Montgomery County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Memorial Hall inIndependence (2017) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:37°12′N95°44′W / 37.200°N 95.733°W /37.200; -95.733 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named after | Richard Montgomery |
| Seat | Independence |
| Largest city | Coffeyville |
| Area | |
• Total | 651 sq mi (1,690 km2) |
| • Land | 644 sq mi (1,670 km2) |
| • Water | 8.0 sq mi (21 km2) 1.2% |
| Population | |
• Total | 31,486 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 30,568 |
| • Density | 48.9/sq mi (18.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | mgcountyks.org |
Montgomery County is acounty located inSoutheast Kansas. Itscounty seat isIndependence,[3] and its most populous city isCoffeyville. As of the2020 United States census, the county population was 31,486.[1] The county was named afterRichard Montgomery, a major general during the American Revolutionary War.
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. Montgomery County was established on February 26, 1867. It was named in honor ofRichard Montgomery, anAmerican Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to captureQuebec City, inCanada, after successfully capturing two forts and the city ofMontreal.[4]
When Kansas was admitted to the Union as a state in 1861, theOsage Indian reservation occupied a large tract of land near the southern border. The reservation had been established in 1825. After the Civil War ended, the Osage lands were coveted as the largest and last reserve of good land in the eastern part of the state. As early as 1866, the Osages were forced to cede tracts at the eastern and northern edges of the reservation. This treaty conceded white settlement on land in the eastern part of what is now Montgomery County.[citation needed]
For a brief time, the Osages attempted to maintain a boundary at the Verdigris River. The Verdigris flows from north to south through the center of Montgomery County. From the west the Elk River joins the Verdigris at a confluence slightly northwest of the geographical center of the county. In 1867 Frank and Fred Bunker established a primitive cattle camp on the west side of the Verdigris south of the confluence. Like the Osages, the Bunkers thought they were beyond the boundaries of civilization.[citation needed]
Early in 1869, however, settlers began to cross the Verdigris River, "at first under protest of the Indians, but the immense throng of settlers soon made all protests futile." Montgomery County was surveyed and organized in 1869; the governor appointed commissioners June 3.[citation needed]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 651 square miles (1,690 km2), of which 644 square miles (1,670 km2) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km2) (1.2%) is water.[5] Thelowest point in the state of Kansas is located on theVerdigris River in Cherokee Township in Montgomery County (just southeast of Coffeyville), where it flows out of Kansas and intoOklahoma. Western portions of the county contain parts of the northern Cross Timbers eco-region, which separates the forested eastern portion of the United States with the Plains.[6]
Google Maps uses Fawn Creek Township within Montgomery County as thezero-mile point of the United States. In other words, all directions to the "United States" will lead to a point in Fawn Creek.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 7,564 | — | |
| 1880 | 18,213 | 140.8% | |
| 1890 | 23,104 | 26.9% | |
| 1900 | 29,039 | 25.7% | |
| 1910 | 49,474 | 70.4% | |
| 1920 | 49,645 | 0.3% | |
| 1930 | 51,411 | 3.6% | |
| 1940 | 49,729 | −3.3% | |
| 1950 | 46,487 | −6.5% | |
| 1960 | 45,007 | −3.2% | |
| 1970 | 39,949 | −11.2% | |
| 1980 | 42,281 | 5.8% | |
| 1990 | 38,816 | −8.2% | |
| 2000 | 36,252 | −6.6% | |
| 2010 | 35,471 | −2.2% | |
| 2020 | 31,486 | −11.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 30,568 | [8] | −2.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1] | |||
The CoffeyvilleMicropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Montgomery County.
As of the2000 census,[13] there were 36,252 people, 14,903 households, and 9,955 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 56 people per square mile (22 people/km2). There were 17,207 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 85.77%White, 6.07%Black orAfrican American, 3.19%Native American, 0.47%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 3.34% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 3.08% of the population.
There were 14,903households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% weremarried couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $30,997, and the median income for a family was $38,516. Males had a median income of $29,745 versus $20,179 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,421. About 9.20% of families and 12.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,871 | 52.43% | 1,863 | 34.02% | 742 | 13.55% |
| 1892 | 2,736 | 51.83% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,543 | 48.17% |
| 1896 | 2,714 | 46.05% | 3,132 | 53.14% | 48 | 0.81% |
| 1900 | 3,433 | 51.28% | 3,213 | 48.00% | 48 | 0.72% |
| 1904 | 4,997 | 64.91% | 2,091 | 27.16% | 610 | 7.92% |
| 1908 | 5,166 | 52.10% | 4,030 | 40.64% | 720 | 7.26% |
| 1912 | 1,842 | 20.53% | 3,011 | 33.56% | 4,118 | 45.90% |
| 1916 | 6,371 | 41.45% | 8,059 | 52.44% | 939 | 6.11% |
| 1920 | 10,044 | 62.21% | 5,657 | 35.04% | 444 | 2.75% |
| 1924 | 11,160 | 65.02% | 4,178 | 24.34% | 1,825 | 10.63% |
| 1928 | 14,316 | 76.31% | 4,205 | 22.41% | 239 | 1.27% |
| 1932 | 9,958 | 48.96% | 9,941 | 48.88% | 440 | 2.16% |
| 1936 | 11,565 | 49.92% | 11,535 | 49.79% | 67 | 0.29% |
| 1940 | 13,781 | 57.68% | 9,999 | 41.85% | 114 | 0.48% |
| 1944 | 11,738 | 62.29% | 7,063 | 37.48% | 43 | 0.23% |
| 1948 | 10,636 | 54.70% | 8,621 | 44.34% | 187 | 0.96% |
| 1952 | 14,261 | 64.62% | 7,679 | 34.79% | 130 | 0.59% |
| 1956 | 13,252 | 64.34% | 7,265 | 35.27% | 81 | 0.39% |
| 1960 | 12,536 | 60.74% | 7,938 | 38.46% | 164 | 0.79% |
| 1964 | 8,437 | 48.44% | 8,853 | 50.83% | 126 | 0.72% |
| 1968 | 9,697 | 55.77% | 5,210 | 29.97% | 2,479 | 14.26% |
| 1972 | 11,717 | 73.66% | 3,685 | 23.17% | 505 | 3.17% |
| 1976 | 8,864 | 54.08% | 7,157 | 43.66% | 370 | 2.26% |
| 1980 | 10,856 | 64.18% | 5,282 | 31.23% | 777 | 4.59% |
| 1984 | 12,023 | 70.20% | 4,933 | 28.80% | 171 | 1.00% |
| 1988 | 9,067 | 61.98% | 5,429 | 37.11% | 132 | 0.90% |
| 1992 | 6,848 | 43.04% | 5,453 | 34.27% | 3,611 | 22.69% |
| 1996 | 7,428 | 51.71% | 5,269 | 36.68% | 1,668 | 11.61% |
| 2000 | 8,496 | 61.81% | 4,770 | 34.70% | 479 | 3.48% |
| 2004 | 9,598 | 67.99% | 4,338 | 30.73% | 180 | 1.28% |
| 2008 | 9,309 | 66.94% | 4,338 | 31.19% | 260 | 1.87% |
| 2012 | 8,630 | 69.50% | 3,501 | 28.20% | 286 | 2.30% |
| 2016 | 8,679 | 72.30% | 2,637 | 21.97% | 688 | 5.73% |
| 2020 | 9,931 | 73.97% | 3,228 | 24.04% | 267 | 1.99% |
| 2024 | 9,287 | 74.65% | 2,934 | 23.58% | 220 | 1.77% |
Like almost all of Kansas, Montgomery County votes predominantly Republican. Since 1920, the only Democrat to carry the county has beenLyndon B. Johnson in1964, and even then by only 16 votes. However,Alf Landon, in the landslide loss of1936, won his home county by only thirty votes, whilstHerbert Hoover won the county in1932 by only seventeen votes out of over nineteen thousand cast.
Following amendment to theKansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or"dry", county until 1998, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.[14]
The Good News
Independence Daily Reporter
Montgomery County Chronicle
The Coffeyville Journal
Parsons Sun
Chanute Tribune
KGGF-AM
KIND-AM
KUSN-FM
KQQF-FM
KGGF Classic Hits - FM
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List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Montgomery County.[17]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Montgomery County is divided into twelvetownships. The cities ofCaney,Cherryvale,Coffeyville, andIndependence 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.
Population estimates for Montgomery County both townships (displayed first) and Cities (displayed second): 2024* (2022**, 2023***), not actual headcount, perMontgomery County Chronicle July 10, 2025 (as certified by the Kansas Division of Budget as of July 1, 2025)
Caney township: 924* (938**, 927***)
Caney proper: 1,726* (1,759** 1,732***)
Cherokee township: 400* (404**, 400***)
Cherry township: 458* (464**, 457***)
West Cherry township: 267* (271**, 266***)
Cherryvale proper: 2,114* (2,157**, 2,128***)
Coffeyville proper: 8,525* (8,690**, 8,570**)
Dearing proper: 372* (377**, 373***)
Drum Creek township: 480* (490**, 483***)
Elk City proper: 250* (257**, 254***)
Fawn Creek township: 1,351* (1,372**, 1,353***)
Havana proper: 83* (82**, 81***)
Independence township: 2,181* (2,224**, 2,198***)
Independence proper: 8,287* (8,436**, 8,315***)
Liberty township: 371* (380**, 374***)
Liberty proper: 95* (99**, 95***)
Louisburg township: 275* (279**, 275***)
Parker township: 1,061* (1,074**, 1,060**)
Rutland township: 259* (263**, 260**)
Sycamore township: 791* (806**, 795***)
Tyro proper: 169* (174**, 172***)
* =July 1, 2025
**=July 1, 2023
***=July 1, 2024
Forgotten Faces of The Montgomery County Poor Farm by Cherilyn Hearn
Places adjacent to Montgomery County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofMontgomery County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Townships |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
