Seward County, Kansas

County in Kansas, United States

Not to be confused with Seward, Kansas.

County in Kansas

Seward County

County

Seward County Courthouse in Liberal (2010)

Location within the U.S. state of Kansas

Kansas's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 37°12′N 100°50′W﻿ / ﻿37.200°N 100.833°W﻿ / 37.200; -100.833Coordinates: 37°12′N 100°50′W﻿ / ﻿37.200°N 100.833°W﻿ / 37.200; -100.833
Country|  United States
State|  Kansas
Founded| March 20, 1873
Named for| William H. Seward
Seat| Liberal
Largest city| Liberal
Area

• Total| 640 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Land| 639 sq mi (1,660 km2)
• Water| 1.0 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population

(2020)[1]

• Total| 21,964
• Density| 34.4/sq mi (13.3/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code| 620
Congressional district| 1st
Website| SewardCountyKS.org

Seward County (standard abbreviation: SW) is a county of the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 21,964.[1] The largest city and county seat is Liberal.[2] The county was formed on March 20, 1873 and named after William Henry Seward, an American politician and Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 1.1 Adjacent counties
* 2 Demographics
* 3 Government
* 3.1 Presidential elections
* 3.2 Laws
* 4 Education
* 4.1 Unified school districts
* 5 Communities
* 5.1 Cities
* 5.2 Unincorporated communities
* 5.3 Townships
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 Further reading
* 9 External links

## Geography

[edit | edit source]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 639 square miles (1,660 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (0.2%) is water.[3] It borders Oklahoma to the south.

### Adjacent counties

[edit | edit source]

* Haskell County (north)
* Meade County (east)
* Beaver County, Oklahoma (southeast)
* Texas County, Oklahoma (southwest)
* Stevens County (west)

## Demographics

[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1880| 5| | —
1890| 1,503| | 29,960.0%
1900| 822| | −45.3%
1910| 4,091| | 397.7%
1920| 6,220| | 52.0%
1930| 8,075| | 29.8%
1940| 6,540| | −19.0%
1950| 9,972| | 52.5%
1960| 15,930| | 59.7%
1970| 15,744| | −1.2%
1980| 17,071| | 8.4%
1990| 18,743| | 9.8%
2000| 22,510| | 20.1%
2010| 22,952| | 2.0%
2020| 21,964| | −4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790-1960[5] 1900-1990[6]
1990-2000[7] 2010-2020[1]
Age pyramid

The Liberal, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Seward County.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 22,510 people, 7,419 households, and 5,504 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile (14/km2). There were 8,027 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.44% White, 3.78% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 2.86% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 23.81% from other races, and 3.27% from two or more races. 42.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,419 households, out of which 43.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.46.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.00% under the age of 18, 11.70% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 16.90% from 45 to 64, and 8.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,752, and the median income for a family was $41,134. Males had a median income of $29,765 versus $21,889 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,059. About 13.90% of families and 16.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.00% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Government

[edit | edit source]

### Presidential elections

[edit | edit source]

United States presidential election results for Seward County, Kansas[9] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 3,372  | 63.69% | 1,833  | 34.62%  | 89  | 1.68%
2016 | 3,159  | 62.70% | 1,628  | 32.31%  | 251  | 4.98%
2012 | 3,617  | 69.88% | 1,490  | 28.79%  | 69  | 1.33%
2008 | 3,791  | 71.05% | 1,493  | 27.98%  | 52  | 0.97%
2004 | 4,272  | 78.54% | 1,122  | 20.63%  | 45  | 0.83%
2000 | 3,869  | 75.92% | 1,126  | 22.10%  | 101  | 1.98%
1996 | 3,812  | 68.40% | 1,309  | 23.49%  | 452  | 8.11%
1992 | 3,477  | 51.09% | 1,488  | 21.86%  | 1,841  | 27.05%
1988 | 4,089  | 70.54% | 1,655  | 28.55%  | 53  | 0.91%
1984 | 5,222  | 80.54% | 1,198  | 18.48%  | 64  | 0.99%
1980 | 4,385  | 70.83% | 1,460  | 23.58%  | 346  | 5.59%
1976 | 3,604  | 64.19% | 1,907  | 33.96%  | 104  | 1.85%
1972 | 3,866  | 77.27% | 989  | 19.77%  | 148  | 2.96%
1968 | 3,065  | 62.32% | 1,291  | 26.25%  | 562  | 11.43%
1964 | 2,910  | 53.28% | 2,520  | 46.14%  | 32  | 0.59%
1960 | 3,974  | 70.44% | 1,654  | 29.32%  | 14  | 0.25%
1956 | 2,885  | 70.95% | 1,162  | 28.58%  | 19  | 0.47%
1952 | 3,136  | 72.79% | 1,146  | 26.60%  | 26  | 0.60%
1948 | 1,829  | 52.00% | 1,614  | 45.89%  | 74  | 2.10%
1944 | 1,590  | 53.92% | 1,342  | 45.51%  | 17  | 0.58%
1940 | 1,503  | 49.65% | 1,474  | 48.70%  | 50  | 1.65%
1936 | 1,108  | 35.64%  | 1,997  | 64.23% | 4  | 0.13%
1932 | 1,297  | 43.64%  | 1,576  | 53.03% | 99  | 3.33%
1928 | 1,873  | 76.98% | 538  | 22.11%  | 22  | 0.90%
1924 | 1,184  | 52.00% | 676  | 29.69%  | 417  | 18.31%
1920 | 1,290  | 61.52% | 722  | 34.43%  | 85  | 4.05%
1916 | 678  | 34.52%  | 1,105  | 56.26% | 181  | 9.22%
1912 | 155  | 14.98%  | 394  | 38.07% | 486  | 46.96%
1908 | 427  | 48.09% | 413  | 46.51%  | 48  | 5.41%
1904 | 152  | 65.52% | 62  | 26.72%  | 18  | 7.76%
1900 | 122  | 60.40% | 77  | 38.12%  | 3  | 1.49%
1896 | 100  | 55.87% | 78  | 43.58%  | 1  | 0.56%
1892 | 156  | 57.14% | 0  | 0.00%  | 117  | 42.86%
1888 | 400  | 61.16% | 207  | 31.65%  | 47  | 7.19%

Seward County has voted Republican since 1940.[10] The last time Seward County voted for a Democratic candidate for President was when it favored incumbent Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 over Kansas Governor Alf Landon.[11] In the Kansas Senate it is currently represented by Republican Garrett Love. In the Kansas House of Representatives it is represented by Republicans Bill Light and Carl Holmes.[12]

In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first Democrat to break 30% in Seward County since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

### Laws

[edit | edit source]

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.[13]

## Education

[edit | edit source]

### Unified school districts

[edit | edit source]

* Liberal USD 480
* Kismet-Plains USD 483

## Communities

[edit | edit source]

2005 KDOT Map of Seward County (map legend)

### Cities

[edit | edit source]

* Kismet
* Liberal

### Unincorporated communities

[edit | edit source]

* Hayne

### Townships

[edit | edit source]

Seward County is divided into three townships. The city of Liberal 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.  Township | FIPS | Population
center  | Population | Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi) | Land area
km2 (sq mi) | Water area
km2 (sq mi) | Water %  | Geographic coordinates

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Fargo | 23000 |  | 1,684 | 3 (8) | 570 (220) | 2 (1) | 0.29% | 37°9′1″N 100°45′3″W﻿ / ﻿37.15028°N 100.75083°W﻿ / 37.15028; -100.75083
Liberal | 39850 |  | 803 | 2 (4) | 502 (194) | 0 (0) | 0.03% | 37°5′52″N 100°56′58″W﻿ / ﻿37.09778°N 100.94944°W﻿ / 37.09778; -100.94944
Seward | 64075 |  | 357 | 1 (2) | 556 (215) | 0 (0) | 0.06% | 37°18′55″N 100°50′34″W﻿ / ﻿37.31528°N 100.84278°W﻿ / 37.31528; -100.84278

## See also

[edit | edit source]

Community information for Kansas

* Kansas locations by per capita income
* List of counties in Kansas
* List of townships in Kansas
* List of cities in Kansas
* List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
* List of ghost towns in Kansas

Education information for Kansas

* List of colleges and universities in Kansas
* List of high schools in Kansas
* List of unified school districts in Kansas

Historical information for Kansas

* List of museums in Kansas
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Kansas

|

## References

[edit | edit source]

1. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Seward County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
4. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
5. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
6. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
7. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
8. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
9. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
10. ^ David Leip's Atlas of US Elections
11. ^ Geographie Electorale
12. ^ Institute for Policy and Social Research Archived 2010-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
13. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.

Notes

## Further reading

[edit | edit source]

See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities

## External links

[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seward County, Kansas.

County

* Seward County - Official Website
* Seward County - Directory of Public Officials
* Seward County Historical Society

Historical railroad trestle - "Samson of the Cimarron"

* Samson of the Cimarron, kansastravel.org
* Mighty Samson Bridge nears 73rd birthday Archived 2016-04-20 at the Wayback Machine, leaderandtimes.com
* Sampson of the Cimarron history, rits.org

Maps

* Seward County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
* Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
* Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

Places adjacent to Seward County, Kansas

|  | Haskell County |

|
|

|  |
Stevens County |

File:Pfeil links.svgSeward County, Kansas

| Meade County
|  |
Texas County, Oklahoma |  | Beaver County, Oklahoma

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Seward County, Kansas, United States

County seat: Liberal

Cities|

* Kismet
* Liberal

Map of Kansas highlighting Seward County

Unincorporated
community|

* Hayne

Ghost towns|

* Arkalon

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Kansas

Topeka (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Geography
* History
* Bleeding Kansas
* Constitutions
* Capitals
* Capitols
* Timeline
* Governors
* Delegations
* Landmarks
* People
* Places
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions

Society|

* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Politics

Regions|

* Cherokee Strip
* Cross Timbers
* Dissected Till Plains
* East Central
* Four State Area
* Flint Hills
* High Plains
* KC metro area
* North Central
* Osage Plains
* Ozarks
* Red Hills
* Santa Fe Trail Region
* Smoky Hills
* Southeast

Largest
cities|

* (1) Wichita
* (2) Overland Park
* (3) Kansas City
* (4) Olathe
* (5) Topeka
* (6) Lawrence
* (7) Shawnee
* (8) Manhattan
* (9) Lenexa
* (10) Salina
* (11) Hutchinson
* (12) Leavenworth
* (13) Leawood
* (14) Dodge City
* (15) Garden City
* (16) Junction City
* (17) Emporia
* (18) Derby
* (19) Prairie Village
* (20) Liberal
* (21) Hays
* (22) Pittsburg
* (23) Gardner
* (24) Newton
* (25) Great Bend
* (26) McPherson
* (27) El Dorado
* (28) Ottawa
* (29) Winfield
* (30) Arkansas City
* (31) Andover
* (32) Lansing
* (33) Merriam
* (34) Atchison
* (35) Haysville
* (36) Parsons
* (37) Coffeyville
* (38) Mission
* (39) Independence
* (40) Augusta
* (41) Chanute
* (42) Wellington
* (43) Fort Scott
* (44) Park City
* (45) Bonner Springs
* (46) Valley Center
* (47) Pratt
* (48) Bel Aire
* (49) Roeland Park
* (50) Abilene

Counties|

* Allen
* Anderson
* Atchison
* Barber
* Barton
* Bourbon
* Brown
* Butler
* Chase
* Chautauqua
* Cherokee
* Cheyenne
* Clark
* Clay
* Cloud
* Coffey
* Comanche
* Cowley
* Crawford
* Decatur
* Dickinson
* Doniphan
* Douglas
* Edwards
* Elk
* Ellis
* Ellsworth
* Finney
* Ford
* Franklin
* Geary
* Gove
* Graham
* Grant
* Gray
* Greeley
* Greenwood
* Hamilton
* Harper
* Harvey
* Haskell
* Hodgeman
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Jewell
* Johnson
* Kearny
* Kingman
* Kiowa
* Labette
* Lane
* Leavenworth
* Lincoln
* Linn
* Logan
* Lyon
* Marion
* Marshall
* McPherson
* Meade
* Miami
* Mitchell
* Montgomery
* Morris
* Morton
* Nemaha
* Neosho
* Ness
* Norton
* Osage
* Osborne
* Ottawa
* Pawnee
* Phillips
* Pottawatomie
* Pratt
* Rawlins
* Reno
* Republic
* Rice
* Riley
* Rooks
* Rush
* Russell
* Saline
* Scott
* Sedgwick
* Seward
* Shawnee
* Sheridan
* Sherman
* Smith
* Stafford
* Stanton
* Stevens
* Sumner
* Thomas
* Trego
* Wabaunsee
* Wallace
* Washington
* Wichita
* Wilson
* Woodson
* Wyandotte

Lists|

* List of counties in Kansas
* List of townships in Kansas
* List of cities in Kansas
* List of census-designated places in Kansas
* List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
* List of ghost towns in Kansas
* Lists of people from Kansas

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template