Morton County, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Morton County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Kansas
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,233. The largest city and county seat
is Elkhart
.
from 1867 to 1877.
Until recently, Morton County was the only Kansas county in the media market of Amarillo
, Texas
. In early 2007, the Federal Communications Commission
moved Morton into the Wichita
market, along with the rest of western Kansas.
, county.
of 2000, there were 3,496 people, 1,306 households, and 961 families residing in the county. The population density
was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 1,519 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.39% White
, 0.20% Black
or African American
, 1.14% Native American
, 1.06% Asian
, 7.52% from other races
, and 1.69% from two or more races. 14.10% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,306 households out of which 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.20% were married couples
living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.30% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,232, and the median income for a family was $43,494. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $19,474 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,076. About 8.50% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.
. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally 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.
General county information
County Level Data
Maps
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,233. The largest city and county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Elkhart
Elkhart, Kansas
Elkhart is a city in and the county seat of Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,205.-Geography:Elkhart is located at...
.
History
Morton County was named for Oliver Morton, who was a United States Senator from IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
from 1867 to 1877.
Until recently, Morton County was the only Kansas county in the media market of Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In early 2007, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
moved Morton into the Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
market, along with the rest of western Kansas.
Law and government
Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Morton County has remained a prohibition, or "dry"Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, county.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 729.94 square miles (1,890.5 km²), of which 729.92 square miles (1,890.5 km²) (or 99.997%) is land and 0.02 square mile (0.0517997622 km²) (or 0.003%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Stanton CountyStanton County, KansasStanton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,235...
(north) - Stevens CountyStevens County, KansasStevens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 5,724. Its county seat is Hugoton...
(east) - Texas CountyTexas County, OklahomaTexas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Texas County was formed at Oklahoma statehood from the central one-third of "Old Beaver County" also known as "No Man's Land"...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(south) - Cimarron CountyCimarron County, OklahomaCimarron County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Throughout most of its history it has had the smallest population and the lowest population density of any county in Oklahoma. As of 2010 census, the population was 2,475...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(southwest) - Baca CountyBaca County, ColoradoBaca County is the southeasternmost of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 4,517 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Springfield.- History :...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
(west)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,496 people, 1,306 households, and 961 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 1,519 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.39% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.14% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.06% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 7.52% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.69% from two or more races. 14.10% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,306 households out of which 36.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.20% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.30% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,232, and the median income for a family was $43,494. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $19,474 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,076. About 8.50% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
Name and population (2004 estimate):- ElkhartElkhart, KansasElkhart is a city in and the county seat of Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,205.-Geography:Elkhart is located at...
, 2,081 (county seat) - RollaRolla, KansasRolla is a city in Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 442.-Geography:Rolla is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 482 people,...
, 453 - RichfieldRichfield, KansasRichfield is a city in Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 43.-Geography:Richfield is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 48...
, 45
Townships
Morton County is divided into six townshipsCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally 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.
| Township | FIPS | Population center |
Population | Population density /km² (/sq mi) |
Land area km² (sq mi) | Water area km² (sq mi) | Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cimarron | 13350 | 67 | 0 (1) | 173 (67) | 0 (0) | 0 % | 37°4′11"N 101°46′45"W | |
| Jones | 35650 | 17 | 0 (0) | 140 (54) | 0 (0) | 0 % | 37°1′4"N 101°56′56"W | |
| Richfield | 59225 | 218 | 0 (1) | 649 (251) | 0 (0) | 0 % | 37°14′37"N 101°42′36"W | |
| Rolla | 60925 | Rolla Rolla, Kansas Rolla is a city in Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 442.-Geography:Rolla is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 482 people,... |
650 | 2 (5) | 373 (144) | 0 (0) | 0 % | 37°6′46"N 101°37′42"W |
| Taloga | 69975 | Elkhart Elkhart, Kansas Elkhart is a city in and the county seat of Morton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,205.-Geography:Elkhart is located at... |
2,437 | 17 (44) | 142 (55) | 0 (0) | 0 % | 37°0′22"N 101°53′42"W |
| Westola | 77225 | 107 | 0 (1) | 412 (159) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | 37°14′19"N 101°58′40"W |
Education
Unified school districts
Further reading
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
OfficialGeneral county information
County Level Data
Maps
- Morton County Map, KDOT
- Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
- Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
- Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE