Ellis County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Ellis County
state=Kansas
founded=February 26, 1867
seat wl=Hays
area_total_km2=2332|area_total_sq_mi=900
area_land_km2=2331|area_land_sq_mi=900
area_water_km2=1|area_water_sq_mi=0
area percentage=0.06%
census estimate yr=2006
pop=26926
density_km2=11.6|density_sq_mi=29.9
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5
web=www.ellisco.net

Ellis County (county code EL) is a county located in Northwest Kansas, in the Central United States. The population was estimated to be 26,926 in the year 2006. Its county seat and most populous city is Hays.GR|6

The Hays Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Ellis County.

Law and government

Ellis 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| month=November | year=2006| accessdate=2007-12-28]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 900 square miles (2,332 km²), of which 900 square miles (2,331 km²) is land and 0 square miles (1 km²), or 0.06%, is water.GR|2

Politics

Ellis County is an anomaly in western Kansas, having voted several times for Democratic presidential candidates, even when the vast majority of the state's 105 counties went for the Republican nominee. Ellis County bucked the national and statewide trend by voting for Michael Dukakis over winner George H.W. Bush in 1988, one of only two Kansas counties to go for Dukakis. Ellis County gave a plurality to Bill Clinton over Bush and Ross Perot in 1992, but has been in the GOP column in each of the past three elections.

Adjacent counties

*Rooks County (north)
*Osborne County (northeast)
*Russell County (east)
*Rush County (south)
*Ness County (southwest)
*Trego County (west)

Major highways

*
*

Demographics

Ellis County's population was estimated to be 26,926 in the year 2006, a decrease of 503, or -1.8%, 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 27,507 people, 11,193 households, and 6,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 12,078 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.10% White, 0.67% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.31% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.37% of the population.

There were 11,193 households out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.50% were non-families. 30.10% 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 2.35 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 18.40% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,339, and the median income for a family was $44,498. Males had a median income of $29,885 versus $21,269 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,259. About 6.50% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.20% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):
*Hays, 19,841 (county seat)
*Ellis, 1,830
*Victoria, 1,175
*Schoenchen, 213

Unincorporated places

*Antonino
*Catharine
*Emmeram
*Munjor
*Pfeifer
*Smoky Hill City
*Toulon
*Walker
*Yocemento

Townships

Ellis County is divided into nine townships. The cities of Ellis and Hays 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

* Ellis USD 388
* Victoria USD 432
* Hays USD 489

ee also

Trivia

Ellis County is the official German Capital of Kansas. German immigrants settled in Hays, Ellis, Victoria, and nearby villages in the 1870s and 1880s.cite news|title=Tidbits: Did You Know...|author=|publisher=Publishing Group of America (americanprofiles.com)|date=|accessdate=2007-07-11|page=13]

References

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.ellisco.net/ Ellis County]

Additional information
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/EL/ Blue Skyways]
* [http://egovellisco.egovbuilder.com/index.asp?Documentid=267 Ellis County Sheriff's Department Wanted Page]
* [http://www.ku.edu/pri/ksdata/county.shtml Kansas Statistical Abstract]

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