Jefferson County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Jefferson County Courthouse inOskaloosa (1971) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | August 25, 1855 |
| Named after | Thomas Jefferson |
| Seat | Oskaloosa |
| Largest city | Oskaloosa |
| Area | |
• Total | 557 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Land | 533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Water | 24 sq mi (62 km2) 4.3% |
| Population | |
• Total | 18,368 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 18,327 |
| • Density | 34.5/sq mi (13.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | jfcountyks.com |
Jefferson County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isOskaloosa.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 18,368.[1] The county was named afterThomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States.
For manymillennia, theGreat Plains ofNorth America was inhabited bynomadicNative Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, theKingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts ofNorth America. In 1762, after theFrench and Indian War, France secretly cededNew France toSpain, 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 peracre.
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34thU.S. state. In 1855,Jefferson County was established, and was named for PresidentThomas Jefferson.[4] Settlement of the county was slowed by events prior to and during theCivil War, but the present dayunincorporated community ofThompsonville (3 miles northwest ofPerry on theDelaware River) was the first established in 1851 byMormon settlers who initially refused to accompany the main group led byBrigham Young to theSalt Lake Valley. The settlement was first abandoned due to the violence resulting from theborder wars, but was re-established when the Civil War ended.[citation needed]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557 square miles (1,440 km2), of which 533 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) (4.3%) is water.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 4,459 | — | |
| 1870 | 12,526 | 180.9% | |
| 1880 | 15,563 | 24.2% | |
| 1890 | 16,620 | 6.8% | |
| 1900 | 17,533 | 5.5% | |
| 1910 | 15,826 | −9.7% | |
| 1920 | 14,750 | −6.8% | |
| 1930 | 14,129 | −4.2% | |
| 1940 | 12,718 | −10.0% | |
| 1950 | 11,084 | −12.8% | |
| 1960 | 11,252 | 1.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,945 | 6.2% | |
| 1980 | 15,207 | 27.3% | |
| 1990 | 15,905 | 4.6% | |
| 2000 | 18,426 | 15.9% | |
| 2010 | 19,126 | 3.8% | |
| 2020 | 18,368 | −4.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 18,327 | [6] | −0.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1] | |||
Jefferson County is included in theTopeka, Kansas metropolitan area.
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 18,368, a median age of 43.7 years, 23.4% of residents under the age of 18, and 19.8% of residents 65 years of age or older.[11]
For every 100 females there were 102.2 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.2 males age 18 and over.[11] 0.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 99.1% lived in rural areas.[12]
The racial makeup of the county was 91.4% White, 0.6%Black or African American, 0.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Asian, 0.2%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 6.2% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.1% of the population.[13]
There were 7,209 households in the county, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 7,911 housing units, of which 8.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.1% were owner-occupied and 16.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.[11]
As of the2000 census,[14] there were 18,426 people, 6,830 households and 5,190 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 inhabitants per square mile (13/km2). There were 7,491 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 96.70%White, 0.92%Native American, 0.37%Black orAfrican American, 0.17%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 1.41% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.28% of the population.
There were 6,830households, of which 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.20% weremarried couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 20.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.07.
27.40% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.
Themedian household income was $45,535 and the median family income was $50,557. Males had a median income of $36,174 compared with $25,468 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,373. About 5.30% of families and 6.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 6.90% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,268 | 57.00% | 1,601 | 40.24% | 110 | 2.76% |
| 1892 | 2,026 | 49.95% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,030 | 50.05% |
| 1896 | 2,322 | 49.99% | 2,276 | 49.00% | 47 | 1.01% |
| 1900 | 2,374 | 54.66% | 1,912 | 44.02% | 57 | 1.31% |
| 1904 | 2,568 | 65.26% | 1,199 | 30.47% | 168 | 4.27% |
| 1908 | 2,270 | 55.57% | 1,720 | 42.11% | 95 | 2.33% |
| 1912 | 1,155 | 29.75% | 1,537 | 39.59% | 1,190 | 30.65% |
| 1916 | 3,174 | 50.49% | 2,919 | 46.44% | 193 | 3.07% |
| 1920 | 3,463 | 68.86% | 1,535 | 30.52% | 31 | 0.62% |
| 1924 | 4,422 | 72.71% | 1,320 | 21.70% | 340 | 5.59% |
| 1928 | 4,810 | 74.77% | 1,601 | 24.89% | 22 | 0.34% |
| 1932 | 2,974 | 47.42% | 3,185 | 50.79% | 112 | 1.79% |
| 1936 | 3,711 | 54.25% | 3,105 | 45.39% | 25 | 0.37% |
| 1940 | 4,330 | 65.81% | 2,212 | 33.62% | 38 | 0.58% |
| 1944 | 3,504 | 68.73% | 1,575 | 30.89% | 19 | 0.37% |
| 1948 | 2,986 | 59.04% | 2,010 | 39.74% | 62 | 1.23% |
| 1952 | 3,980 | 73.47% | 1,411 | 26.05% | 26 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | 3,677 | 70.24% | 1,536 | 29.34% | 22 | 0.42% |
| 1960 | 3,353 | 65.73% | 1,739 | 34.09% | 9 | 0.18% |
| 1964 | 2,380 | 53.07% | 2,066 | 46.06% | 39 | 0.87% |
| 1968 | 2,781 | 56.58% | 1,355 | 27.57% | 779 | 15.85% |
| 1972 | 3,679 | 72.69% | 1,237 | 24.44% | 145 | 2.87% |
| 1976 | 3,225 | 55.12% | 2,470 | 42.22% | 156 | 2.67% |
| 1980 | 4,046 | 64.60% | 1,776 | 28.36% | 441 | 7.04% |
| 1984 | 4,524 | 68.93% | 1,990 | 30.32% | 49 | 0.75% |
| 1988 | 3,605 | 55.53% | 2,810 | 43.28% | 77 | 1.19% |
| 1992 | 2,569 | 33.02% | 2,538 | 32.62% | 2,673 | 34.36% |
| 1996 | 3,781 | 49.31% | 2,757 | 35.95% | 1,130 | 14.74% |
| 2000 | 4,423 | 56.15% | 3,000 | 38.09% | 454 | 5.76% |
| 2004 | 5,408 | 61.50% | 3,253 | 37.00% | 132 | 1.50% |
| 2008 | 5,220 | 58.32% | 3,542 | 39.58% | 188 | 2.10% |
| 2012 | 4,827 | 60.24% | 2,977 | 37.15% | 209 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 5,213 | 61.77% | 2,518 | 29.83% | 709 | 8.40% |
| 2020 | 6,334 | 64.75% | 3,194 | 32.65% | 254 | 2.60% |
| 2024 | 6,694 | 67.11% | 3,030 | 30.38% | 251 | 2.52% |
Like all of Kansas outside the eastern cities, Jefferson County is a Republican stronghold, having not been won by a Democrat sinceFranklin D. Roosevelt’s 1932 landslide – although it was one of three Kansas counties to give a plurality toRoss Perot in 1992.
Jefferson 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.[16]
The county voted "No" on the2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 55% to 45% despite backingDonald Trump with 65% of the vote toJoe Biden's 33% in the2020 presidential election.[17]
Jefferson County has two newspapers which are still in operation, The Oskaloosa Independent and The Valley Falls Vindicator. Both of which are owned by Davis Publications.[18] Together, the two papers cover the happenings of Jefferson County and its townships. The editor for both papers is Holly Allen.
School districts include:[19]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Jefferson County.[20]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Jefferson County is divided into twelvetownships. None of the cities within the county are consideredgovernmentally independent, and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. 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 Jefferson County, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofJefferson County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
