Franklin County | |
|---|---|
 Franklin County Courthouse inOttawa (2009) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:38°35′00″N95°17′00″W / 38.5833°N 95.2833°W /38.5833; -95.2833 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | August 25, 1855 |
| Named after | Benjamin Franklin |
| Seat | Ottawa |
| Largest city | Ottawa |
| Area | |
• Total | 577 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Land | 572 sq mi (1,480 km2) |
| • Water | 5.4 sq mi (14 km2) 0.9% |
| Population | |
• Total | 25,996 |
• Estimate (2023) | 26,125 |
| • Density | 45/sq mi (17/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | FranklinCoKS.org |
Franklin County is acounty located in theeastern portion of the U.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isOttawa.[2] As of the2020 census, the county population was 25,996.[1] The county was named forBenjamin Franklin, a founding father of the United States. Formerly it was considered part of theKansas City metropolitan area, but was removed in 2013.
For manymillennia, 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.
The area was included in a treaty ceding land to theOsage Nation in 1808, and ceded back to the federal government in 1825. After 1825 and prior to 1867, treaties with various Indian nations set off parts of what was later to become Franklin County for the use of Indian tribes removed from their ancestral lands. These tribes included:Ottawa,Chippewa,Sac and Fox,Peoria, andPotawatomi.[3][4]
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized under the provisions of theKansas-Nebraska Act. In 1855,Franklin County was established as one of the 33 originalKansas Territory counties created by the first Territorial Legislature of 1855.[5] The county was named afterBenjamin Franklin.[6] In 1861,Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 577 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 3,030 | — | |
| 1870 | 10,385 | 242.7% | |
| 1880 | 16,797 | 61.7% | |
| 1890 | 20,279 | 20.7% | |
| 1900 | 21,354 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 20,884 | −2.2% | |
| 1920 | 21,946 | 5.1% | |
| 1930 | 22,024 | 0.4% | |
| 1940 | 20,889 | −5.2% | |
| 1950 | 19,928 | −4.6% | |
| 1960 | 19,548 | −1.9% | |
| 1970 | 20,007 | 2.3% | |
| 1980 | 22,062 | 10.3% | |
| 1990 | 21,994 | −0.3% | |
| 2000 | 24,784 | 12.7% | |
| 2010 | 25,992 | 4.9% | |
| 2020 | 25,996 | 0.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 26,125 | [8] | 0.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010-2020[1] | |||
Franklin County comprises the Ottawa, KSMicropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in theKansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City,MO-KSCombined Statistical Area.
As of theU.S. Census in 2000,[13] there were 24,784 people, 9,452 households, and 6,720 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17 people/km2). There were 10,229 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 95.05%White, 1.21%Black or African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.31%Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 1.71% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.62% of the population.
There were 9,452 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $39,052, and the median income for a family was $45,197. Males had a median income of $31,223 versus $22,992 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,311. About 5.60% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.
Franklin County is often carried by Republican Candidates. The last time a Democratic candidate has carried Franklin County was in 1964 byLyndon B. Johnson.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 8,773 | 68.76% | 3,676 | 28.81% | 310 | 2.43% |
| 2020 | 8,479 | 67.96% | 3,690 | 29.57% | 308 | 2.47% |
| 2016 | 7,185 | 64.83% | 2,892 | 26.10% | 1,005 | 9.07% |
| 2012 | 6,984 | 63.55% | 3,694 | 33.61% | 312 | 2.84% |
| 2008 | 7,079 | 60.04% | 4,433 | 37.60% | 279 | 2.37% |
| 2004 | 7,391 | 64.40% | 3,921 | 34.17% | 164 | 1.43% |
| 2000 | 5,925 | 61.35% | 3,321 | 34.39% | 412 | 4.27% |
| 1996 | 5,007 | 50.91% | 3,552 | 36.12% | 1,276 | 12.97% |
| 1992 | 3,699 | 37.43% | 2,968 | 30.03% | 3,216 | 32.54% |
| 1988 | 4,777 | 56.43% | 3,592 | 42.43% | 96 | 1.13% |
| 1984 | 6,284 | 70.61% | 2,523 | 28.35% | 92 | 1.03% |
| 1980 | 5,525 | 62.73% | 2,726 | 30.95% | 557 | 6.32% |
| 1976 | 4,760 | 55.49% | 3,607 | 42.05% | 211 | 2.46% |
| 1972 | 6,011 | 72.71% | 2,056 | 24.87% | 200 | 2.42% |
| 1968 | 4,875 | 59.17% | 2,524 | 30.63% | 840 | 10.20% |
| 1964 | 3,725 | 45.31% | 4,410 | 53.64% | 86 | 1.05% |
| 1960 | 6,158 | 68.20% | 2,824 | 31.28% | 47 | 0.52% |
| 1956 | 6,557 | 71.42% | 2,591 | 28.22% | 33 | 0.36% |
| 1952 | 6,983 | 72.86% | 2,532 | 26.42% | 69 | 0.72% |
| 1948 | 5,145 | 58.24% | 3,467 | 39.25% | 222 | 2.51% |
| 1944 | 5,375 | 64.68% | 2,880 | 34.66% | 55 | 0.66% |
| 1940 | 6,393 | 63.80% | 3,542 | 35.35% | 85 | 0.85% |
| 1936 | 6,007 | 57.00% | 4,503 | 42.73% | 28 | 0.27% |
| 1932 | 4,887 | 50.16% | 4,690 | 48.14% | 165 | 1.69% |
| 1928 | 7,346 | 78.40% | 1,951 | 20.82% | 73 | 0.78% |
| 1924 | 6,008 | 67.05% | 2,324 | 25.94% | 628 | 7.01% |
| 1920 | 5,216 | 65.16% | 2,606 | 32.55% | 183 | 2.29% |
| 1916 | 3,885 | 45.17% | 4,128 | 47.99% | 588 | 6.84% |
| 1912 | 672 | 13.75% | 1,970 | 40.29% | 2,247 | 45.96% |
| 1908 | 2,658 | 52.74% | 2,155 | 42.76% | 227 | 4.50% |
| 1904 | 2,855 | 62.84% | 1,310 | 28.84% | 378 | 8.32% |
| 1900 | 2,872 | 51.55% | 2,605 | 46.76% | 94 | 1.69% |
| 1896 | 2,609 | 44.91% | 3,152 | 54.25% | 49 | 0.84% |
| 1892 | 2,209 | 46.06% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,587 | 53.94% |
| 1888 | 2,422 | 50.47% | 1,113 | 23.19% | 1,264 | 26.34% |
Following amendment to theKansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or"dry", county until 1994, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.[15]
The county voted "No" on the2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 56% to 44% despite backingDonald Trump with 68% of the vote toJoe Biden's 30% in the2020 presidential election.[16]
School districts include:[17]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Franklin County.[18]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Franklin County is divided into sixteentownships. The city ofOttawa is consideredgovernmentally independent and is 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 Franklin County, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofFranklin County, Kansas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Townships | ||
| Footnotes | †This community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau. | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
