Wabaunsee County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Wabaunsee County
state=Kansas

---

founded=1859
seat=Alma
area_total_km2=2071|area_total_sq_mi=800
area_land_km2=2065|area_land_sq_mi=797
area_water_km2=6|area_water_sq_mi=2
area percentage=0.30%
census estimate yr=2005
pop=6919
density_km2=3.4|density_sq_mi=8.7
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5|

Wabaunsee County (standard abbreviation: WB) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of 2000, the population is 6,885. Its county seat is Alma.GR|6 The county along with Shawnee, Jackson, Jefferson, and Osage counties is included in the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has an estimated population of 228,894 in 2006. The name is derived from the Potawatomi "Wah-bon-seh", meaning "day a little" literally.

Law and government

Wabaunsee County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and 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| month=November | year=2006| accessdate=2007-12-28]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,071 km²), of which, 797 square miles (2,065 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (6 km²) of it (0.30%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Pottawatomie County (north)
*Shawnee County (east)
*Osage County (southeast)
*Lyon County (south)
*Morris County (southwest)
*Geary County (west)
*Riley County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 6,885 people, 2,633 households, and 1,958 families residing in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 3,033 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.24% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 1.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,633 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.30% were married couples living together, 6.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 23.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.70% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,710, and the median income for a family was $47,500. Males had a median income of $31,629 versus $23,148 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,704. About 5.80% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):
*St. Marys
*Alma, 768 (county seat)
*Eskridge, 579
*Maple Hill, 491
*Alta Vista, 431
*McFarland, 268
*Harveyville, 256
*Paxico, 215
*Willard, 84

Unincorporated towns

*Wabaunsee

Townships

Wabaunsee County is divided into thirteen 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.

Education

Unified school districts

* Mill Creek Valley USD 329
* Wabaunsee East USD 330

References

External links

;General information on Wabaunsee County:* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/WB/ Blue Skyways]

;Kansas County Data:* [http://www.ku.edu/pri/ksdata/county.shtml Kansas Statistical Abstract]

;Wabaunsee County local history and genealogy:* [http://www.kshs.org/genealogists/places/counties.php?county=WB Kansas State Historical Society] :* [http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/wabaunsee/ William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas] :* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~kswabaun/ Wabaunsee County GenWeb website] :* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/w/wabaunsee_county.html/ Wabaunsee County history, including Underground Railroad stations] :*The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise newspaper, October 11, 2001, 'History Buffs Retrace Underground Railroad'