Hodgeman County, Kansas

Hodgeman County
Hodgeman County
County
	Hodgeman County Courthouse in Jetmore (2016)
	Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
	Kansas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 38°02′38″N 100°10′17″W / 38.0439°N 100.1714°W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Amos Hodgman
Seat	Jetmore
Largest city	Jetmore
Area
• Total	860 sq mi (2,200 km2)
• Land	860 sq mi (2,200 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.04%
Population (2020)
• Total	1,723
• Estimate (2021)	1,710
• Density	2.0/sq mi (0.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	hodgemancountyks.com

Hodgeman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Jetmore.^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,723.^[1] It was named for Amos Hodgman, a member of the 7th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.

History

In 1867, Hodgeman County was established, and named for Amos Hodgman, member of the 7th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The letter E was later added to the namesake's name.^[4]The county was not formally organized until 1879.^[5]

The Homestead Act of 1862 drew many settlers to the region beginning in the spring of 1877, with only a small amount of wheat sown that year due to hail damage. Crop yields improved in 1878. The county initially had several competing towns vying to become the county seat, including Buckner (present-day Jetmore), which eventually won out.^[5] While many small towns, such as Kidderville and Milroy, sprung up in the early years of the county, only Jetmore and Hanston survived as permanent settlements.^[6]

By the late 1870s, Hodgeman County had a population of around 1,500 people.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 860 square miles (2,200 km²), of which 860 square miles (2,200 km²) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) (0.04%) is water.^[7]

Adjacent counties

Ness County (north)
Pawnee County (east)
Edwards County (southeast)
Ford County (south)
Gray County (southwest)
Finney County (west)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,704		—
1890	2,895		69.9%
1900	2,032		−29.8%
1910	2,930		44.2%
1920	3,734		27.4%
1930	4,157		11.3%
1940	3,535		−15.0%
1950	3,310		−6.4%
1960	3,115		−5.9%
1970	2,662		−14.5%
1980	2,269		−14.8%
1990	2,177		−4.1%
2000	2,085		−4.2%
2010	1,916		−8.1%
2020	1,723		−10.1%
2023 (est.)	1,655	^[8]	−3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[9] 1790-1960^[10] 1900-1990^[11] 1990-2000^[12] 2010-2020^[1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,085 people, 796 households, and 581 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 945 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.31% White, 0.91% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.48% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.

There were 796 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.00% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,994, and the median income for a family was $39,358. Males had a median income of $27,568 versus $21,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,599. About 10.70% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Hodgeman County is a Republican stronghold. Only six Republican presidential candidates have failed to win the county from 1888 to the present, and no Democrat has to managed to win even a quarter of the county's votes since Michael Dukakis in 1988. The last Democrat to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Hodgeman County, Kansas^[13]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	875	83.73%	154	14.74%	16	1.53%
2016	855	84.07%	124	12.19%	38	3.74%
2012	868	81.89%	179	16.89%	13	1.23%
2008	865	78.92%	211	19.25%	20	1.82%
2004	953	80.56%	223	18.85%	7	0.59%
2000	835	76.75%	217	19.94%	36	3.31%
1996	808	69.42%	251	21.56%	105	9.02%
1992	625	50.85%	258	20.99%	346	28.15%
1988	732	60.40%	439	36.22%	41	3.38%
1984	939	74.17%	306	24.17%	21	1.66%
1980	831	66.16%	339	26.99%	86	6.85%
1976	576	43.80%	697	53.00%	42	3.19%
1972	853	68.40%	331	26.54%	63	5.05%
1968	756	59.20%	387	30.31%	134	10.49%
1964	607	42.33%	821	57.25%	6	0.42%
1960	926	61.45%	570	37.82%	11	0.73%
1956	1,113	71.62%	435	27.99%	6	0.39%
1952	1,330	76.44%	392	22.53%	18	1.03%
1948	945	60.77%	590	37.94%	20	1.29%
1944	982	66.31%	490	33.09%	9	0.61%
1940	1,092	60.87%	690	38.46%	12	0.67%
1936	781	40.13%	1,162	59.71%	3	0.15%
1932	847	45.56%	988	53.15%	24	1.29%
1928	1,122	67.55%	528	31.79%	11	0.66%
1924	899	60.66%	367	24.76%	216	14.57%
1920	945	73.31%	306	23.74%	38	2.95%
1916	564	37.45%	761	50.53%	181	12.02%
1912	136	17.17%	302	38.13%	354	44.70%
1908	411	57.08%	290	40.28%	19	2.64%
1904	449	67.52%	192	28.87%	24	3.61%
1900	323	56.27%	245	42.68%	6	1.05%
1896	262	53.69%	224	45.90%	2	0.41%
1892	363	61.21%	0	0.00%	230	38.79%
1888	563	63.98%	220	25.00%	97	11.02%

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained an alcohol-free, or "dry", county until 2004, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic beverages by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.^[14]

Education

Unified school districts

Hodgeman County USD 227

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Hodgeman County.^[15]

Cities

Hanston
Jetmore (county seat)

Townships

Hodgeman County is divided into nine townships. 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	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Benton	06225	48	1 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.13%	38°2′39″N 100°10′18″W / 38.04417°N 100.17167°W / 38.04417; -100.17167
Center	11725	1,121	3 (8)	374 (144)	0 (0)	0.05%	38°5′7″N 99°53′46″W / 38.08528°N 99.89611°W / 38.08528; -99.89611
Hallet	29525	62	0 (1)	182 (70)	0 (0)	0%	38°5′40″N 100°4′10″W / 38.09444°N 100.06944°W / 38.09444; -100.06944
Marena	44575	432	1 (3)	373 (144)	0 (0)	0.05%	38°9′52″N 99°41′19″W / 38.16444°N 99.68861°W / 38.16444; -99.68861
North Roscoe	51350	51	0 (0)	276 (106)	0 (0)	0.05%	38°10′29″N 100°7′14″W / 38.17472°N 100.12056°W / 38.17472; -100.12056
Sawlog	63225	93	0 (1)	187 (72)	0 (0)	0.02%	37°58′18″N 99°54′32″W / 37.97167°N 99.90889°W / 37.97167; -99.90889
South Roscoe	66900	76	0 (1)	185 (71)	0 (0)	0.04%	37°56′59″N 100°6′31″W / 37.94972°N 100.10861°W / 37.94972; -100.10861
Sterling	68175	144	0 (1)	374 (144)	0 (0)	0.02%	37°59′46″N 99°40′24″W / 37.99611°N 99.67333°W / 37.99611; -99.67333
Valley	72825	58	0 (1)	185 (71)	0 (0)	0%	38°12′41″N 99°51′47″W / 38.21139°N 99.86306°W / 38.21139; -99.86306
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

In popular culture

At the beginning of the 1992 film Unforgiven, the protagonist William Munny, played by Clint Eastwood, is living in Hodgeman County and working as a pig farmer, while attempting to hide evidence of his violent past from all those around him.