Labette County, Kansas

Labette County
Labette County
County
	Big Hill Lake (2015)
	Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
	Kansas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 37°12′N 95°17′W / 37.200°N 95.283°W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Pierre La Bette
Seat	Oswego
Largest city	Parsons
Area
• Total	653 sq mi (1,690 km2)
• Land	645 sq mi (1,670 km2)
• Water	7.8 sq mi (20 km2) 1.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	20,184
• Density	31.3/sq mi (12.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	620
Congressional district	2nd
Website	LabetteCounty.com

Labette County is a county located in Southeast Kansas. Its county seat is Oswego,^[2] and its most populous city is Parsons. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 20,184.^[1] The county was named after LaBette creek,^[3]^[4] the second-largest creek in the county, which runs roughly NNW-SSE from near Parsons to Chetopa. The creek in turn was named after French-Canadian fur trapper Pierre LaBette who had moved to the area, living along the Neosho River, and marrying into the Osage tribe in the 1830s and 1840s.^[4]

History

In the 1840s Labette County had a population mainly consisting of Osage people, although there were also many Cherokee and Euro-Americans. Many of the Euro-Americans were merchants with Osage or Cherokee wives.^[5]

Between 1871 and 1873, at least eleven people vanished in the vicinity of an inn and general store operated by the Bender family in Labette County. Following the disappearance of the Benders in 1873, it was discovered that they had apparently murdered a number of travellers. Between eight and eleven bodies were discovered buried on the premises. Governor Thomas A. Osborn offered a reward of $2,000 for the apprehension of the Benders, but they were never found.^[6]^[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 653 square miles (1,690 km²), of which 645 square miles (1,670 km²) is land and 7.8 square miles (20 km²) (1.2%) is water.^[8]

Adjacent counties

Neosho County (north)
Crawford County (northeast)
Cherokee County (east)
Craig County, Oklahoma (south)
Nowata County, Oklahoma (southwest)
Montgomery County (west)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	9,973		—
1880	22,735		128.0%
1890	27,586		21.3%
1900	27,387		−0.7%
1910	31,423		14.7%
1920	34,047		8.4%
1930	31,346		−7.9%
1940	30,352		−3.2%
1950	29,285		−3.5%
1960	26,805		−8.5%
1970	25,775		−3.8%
1980	25,682		−0.4%
1990	23,693		−7.7%
2000	22,169		−6.4%
2010	21,607		−2.5%
2020	20,184		−6.6%
2023 (est.)	19,728	^[9]	−2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[10] 1790-1960^[11] 1900-1990^[12] 1990-2000^[13] 2010-2020^[1]

The Parsons, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Labette County.

As of the 2010 Census Labette County had a population of 21,607. The median age was 41. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 85.5% non-Hispanic white, 4.7% African-American, 2.2% Native America, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% non-Hispanics of some other race, 3.6% non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 4.0% Hispanic or Latino.^[14]

As of the 2000 census,^[15] there were 22,835 people, 9,194 households, and 6,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 inhabitants per square mile (14/km²). There were 10,306 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.28% White, 4.66% Black or African American, 1.95% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.07% of the population.

There were 9,194 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 29.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,875, and the median income for a family was $37,519. Males had a median income of $29,043 versus $21,706 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,525. About 8.90% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Similar to most Kansas counties Labette County is strongly Republican. While Jimmy Carter & Bill Clinton both won the county once each, it has shifted strongly away from the Democratic Party, with Hillary Clinton garnering the lowest percentage since 1928.

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Labette County, Kansas^[16]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,735	66.97%	2,655	31.01%	173	2.02%
2016	5,335	64.92%	2,291	27.88%	592	7.20%
2012	4,742	59.00%	3,117	38.78%	178	2.21%
2008	5,001	55.38%	3,839	42.51%	191	2.11%
2004	5,400	59.09%	3,615	39.56%	124	1.36%
2000	4,475	52.41%	3,745	43.86%	318	3.72%
1996	4,283	45.66%	3,931	41.91%	1,166	12.43%
1992	3,368	33.09%	4,196	41.23%	2,613	25.68%
1988	5,125	52.92%	4,433	45.78%	126	1.30%
1984	6,542	63.76%	3,631	35.39%	87	0.85%
1980	5,244	52.86%	3,947	39.78%	730	7.36%
1976	4,640	45.59%	5,294	52.02%	243	2.39%
1972	6,399	64.76%	3,210	32.49%	272	2.75%
1968	5,503	51.19%	3,974	36.97%	1,273	11.84%
1964	4,761	43.04%	6,208	56.12%	93	0.84%
1960	7,491	58.49%	5,248	40.98%	68	0.53%
1956	7,677	59.35%	5,202	40.21%	57	0.44%
1952	8,624	61.99%	5,219	37.51%	70	0.50%
1948	6,298	50.12%	6,113	48.65%	154	1.23%
1944	7,480	57.87%	5,398	41.76%	48	0.37%
1940	8,210	54.17%	6,860	45.26%	87	0.57%
1936	6,610	44.91%	8,050	54.69%	59	0.40%
1932	5,794	42.12%	7,667	55.74%	294	2.14%
1928	9,048	74.22%	2,969	24.35%	174	1.43%
1924	6,593	55.25%	2,971	24.90%	2,369	19.85%
1920	6,596	57.94%	4,328	38.02%	460	4.04%
1916	5,328	42.61%	6,421	51.35%	755	6.04%
1912	1,516	21.85%	2,568	37.02%	2,853	41.13%
1908	3,367	49.17%	2,783	40.64%	698	10.19%
1904	3,700	58.68%	1,637	25.96%	968	15.35%
1900	3,319	48.77%	3,425	50.33%	61	0.90%
1896	3,206	46.20%	3,669	52.88%	64	0.92%
1892	2,950	47.89%	0	0.00%	3,210	52.11%
1888	2,870	47.38%	976	16.11%	2,211	36.50%

Laws

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.^[17]

Education

Colleges

Labette Community College

Unified school districts

District Office In Neighboring County

Southeast USD 247

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Labette County.^[18]

Cities

Unincorporated communities

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

Ghost towns

Mortimer

Townships

Labette County is divided into sixteen townships. The cities of Chetopa, Oswego, and Parsons are considered governmentally 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.

Township	FIPS	Population	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Canada	10325	217	2 (5)	103 (40)	0 (0)	0.22%	37°6′18″N 95°27′4″W / 37.10500°N 95.45111°W / 37.10500; -95.45111
Elm Grove	20750	798	6 (16)	130 (50)	0 (0)	0.17%	37°3′22″N 95°20′12″W / 37.05611°N 95.33667°W / 37.05611; -95.33667
Fairview	22550	239	3 (7)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.11%	37°10′9″N 95°12′6″W / 37.16917°N 95.20167°W / 37.16917; -95.20167
Hackberry	29350	403	3 (8)	131 (51)	0 (0)	0.15%	37°3′30″N 95°12′44″W / 37.05833°N 95.21222°W / 37.05833; -95.21222
Howard	33300	357	3 (8)	111 (43)	0 (0)	0.13%	37°2′23″N 95°27′33″W / 37.03972°N 95.45917°W / 37.03972; -95.45917
Labette	37400	373	4 (10)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.18%	37°15′43″N 95°18′54″W / 37.26194°N 95.31500°W / 37.26194; -95.31500
Liberty	40175	395	4 (11)	95 (37)	0 (0)	0.11%	37°15′47″N 95°11′45″W / 37.26306°N 95.19583°W / 37.26306; -95.19583
Montana	47850	179	3 (7)	71 (27)	1 (1)	1.90%	37°15′28″N 95°7′34″W / 37.25778°N 95.12611°W / 37.25778; -95.12611
Mound Valley	48850	806	5 (13)	166 (64)	0 (0)	0.11%	37°12′30″N 95°25′40″W / 37.20833°N 95.42778°W / 37.20833; -95.42778
Mount Pleasant	48950	1,351	14 (37)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.34%	37°10′50″N 95°18′14″W / 37.18056°N 95.30389°W / 37.18056; -95.30389
Neosho	49775	222	3 (8)	70 (27)	2 (1)	2.40%	37°20′11″N 95°6′37″W / 37.33639°N 95.11028°W / 37.33639; -95.11028
North	50975	612	7 (19)	83 (32)	0 (0)	0.16%	37°19′39″N 95°12′40″W / 37.32750°N 95.21111°W / 37.32750; -95.21111
Osage	53150	703	4 (12)	157 (61)	5 (2)	2.93%	37°20′4″N 95°26′18″W / 37.33444°N 95.43833°W / 37.33444; -95.43833
Oswego	53475	310	5 (12)	66 (25)	1 (0)	1.73%	37°9′21″N 95°6′22″W / 37.15583°N 95.10611°W / 37.15583; -95.10611
Richland	59425	303	3 (8)	97 (38)	0 (0)	0.43%	37°3′29″N 95°6′19″W / 37.05806°N 95.10528°W / 37.05806; -95.10528
Walton	75250	726	9 (23)	83 (32)	0 (0)	0.16%	37°20′59″N 95°19′2″W / 37.34972°N 95.31722°W / 37.34972; -95.31722
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.