Wilson County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Brown Hotel inNeodesha (2017) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
| Coordinates:37°34′00″N95°44′00″W / 37.5667°N 95.7333°W /37.5667; -95.7333 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Named after | Hiero T. Wilson |
| Seat | Fredonia |
| Largest city | Neodesha |
| Area | |
• Total | 575 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Land | 570 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 0.8% |
| Population | |
• Total | 8,624 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 8,382 |
| • Density | 15/sq mi (5.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | wilsoncountykansas.org |
Wilson County is acounty located inSoutheast Kansas. Itscounty seat isFredonia.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 8,624.[1] The county was named after Hiero Wilson, a colonel in the American Civil 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. In 1855, Wilson County was established and included what is now Wilson County andMontgomery County. It was named for Colonel Hiero T. Wilson. He was a successful Indian trader who had been the first white settler ofFort Scott, Kansas and had served as postmaster andsutler at the fort. He could speak Cherokee, Creek, and Osage and the Osage called him "Big White Chief". He was a delegate to theLecompton Constitutional Convention.[4]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.8%) is water.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 27 | — | |
| 1870 | 6,694 | 24,692.6% | |
| 1880 | 13,775 | 105.8% | |
| 1890 | 15,286 | 11.0% | |
| 1900 | 15,621 | 2.2% | |
| 1910 | 19,810 | 26.8% | |
| 1920 | 21,157 | 6.8% | |
| 1930 | 18,646 | −11.9% | |
| 1940 | 17,723 | −5.0% | |
| 1950 | 14,815 | −16.4% | |
| 1960 | 13,077 | −11.7% | |
| 1970 | 11,317 | −13.5% | |
| 1980 | 12,128 | 7.2% | |
| 1990 | 10,289 | −15.2% | |
| 2000 | 10,332 | 0.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,409 | −8.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,624 | −8.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 8,382 | [6] | −2.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 8,624. The median age was 43.6 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.7 males age 18 and over.[11][12]
The racial makeup of the county was 90.0% White, 0.3%Black or African American, 1.0%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 7.3% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.[12]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 3,636 households in the county, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 4,485 housing units, of which 18.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.8% were owner-occupied and 27.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.0%.[11]
As of thecensus[14] of 2000, there were 10,332 people, 4,203 households, and 2,849 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 18 people per square mile (6.9 people/km2). There were 4,937 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.78%White, 0.37%Black orAfrican American, 0.88%Native American, 0.26%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 0.48% fromother races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.67% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 4,203 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.10% weremarried couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 29.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,747, and the median income for a family was $36,990. Males had a median income of $27,255 versus $18,670 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,910. About 7.50% of families and 11.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,191 | 55.48% | 1,035 | 26.21% | 723 | 18.31% |
| 1892 | 1,803 | 51.80% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,678 | 48.20% |
| 1896 | 1,852 | 48.38% | 1,959 | 51.18% | 17 | 0.44% |
| 1900 | 2,193 | 55.58% | 1,711 | 43.36% | 42 | 1.06% |
| 1904 | 2,583 | 63.37% | 1,034 | 25.37% | 459 | 11.26% |
| 1908 | 2,428 | 53.14% | 1,777 | 38.89% | 364 | 7.97% |
| 1912 | 849 | 19.92% | 1,304 | 30.60% | 2,108 | 49.47% |
| 1916 | 2,970 | 41.81% | 3,494 | 49.18% | 640 | 9.01% |
| 1920 | 4,024 | 66.23% | 1,768 | 29.10% | 284 | 4.67% |
| 1924 | 4,596 | 65.00% | 1,736 | 24.55% | 739 | 10.45% |
| 1928 | 5,603 | 78.46% | 1,465 | 20.52% | 73 | 1.02% |
| 1932 | 3,422 | 44.93% | 4,001 | 52.53% | 193 | 2.53% |
| 1936 | 4,829 | 55.59% | 3,816 | 43.93% | 42 | 0.48% |
| 1940 | 5,288 | 64.42% | 2,859 | 34.83% | 62 | 0.76% |
| 1944 | 4,248 | 68.57% | 1,912 | 30.86% | 35 | 0.56% |
| 1948 | 3,868 | 59.45% | 2,538 | 39.01% | 100 | 1.54% |
| 1952 | 5,180 | 73.18% | 1,845 | 26.07% | 53 | 0.75% |
| 1956 | 4,502 | 73.00% | 1,645 | 26.67% | 20 | 0.32% |
| 1960 | 4,333 | 67.77% | 2,034 | 31.81% | 27 | 0.42% |
| 1964 | 2,919 | 52.54% | 2,592 | 46.65% | 45 | 0.81% |
| 1968 | 3,340 | 63.35% | 1,276 | 24.20% | 656 | 12.44% |
| 1972 | 3,568 | 74.80% | 1,043 | 21.87% | 159 | 3.33% |
| 1976 | 2,682 | 55.67% | 2,047 | 42.49% | 89 | 1.85% |
| 1980 | 3,328 | 69.32% | 1,205 | 25.10% | 268 | 5.58% |
| 1984 | 3,663 | 72.23% | 1,344 | 26.50% | 64 | 1.26% |
| 1988 | 2,743 | 63.12% | 1,545 | 35.55% | 58 | 1.33% |
| 1992 | 1,925 | 41.53% | 1,331 | 28.72% | 1,379 | 29.75% |
| 1996 | 2,458 | 56.41% | 1,297 | 29.77% | 602 | 13.82% |
| 2000 | 2,748 | 67.11% | 1,186 | 28.96% | 161 | 3.93% |
| 2004 | 3,263 | 74.19% | 1,060 | 24.10% | 75 | 1.71% |
| 2008 | 2,850 | 69.16% | 1,170 | 28.39% | 101 | 2.45% |
| 2012 | 2,825 | 76.00% | 818 | 22.01% | 74 | 1.99% |
| 2016 | 2,788 | 77.64% | 594 | 16.54% | 209 | 5.82% |
| 2020 | 3,153 | 79.74% | 723 | 18.29% | 78 | 1.97% |
| 2024 | 2,894 | 80.19% | 647 | 17.93% | 68 | 1.88% |
Wilson County has long voted predominantly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Wilson County sinceFranklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, and none has exceeded 36 percent sinceJimmy Carter in 1976.
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 with a 30 percent food sales requirement.[16]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Wilson County.[20]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Wilson County is divided into fifteentownships. The cities ofFredonia andNeodesha 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.
Places adjacent to Wilson County, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofWilson County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
