Phillips County, Kansas

Phillips County
Phillips County
County
	Phillips County Courthouse in Phillipsburg (2010)
	Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
	Kansas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 39°48′N 99°21′W / 39.800°N 99.350°W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	William A. Phillips
Seat	Phillipsburg
Largest city	Phillipsburg
Area
• Total	895 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Land	886 sq mi (2,290 km2)
• Water	8.7 sq mi (23 km2) 1.0%
Population (2020)
• Total	4,981
• Density	5.6/sq mi (2.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	phillipscountyks.org

Phillips County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Phillipsburg.^[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,981.^[1] The county was named after William Phillips, a free-state abolition journalist and colonel in the American Civil War.

History

Early history

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.

19th century

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, Phillips County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 895 square miles (2,320 km²), of which 886 square miles (2,290 km²) is land and 8.7 square miles (23 km²) (1.0%) is water.^[3]

Adjacent counties

Harlan County, Nebraska (north)
Franklin County, Nebraska (northeast)
Smith County (east)
Rooks County (south)
Graham County (southwest)
Norton County (west)

National protected area

Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	12,014		—
1890	13,661		13.7%
1900	14,442		5.7%
1910	14,150		−2.0%
1920	12,505		−11.6%
1930	12,159		−2.8%
1940	10,435		−14.2%
1950	9,273		−11.1%
1960	8,709		−6.1%
1970	7,888		−9.4%
1980	7,406		−6.1%
1990	6,590		−11.0%
2000	6,001		−8.9%
2010	5,642		−6.0%
2020	4,981		−11.7%
2023 (est.)	4,761	^[4]	−4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census^[5] 1790-1960^[6] 1900-1990^[7] 1990-2000^[8] 2010-2020^[1]

As of the census^[9] of 2000, there were 6,001 people, 2,496 households, and 1,722 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km²). There were 3,088 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.25% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,496 households, out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,013, and the median income for a family was $41,638. Males had a median income of $29,609 versus $17,827 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,121. About 7.20% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Phillips County, Kansas^[10]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,318	85.60%	327	12.08%	63	2.33%
2020	2,418	86.95%	318	11.43%	45	1.62%
2016	2,233	83.82%	300	11.26%	131	4.92%
2012	2,135	83.24%	382	14.89%	48	1.87%
2008	2,105	78.93%	525	19.69%	37	1.39%
2004	2,256	79.24%	557	19.56%	34	1.19%
2000	2,057	73.67%	611	21.88%	124	4.44%
1996	2,005	66.30%	758	25.07%	261	8.63%
1992	1,579	46.61%	843	24.88%	966	28.51%
1988	2,316	69.86%	960	28.96%	39	1.18%
1984	2,813	80.90%	626	18.00%	38	1.09%
1980	2,731	74.48%	748	20.40%	188	5.13%
1976	2,317	63.05%	1,264	34.39%	94	2.56%
1972	2,919	76.15%	827	21.58%	87	2.27%
1968	2,567	68.29%	844	22.45%	348	9.26%
1964	2,164	54.10%	1,804	45.10%	32	0.80%
1960	3,123	75.34%	1,004	24.22%	18	0.43%
1956	3,117	75.49%	985	23.86%	27	0.65%
1952	3,713	80.18%	884	19.09%	34	0.73%
1948	2,715	66.32%	1,223	29.87%	156	3.81%
1944	3,053	72.74%	1,098	26.16%	46	1.10%
1940	3,676	69.49%	1,563	29.55%	51	0.96%
1936	3,193	59.59%	2,154	40.20%	11	0.21%
1932	2,165	40.64%	3,007	56.45%	155	2.91%
1928	3,206	69.77%	1,332	28.99%	57	1.24%
1924	2,647	54.97%	1,376	28.58%	792	16.45%
1920	2,862	68.60%	1,230	29.48%	80	1.92%
1916	2,271	41.84%	2,912	53.65%	245	4.51%
1912	594	18.71%	1,257	39.59%	1,324	41.70%
1908	1,762	52.25%	1,490	44.19%	120	3.56%
1904	2,147	66.41%	811	25.09%	275	8.51%
1900	1,691	52.26%	1,511	46.69%	34	1.05%
1896	1,374	47.23%	1,507	51.80%	28	0.96%
1892	1,352	47.79%	0	0.00%	1,477	52.21%
1888	1,681	53.86%	763	24.45%	677	21.69%

Phillips County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Phillips County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, and since 1940 only two Democrats have obtained thirty percent of the county's vote: Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Jimmy Carter in 1976.

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 percent food sales requirement.^[11]

Education

Unified school districts

Thunder Ridge USD 110
- Agra and small eastern portion of county; extends into western third of Smith County
Northern Valley USD 212
- Long Island and northwestern corner of county; extends into northeastern Norton County
Phillipsburg USD 325
- city of Phillipsburg and areas near and along US 183
Logan USD 326
- southwestern corner of county along and south of K-9; extends into southeastern Norton County

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Phillips County.^[12]

Cities

Unincorporated communities

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

Ghost towns

Townships

Phillips County is divided into twenty-five townships. The city of Phillipsburg 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	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Arcade	02150	96	1 (3)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°46′30″N 99°13′40″W / 39.77500°N 99.22778°W / 39.77500; -99.22778
Beaver	05100	54	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°47′22″N 99°33′43″W / 39.78944°N 99.56194°W / 39.78944; -99.56194
Belmont	05700	113	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°41′26″N 99°27′13″W / 39.69056°N 99.45361°W / 39.69056; -99.45361
Bow Creek	08075	44	0 (1)	92 (35)	1 (1)	1.49%	39°36′15″N 99°13′31″W / 39.60417°N 99.22528°W / 39.60417; -99.22528
Crystal	16550	59	1 (2)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.19%	39°51′55″N 99°6′35″W / 39.86528°N 99.10972°W / 39.86528; -99.10972
Dayton	17100	53	1 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.10%	39°53′27″N 99°27′15″W / 39.89083°N 99.45417°W / 39.89083; -99.45417
Deer Creek	17200	67	1 (2)	88 (34)	5 (2)	4.87%	39°41′2″N 99°13′54″W / 39.68389°N 99.23167°W / 39.68389; -99.23167
Freedom	24650	85	1 (2)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.10%	39°52′18″N 99°21′40″W / 39.87167°N 99.36111°W / 39.87167; -99.36111
Glenwood	26650	42	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.21%	39°57′38″N 99°14′25″W / 39.96056°N 99.24028°W / 39.96056; -99.24028
Granite	27450	21	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.14%	39°58′6″N 99°28′11″W / 39.96833°N 99.46972°W / 39.96833; -99.46972
Greenwood	28775	45	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°51′51″N 99°14′24″W / 39.86417°N 99.24000°W / 39.86417; -99.24000
Kirwin	37300	307	4 (9)	87 (33)	6 (2)	6.89%	39°40′51″N 99°7′24″W / 39.68083°N 99.12333°W / 39.68083; -99.12333
Logan	42125	666	7 (19)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°40′3″N 99°34′11″W / 39.66750°N 99.56972°W / 39.66750; -99.56972
Long Island	42625	251	3 (7)	91 (35)	0 (0)	0.12%	39°56′35″N 99°33′16″W / 39.94306°N 99.55444°W / 39.94306; -99.55444
Mound	48725	129	1 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°47′13″N 99°27′7″W / 39.78694°N 99.45194°W / 39.78694; -99.45194
Phillipsburg	55700	257	3 (7)	89 (34)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°46′15″N 99°20′28″W / 39.77083°N 99.34111°W / 39.77083; -99.34111
Plainview	56125	23	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°35′21″N 99°27′1″W / 39.58917°N 99.45028°W / 39.58917; -99.45028
Plum	56775	447	5 (12)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.27%	39°46′3″N 99°7′6″W / 39.76750°N 99.11833°W / 39.76750; -99.11833
Prairie View	57550	220	2 (6)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.13%	39°51′0″N 99°34′38″W / 39.85000°N 99.57722°W / 39.85000; -99.57722
Rushville	61800	23	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°36′40″N 99°21′35″W / 39.61111°N 99.35972°W / 39.61111; -99.35972
Solomon	66350	226	2 (6)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°41′27″N 99°20′12″W / 39.69083°N 99.33667°W / 39.69083; -99.33667
Sumner	69175	43	0 (1)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.18%	39°57′6″N 99°6′50″W / 39.95167°N 99.11389°W / 39.95167; -99.11389
Towanda	71175	26	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.20%	39°36′13″N 99°33′43″W / 39.60361°N 99.56194°W / 39.60361; -99.56194
Valley	73025	22	0 (1)	85 (33)	8 (3)	8.70%	39°36′58″N 99°8′3″W / 39.61611°N 99.13417°W / 39.61611; -99.13417
Walnut	75075	14	0 (0)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	39°57′33″N 99°20′47″W / 39.95917°N 99.34639°W / 39.95917; -99.34639