Mitchell County, Kansas

{{See also|History of Kansas}}

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty 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 for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Mitchell County was established.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|719|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|702|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (2.4%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

• Jewell County (north)
• Cloud County (east)
• Ottawa County (southeast)
• Lincoln County (south)
• Osborne County (west)

Image:USA Mitchell County, Kansas age pyramid.svg based on 2000 census age data]]

{{US Census population

|1870= 485

|1880= 14911

|1890= 15037

|1900= 14647

|1910= 14089

|1920= 13886

|1930= 12774

|1940= 11339

|1950= 10320

|1960= 8866

|1970= 8010

|1980= 8117

|1990= 7203

|2000= 6932

|2010= 6373

|2020= 5796

|estyear=2023

|estimate=5719

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 3, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 27, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 27, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 27, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 27, 2014}} 2010-2020

}}

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2010, there were 6,373 people, 2,790 households, and 1,725 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|8.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 3,296 housing units at an average density of {{convert|4.6|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.97% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,790 households, out of which 24.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.29% were married couples living together, 6.23% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.17% were non-families. 33.08% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.44% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 19.83% from 25 to 44, 29.67% from 45 to 64, and 21.04% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.6 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,247, and the median income for a family was $54,502. Males had a median income of $30,044 versus $20,094 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,350. About 4.90% of families and 8.26% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.04% of those under age 18 and 12.33% of those age 65 or over.

Prior to 1940, Mitchell County was a swing county, backing the national winner in every presidential election from 1900 to 1936. Since 1940, it has become a Republican stronghold, with only George H. W. Bush in 1992 failing to win a majority in the county due to Ross Perot's strong showing in Kansas.

{{Hidden

|headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

|contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

|header = Presidential election results

|content =

{{PresHead|place=Mitchell County, Kansas|source={{cite web|author=David Leip |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |publisher=Uselectionatlas.org |access-date=September 13, 2019}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,608|528|36|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,504|558|39|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,308|477|157|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,327|584|54|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,440|701|62|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,609|693|47|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,350|751|165|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,435|833|276|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,601|938|1,111|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,257|1,145|60|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,036|919|41|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,821|876|256|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,095|1,700|85|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,830|1,030|93|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,428|1,144|289|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,951|1,898|31|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,779|1,692|26|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,198|1,214|20|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,167|961|18|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,998|1,750|75|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,238|1,579|40|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,681|2,060|51|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,781|3,289|41|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,502|3,176|181|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,245|1,855|64|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,161|1,470|656|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,310|1,409|126|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,413|3,197|215|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|737|1,441|1,163|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,765|1,570|160|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|2,037|867|285|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,764|1,702|87|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,428|1,889|30|Kansas}}

{{PresRow|1892|Populist|1,467|0|1,905|Kansas}}

{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|1,676|880|442|Kansas}}

}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm |title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties |publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue |date=November 2006 |access-date=December 26, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008013617/http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm |archive-date=October 8, 2007 }}

• North Central Kansas Technical College in Beloit

• Waconda USD 272
• Beloit USD 273

• St. John's Catholic High School
• Tipton Catholic High School

Image:Map of Mitchell Co, Ks, USA.png)]]

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Mitchell County.{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Mitchell County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/mitchell.PDF |publisher=Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517050719/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/mitchell.PDF |archive-date=May 17, 2023 |date=July 2010 |url-status=live}}

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.

{{div col}}

• Beloit (county seat)
• Cawker City
• Glen Elder
• Hunter
• Scottsville
• Simpson‡
• Tipton

{{div col end}}

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

{{div col}}

• Asherville†
• Solomon Rapids

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• Blue Hill
• Buel
• Coursens Grove
• Elmira
• Saltville
• Sunflower
• Victor
• Walnut Grove
• West Asher

{{div col end}}

Mitchell County is divided into twenty townships. The city of Beloit 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.

|-

| Beloit || 05800 || Beloit || 4,003 || 48 (125) || 83 (32) || 0 (0) || 0.02% || {{coord|39|26|40|N|98|5|33|W|}}

|-

| Bloomfield || 07425 || || 83 || 1 (2) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.24% || {{coord|39|20|33|N|98|6|24|W|}}

|-

| Blue Hill || 07575 || || 36 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.36% || {{coord|39|15|17|N|98|18|43|W|}}

|-

| Carr Creek || 10850 || || 31 || 0 (1) || 84 (33) || 9 (3) || 9.51% || {{coord|39|26|23|N|98|26|40|W|}}

|-

| Cawker || 11150 ||Cawker City || 578 || 8 (20) || 75 (29) || 17 (7) || 18.68% || {{coord|39|30|55|N|98|26|2|W|}}

|-

| Center || 11875 || || 49 || 1 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || {{coord|39|21|26|N|98|12|2|W|}}

|-

| Custer || 16875 || Hunter || 132 || 1 (4) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.13% || {{coord|39|14|56|N|98|24|53|W|}}

|-

| Eureka || 21875 || || 41 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.38% || {{coord|39|15|20|N|97|59|46|W|}}

|-

| Glen Elder || 26525 ||Glen Elder|| 553 || 7 (18) || 78 (30) || 15 (6) || 16.01% || {{coord|39|30|32|N|98|18|49|W|}}

|-

| Hayes || 30975 || || 21 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || {{coord|39|20|4|N|98|19|8|W|}}

|-

| Logan || 42025 || Simpson || 168 || 2 (5) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.12% || {{coord|39|21|59|N|97|56|21|W|}}

|-

| Lulu || 43225 || Scottsville || 90 || 1 (3) || 92 (35) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|31|53|N|97|58|34|W|}}

|-

| Pittsburg || 56050 || Tipton || 346 || 4 (10) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || {{coord|39|20|31|N|98|28|3|W|}}

|-

| Plum Creek || 56825 || || 119 || 1 (3) || 92 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.02% || {{coord|39|30|53|N|98|5|21|W|}}

|-

| Round Springs || 61500 || || 27 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.14% || {{coord|39|15|51|N|98|11|28|W|}}

|-

| Salt Creek || 62825 || || 39 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.37% || {{coord|39|15|12|N|98|6|11|W|}}

|-

| Solomon Rapids || 66450 || || 80 || 1 (2) || 91 (35) || 0 (0) || 0.14% || {{coord|39|31|19|N|98|12|58|W|}}

|-

| Turkey Creek || 71725 || || 134 || 1 (4) || 92 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.23% || {{coord|39|26|40|N|98|12|1|W|}}

|-

| Walnut Creek || 75150 || || 42 || 0 (1) || 88 (34) || 5 (2) || 5.78% || {{coord|39|26|49|N|98|19|1|W|}}

|}

{{Portal|Kansas}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mitchell County, Kansas

{{See also Kansas counties}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Kansas books}}

• [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224025/ Standard Atlas of Mitchell County, Kansas]; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 73 pages; 1917.
• [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209392/ Standard Atlas of Mitchell County, Kansas]; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 56 pages; 1902.
• [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224024/ Atlas of Mitchell County, Kansas]; Gillen & Davy; 45 pages; 1884.

{{Commons category|Mitchell County, Kansas}}

;County

• {{Official website|https://www.mitchellcountykansas.com/|Mitchell County - Official Website}}
• [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260462 Mitchell County - Directory of Public Officials]

;Maps

• Mitchell County Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/mitchell.PDF Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic], KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Geographic location

|Center = Mitchell County, Kansas

|North = Jewell County

|Northeast = Cloud County

|East =

|Southeast = Ottawa County

|South = Lincoln County

|Southwest = Osborne County

|West = Osborne County

|Northwest = Smith County

}}

{{Mitchell County, Kansas}}

{{Kansas}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Kansas counties

Category:1867 establishments in Kansas

Category:Populated places established in 1867