Sedgwick County, Kansas

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


founded = February 26, 1867
seat = Wichita | area_total_km2 = 2614|area_total_sq_mi=1009
area_land_km2= 2588|area_land_sq_mi=999
area_water_km2= 26|area_water_sq_mi=10
area percentage = 0.99%
census estimate yr = 2007
pop = 476026
density_km2= 183.9|density_sq_mi= 476.5
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5
web = www.sedgwickcounty.org

Sedgwick County (standard abbreviation: SG) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of 2000, the population was 452,869, and it was estimated to be 476,026 in the year 2007 [ [http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2007-01-20.xls] , United States Census Bureau] , making it the second-largest county in the state. The largest city and county seat is Wichita. The county was named after General John Sedgwick.

Sedgwick County is part of the Wichita metropolitan area.

History

Sedgwick County was the setting for the murders committed by the BTK strangler from 1974 until 1991. Dennis Rader, an employee of the Sedgwick County city of Park City was arrested in early 2005 after he began sending incriminating letters taunting the police in 2004. He had not been heard from since 1979. Ken Landwehr of the Wichita Police Department led the task force which captured Rader, setting a new standard of serial crime detection in the process, which is still studied by police departments across the world. Rader is currently serving 10 life sentences at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in El Dorado.

Law and government

Sedgwick 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. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1988. [Cite web| url=http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm| title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties| publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue| date=November 2006| accessdate=2007-12-28]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,009 square miles (2,614 km²), of which, 999 square miles (2,588 km²) of it is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) of it (0.99%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Harvey County (north)
*Butler County (east)
*Cowley County (southeast)
*Sumner County (south)
*Kingman County (west)
*Reno County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 452,869 people, 176,444 households, and 117,688 families residing in the county. The population density was 453 people per square mile (175/km²). There were 191,133 housing units at an average density of 191 per square mile (74/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.38% White, 9.13% Black or African American, 1.11% Native American, 3.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 2.81% from two or more races. 8.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 176,444 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the county the population was spread out with 28.20% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,485, and the median income for a family was $51,645. Males had a median income of $37,770 versus $26,153 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,907. About 7.00% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):
*Wichita, 353,823 (county seat)
*Derby, 20,326
*Haysville, 9,627
*Park City, 7,000
*Bel Aire, 6,530
*Mulvane, 5,575
*Valley Center, 5,369
*Goddard, 3,196
*Clearwater, 2,192
*Maize, 2,118
*Cheney, 1,844
*Sedgwick, 1,649
*Colwich, 1,300
*Kechi, 1,210
*Mount Hope, 837
*Garden Plain, 813
*Eastborough, 797
*Andale, 791
*Bentley, 415
*Viola, 213

Unincorporated places

*Anness
*Bayneville
*Berwet
*Clonmel
*Furley
*Greenwich
*Greenwich Heights
*Murray Gill
*Oaklawn-Sunview, a census-designated place
*Peck
*Prospect
*St. Marks
*St. Mary Aleppo
*St. Paul
*Schulte
*Sunnydale
*Waco
*Wego

Townships

Sedgwick County is divided into twenty-seven townships. The cities of Bel Aire and Wichita 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.

Education

Unified school districts

* Wichita USD 259 ( [http://www.usd259.com Web site] )
* Derby USD 260 ( [http://www.usd260.com/ Web site] )
* Haysville USD 261 ( [http://www.usd261.com/ Web site] )
* Valley Center USD 262 ( [http://www.usd262.net/ Web site] )
* Mulvane USD 263 ( [http://www.usd263.com/ Web site] )
* Clearwater USD 264 ( [http://www.usd264.org/ Web site] )
* Goddard USD 265 ( [http://www.goddardusd.com/ Web site] )
* Maize USD 266 ( [http://www.usd266.com/ Web site] )
* Renwick USD 267 ( [http://www.usd267.com/ Web site] )
* Cheney USD 268 ( [http://www.cheney268.com/ Web site] )

Points of interest

* Sedgwick County Extension Arboretum
* Sedgwick County Zoo
* Sedgwick County Fair

ee also

References

* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-CHECK_SEARCH_RESULTS=N&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_P001&-tree_id=4001&-transpose=N&-all_geo_types=Y&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=07000US201730312526725&-geo_id=07000US201730533705337&-geo_id=07000US201731925006125&-geo_id=07000US201732540025375&-geo_id=07000US201732540026725&-geo_id=07000US201732812554450&-geo_id=07000US201732812573250&-geo_id=07000US201732840048900&-geo_id=07000US201732930017800&-geo_id=07000US201733377526725&-geo_id=07000US201733625036225&-geo_id=07000US201733625054450&-geo_id=07000US201733625073250&-geo_id=07000US201734712519300&-geo_id=07000US201734855012775&-geo_id=07000US201735072513925&-geo_id=07000US201735245031125&-geo_id=07000US201735442544200&-geo_id=07000US201735442573250&-geo_id=07000US201735507536225&-geo_id=07000US201736012517800&-geo_id=07000US201736012531125&-geo_id=07000US201736012551810&-geo_id=07000US201736067517800&-geo_id=07000US201736067549100&-geo_id=07000US201736267531125&-geo_id=07000US201736510001775&-geo_id=07000US201737237515100&-geo_id=07000US201737327563800&-geo_id=07000US201737327573250&-geo_id=07000US201737405074025&-geo_id=07000US201737430031125&-geo_id=07000US201737900079000&-search_results=07000US201737430031125&-format=&-_lang=en&-show_geoid=Y Places in Sedgwick County, Kansas] United States Census Bureau

External links

;Official websites:* [http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/ Sedgwick County Information Network] - includes voting information, elected officials lookup, crime details, and other useful information.:* [http://www.scz.org/ Sedgwick County Zoo]

;General county information:* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/sedgwick/ KSGenWeb] - historical county information.:* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/KS/SE.html Political Graveyard]