minority population. The only Democrat to lose Wyandotte County since 1932 has beenGeorge McGovern inRichard Nixon's 49-state landslide of 1972, when Nixon swept all 275 countiesin Oklahoma, Kansas, andNebraska. Wyandotte was the only county in Kansas to vote forFranklin D. Roosevelt in 1944,Adlai Stevenson II in both 1952 and 1956,Hubert Humphrey in 1968,Jimmy Carter in 1980, andWalter Mondale in 1984. No Republican presidential nominee has received even 40% of the vote sinceRonald Reagan in 1984. Democratic strength is primarily concentrated east ofInterstate 435, while areas west of the highway, especially the neighborhoods ofPiper andWolcott, leanRepublican.[28]
Village West is at the intersection of Interstates70 and435, and has significantly fueled growth in KCK and Wyandotte County. Anchored by theKansas Speedway, its attractions and retailers include Hollywood Casino,Legends Outlets Kansas City,Cabela's,Nebraska Furniture Mart,Great Wolf Lodge, Legends Field (hosting theMonarchs of theAmerican Association of baseball) andChildren's Mercy Park (hostingSporting Kansas City ofMajor League Soccer).
Other attractions includeAzura Amphitheater (formerly and still commonly known as the Sandstone Amphitheater), theNational Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, Wyandotte County Park, and Sunflower Hills Golf Course.
Public
Private
Primary
Secondary
These are townships, incorporated cities, unincorporated communities, and extinct former communities within Wyandotte County.[29]
Delaware is the soletownship of Wyandotte County. The cities ofBonner Springs,Kansas City, andLake Quivira are considered governmentally independent and excluded from Delaware's census. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 17475 | Edwardsville | 4,200 | 141 (364) | 30 (12) | 1 (0) | 3.97% | 39°3′50″N94°49′8″W / 39.06389°N 94.81889°W /39.06389; -94.81889 |
| Sources:"Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived fromthe original on August 2, 2002. | ||||||||
The 2010 census lists the city ofEdwardsville as also governmentally independent, with the size of the remaining township dropping to a population of 31 living on 2.43 square miles (6.3 km2) of land (and 0.36 square miles (0.93 km2) water), resulting in a population density of 12.76 per square mile (4.93/km2). The Kansas State Historical Society also confirms Edwardsville's departure.[30]
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Places adjacent to Wyandotte County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofWyandotte County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Township | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
