Starting in the 1980s, Traditionalist Catholics attending masses offered by Society of Saint Pius X began moving to St. Marys, attracted by the presence of the Society in the community as well as the relative isolation of the city from the modern world. Since then the number of residents in St. Marys affiliated with the SSPX has grown considerably, to the point where in 2020 that they formed the majority of the city's population. The growth of the SSPX has been a source of tension with some older residents who are not members of the movement and who do not share the Society's socially conservative values.[9]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.18 square miles (3.06 km2), all of it land.[10]
At the 2010 census there were 2,627 people, 836 households, and 560 families living in the city. The population density was 2,226.3 inhabitants per square mile (859.6/km2). There were 900 housing units at an average density of 762.7 per square mile (294.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 1.1% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.3% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.0%.[11]
Of the 836 households 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.0% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 14.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 4.04.
The median age was 26.8 years. 38.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 18.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.
2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 2,198 people, 818 total households, and 525 families living in the city. The population density was 1,987.1 inhabitants per square mile (767.2/km2). There were 818 housing units at an average density of 739.5 per square mile (285.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.18% White, 0.91% African American, 1.36% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.14%.[12]
Of the 818 households 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 29.7% of households were one person and 12.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.61.
The age distribution was 35.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median household income was $28,083 and the median family income was $28,063. Males had a median income of $25,595 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,536. About 26.2% of families and 31.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 27.2% of those age 65 or over.
The largest and newest of the two churches is the Immaculata church, Saint Marys, Kansas, which is under the jurisdiction of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist Catholic association which is in a canonically irregular relationship with the Holy See.[14] The Immaculata was consecrated in a ceremony on May 3, 2023 by Bishop Bernard Fellay, as the final step of a plan written forty-five years prior to the dedication. The New Immaculata Church[15] is one of the largest churches in the state with regular seating for 1,580[16] in order to accommodate the growing community. The building was designed by a team led by David Heit of Civium Architects,[17] from Topeka, Kansas, and constructed by Hutton Construction[18] and BHS Construction.[19]
According to the 2020 census, the majority of St. Marys' inhabitants are Catholics affiliated with the SSPX; this has created tensions with some older residents who are not followers of the movement and who do not share the SSPX's socially conservative values. Tensions also exist between the SSPX-affiliated Catholic community and members of the diocesan Catholic parish of the town.[9][20]
Education
The community is served by Kaw Valley USD 321 public school district, which is located in St. Marys. Besides providing education from pre-K to 12 in St. Marys, it also services students in a four-county radius with four other attendance centers. Its high school is St. Marys High School.
