Ford County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Ford County Courthouse inDodge City (2009) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:37°42′N99°54′W / 37.7°N 99.9°W /37.7; -99.9 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named after | James Ford |
| Seat | Dodge City |
| Largest city | Dodge City |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,099 sq mi (2,850 km2) |
| • Land | 1,098 sq mi (2,840 km2) |
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) 0.07% |
| Population | |
• Total | 34,287 |
| • Density | 31.2/sq mi (12.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | fordcounty.net |
Ford County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isDodge City.[2] As of the2020 census, its population was 34,287.[1] The county was named in honor ofJames Ford, a brevet brigadier general during theCivil War.[3]
One of the earliest military posts in Kansas, Fort Atkinson, was located in Ford County. Fort Dodge, established in 1864, was on the north bank of theArkansas River, about five miles southeast of what would becomeDodge City. During the California Gold Rush in 1849, thousands of gold seekers passed through the area along the Santa Fe Trail, but few settled there.
Ford County was established in 1867 and named for Colonel James H. Ford of the Second Colorado Cavalry, who was in charge of the construction of Fort Dodge after the Civil War.[4] The region had been frequently traveled by pioneers along the Santa Fe Trail since the early 19th century.[5]
The town of Dodge City was established in 1872 upon the completion of theAtchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. Before the buffalo were wiped out, their hides were extensively shipped from Dodge City. Dodge City would later develop into a rough and tumble cowtown during the peak cattle drive years of 1875–1885.[5][6]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,099 square miles (2,850 km2), of which 1,098 sq mi (2,840 km2) are land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) (0.07%) is covered by water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 427 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,122 | 631.1% | |
| 1890 | 5,308 | 70.0% | |
| 1900 | 5,497 | 3.6% | |
| 1910 | 11,393 | 107.3% | |
| 1920 | 14,273 | 25.3% | |
| 1930 | 20,647 | 44.7% | |
| 1940 | 17,254 | −16.4% | |
| 1950 | 19,670 | 14.0% | |
| 1960 | 20,938 | 6.4% | |
| 1970 | 22,587 | 7.9% | |
| 1980 | 24,315 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 27,463 | 12.9% | |
| 2000 | 32,458 | 18.2% | |
| 2010 | 33,848 | 4.3% | |
| 2020 | 34,287 | 1.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 33,980 | [8] | −0.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1] | |||
The Dodge CityMicropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Ford County.
As of the2000 census,[13] 33,848 people, 10,852 households, and 7,856 families were residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 30 people/sq mi (12 people/km2). The 11,650 housing units averaged 11 per square mile (4.2/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 75.3%White, 2.1%African American, 1.0%Native American, 1.4%Asian, 0.2%Pacific Islander, 17.8% from other races, and 2.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race were 51.2% of the population.
Of the 10,852households, 40.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were not families. About 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92, and the average family size was 3.42.
In the county, the age distribution was 31.10% under 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 17.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $37,860, and for a family was $42,734. Males had a median income of $27,189 versus $22,165 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,721. About 9.90% of families and 12.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.
Ford County has been strongly Republican for most of its history, especially in recent elections. Only eight Democratic presidential candidates from 1880 to 2024 have carried the county, the most recent beingJimmy Carter in 1976.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 882 | 52.47% | 630 | 37.48% | 169 | 10.05% |
| 1892 | 648 | 53.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 565 | 46.58% |
| 1896 | 555 | 45.75% | 643 | 53.01% | 15 | 1.24% |
| 1900 | 653 | 50.46% | 610 | 47.14% | 31 | 2.40% |
| 1904 | 1,148 | 64.79% | 526 | 29.68% | 98 | 5.53% |
| 1908 | 1,333 | 53.28% | 1,089 | 43.53% | 80 | 3.20% |
| 1912 | 529 | 19.18% | 1,125 | 40.79% | 1,104 | 40.03% |
| 1916 | 2,337 | 40.29% | 3,044 | 52.47% | 420 | 7.24% |
| 1920 | 3,305 | 61.90% | 1,879 | 35.19% | 155 | 2.90% |
| 1924 | 3,449 | 57.99% | 1,551 | 26.08% | 948 | 15.94% |
| 1928 | 4,893 | 71.59% | 1,870 | 27.36% | 72 | 1.05% |
| 1932 | 3,335 | 41.61% | 4,442 | 55.42% | 238 | 2.97% |
| 1936 | 3,378 | 38.69% | 5,335 | 61.11% | 17 | 0.19% |
| 1940 | 4,356 | 51.97% | 3,954 | 47.17% | 72 | 0.86% |
| 1944 | 4,110 | 57.23% | 2,994 | 41.69% | 77 | 1.07% |
| 1948 | 4,089 | 47.21% | 4,396 | 50.75% | 177 | 2.04% |
| 1952 | 6,359 | 68.96% | 2,748 | 29.80% | 114 | 1.24% |
| 1956 | 5,561 | 66.84% | 2,710 | 32.57% | 49 | 0.59% |
| 1960 | 5,200 | 57.67% | 3,792 | 42.05% | 25 | 0.28% |
| 1964 | 3,481 | 39.73% | 5,221 | 59.59% | 59 | 0.67% |
| 1968 | 4,645 | 52.80% | 3,191 | 36.27% | 961 | 10.92% |
| 1972 | 6,232 | 67.12% | 2,804 | 30.20% | 249 | 2.68% |
| 1976 | 4,679 | 47.61% | 4,934 | 50.21% | 214 | 2.18% |
| 1980 | 5,686 | 58.86% | 3,194 | 33.06% | 781 | 8.08% |
| 1984 | 6,935 | 69.72% | 2,914 | 29.30% | 98 | 0.99% |
| 1988 | 5,685 | 58.63% | 3,817 | 39.36% | 195 | 2.01% |
| 1992 | 4,342 | 41.93% | 2,635 | 25.44% | 3,379 | 32.63% |
| 1996 | 5,681 | 61.30% | 2,628 | 28.36% | 958 | 10.34% |
| 2000 | 6,050 | 67.85% | 2,566 | 28.78% | 301 | 3.38% |
| 2004 | 6,632 | 73.56% | 2,286 | 25.35% | 98 | 1.09% |
| 2008 | 5,730 | 64.64% | 2,991 | 33.74% | 143 | 1.61% |
| 2012 | 5,602 | 66.99% | 2,600 | 31.09% | 160 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 5,114 | 65.78% | 2,149 | 27.64% | 511 | 6.57% |
| 2020 | 5,803 | 65.09% | 2,947 | 33.06% | 165 | 1.85% |
| 2024 | 5,616 | 68.10% | 2,461 | 29.84% | 170 | 2.06% |
Ford 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.[15]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Ford County.[16]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Ford County is divided into 14townships. The city ofDodge City is considered governmentally 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.
Numerous figures of theAmerican Old West lived in Dodge City during its period as a frontier cowtown. These included, most notably, lawmenWyatt Earp andBat Masterson, and gunfighterDoc Holliday.[17]
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Places adjacent to Ford County, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofFord County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
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