Gray County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Gray County
state=Kansas
founded=March 13, 1881
seat wl=Cimarron
area_total_km2=2252|area_total_sq_mi=869
area_land_km2=2250|area_land_sq_mi=869
area_water_km2=1|area_water_sq_mi=0
area percentage=0.05%
census estimate yr=2006
pop=5852
density_km2=2.6|density_sq_mi=6.7
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5|

Gray County (county code GY) is a county located in Southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. The population was estimated to be 5,852 in the year 2006. Its county seat and most populous city is Cimarron.GR|6

Law and government

Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Gray County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county. [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=2004| accessdate=2007-01-21]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 869 square miles (2,252 km²), of which 869 square miles (2,250 km²) is land and 0 square miles (1 km²), or 0.05%, is water.GR|2

Since 2001, Aquila, Inc. has operated the largest wind farm in Kansas—170 turbines with a generating capacity of 110 megawatts—on a convert|12000|acre|km2|sing=on site near Montezuma. [Cite web| url=http://www.aquilaenergyresources.com/aer/renewable/graycounty.shtml| title=Gray County Wind Farm| publisher=Aquila, Inc| accessdate=2007-06-02]

Adjacent counties

*Finney County (north)
*Hodgeman County (northeast)
*Ford County (east)
*Meade County (south)
*Haskell County (west)

Demographics

Gray County's population was estimated to be 5,852 in the year 2006, a decrease of 61, or -1.0%, over the previous six years.Cite web| url=http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php| title=Population Estimates| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division| Annual estimates of the population to 2006-07-01. Released 2007-03-22. Six year change is from 2000-07-01 to 2006-07-01.]

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,GR|2 there were 5,904 people, 2,045 households, and 1,556 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 2,181 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.31% White, 0.46% Native American, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.10% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5.42% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.81% of the population.

There were 2,045 households out of which 42.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.70% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.90% were non-families. 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the county the population was spread out with 31.60% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $45,299. Males had a median income of $31,519 versus $21,563 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,632. About 6.50% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.80% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):
*Cimarron, 2,037 (county seat)
*Montezuma, 961
*Copeland, 329
*Ingalls, 325
*Ensign, 206

Unincorporated places

*Charleston
*Haggard

Townships

Gray County is divided into seven 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

* Cimarron-Ensign USD 102
* Montezuma USD 371
* Copeland USD 476
* Ingalls USD 477

See also

*Dry counties

References

External links

Additional information
* [http://kansastravel.org/graycountywindfarm.htm Gray County Wind Farm] the largest wind farm in Kansas
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/GY/ Blue Skyways]
* [http://www.ku.edu/pri/ksdata/county.shtml Kansas Statistical Abstract]