Butler County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Butler County
state=Kansas
founded=August 25, 1855
seat wl=El Dorado
area_total_km2=3746|area_total_sq_mi=1446
area_land_km2=3698|area_land_sq_mi=1428
area_water_km2=48|area_water_sq_mi=19
area percentage=1.28%
census estimate yr=2006
pop=63147
density_km2=17.1|density_sq_mi=44.2
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5
web=www.bucoks.com
named for=Andrew Pickens Butler|

Butler County (county code BU) is a county located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population was estimated to be 63,147 in the year 2006, making it the eighth largest in the state. Its county seat and most populous city is El Dorado.GR|6 The county is a part of the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named in honor of pro-slavery South Carolina senator Andrew Pickens Butler.

Law and government

Butler 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=2007-12-26]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,446 square miles (3,746 km²), of which 1,428 square miles (3,698 km²) is land and 19 square miles (48 km²), or 1.28%, is water.GR|2

Adjacent counties

*Chase County (northeast)
*Greenwood County (east)
*Elk County (southeast)
*Cowley County (south)
*Sumner County (southwest)
*Harvey County (west)
*Sedgwick County (west)
*Marion County (northwest)

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas [ [http://www.nationalatlas.gov/ National Atlas] ] , U.S. Census Bureau [ [http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files] ]
* Interstate 35
* U.S. Route 54
* U.S. Route 77
* Kansas Highway 96
* Kansas Highway 177
* Kansas Highway 196
* Kansas Highway 254

Demographics

Butler County's population was estimated to be 63,147 in the year 2006, an increase of 3,450, or +5.8%, 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.] it has the seventh fastest growing and eighth largest population in the state.

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,GR|2 there were 59,482 people, 21,527 households, and 16,059 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 23,176 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.94% White, 1.38% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.69% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.25% of the population.

There were 21,527 households out of which 37.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.90% 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 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county the population was spread out with 28.60% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,474, and the median income for a family was $53,632. Males had a median income of $38,675 versus $26,109 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,150. About 5.40% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2005 estimate):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 2005-07-01. Released 2006-06-21.]
*El Dorado, 12,659 (county seat)
*Andover, 9,114
*Augusta, 8,608
*Rose Hill, 3,896
*Douglass, 1,799
*Towanda, 1,355
*Benton, 817
*Leon, 648
*Whitewater, 639
*Potwin, 438
*Elbing, 208
*Latham, 164
*Cassoday, 128

Unincorporated places

*Beaumont
*Bois d'Arc
*Brainerd
*DeGraff
*Gordon
*Haverhill
*Keighley
*Rosalia
*Smileyberg

Townships

Butler County is divided into twenty-nine townships. The cities of Augusta and El Dorado 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

* Bluestem USD 205 ( [http://www.usd205.com/ Web site] )
* Remington USD 206 ( [http://remington.ks.schoolwebpages.com/ Web site] )
* Circle USD 375 ( [http://www.usd375.org/ Web site] )
* Andover USD 385 ( [http://www.usd385.org/ Web site] )
* Rose Hill USD 394 ( [http://www.usd394.com/ Web site] )
* Douglass USD 396 ( [http://www.usd396.net/ Web site] )
* Augusta USD 402 ( [http://www.usd402.com/ Web site] )
* El Dorado USD 490 ( [http://www.eldoradoschools.org/ Web site] )
* Flinthills USD 492 ( [http://www.usd492.org/ Web site] )

ee also

References

External links

;Official sites
* [http://www.bucoks.com/ Butler County]

;Local history and genealogy
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/BU/ Blue Skyways]
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/butler/ Butler County GenWeb]
* [http://www.kshs.org/genealogists/places/counties.php?county=BU Kansas State Historical Society]
* [http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/butler/ William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas]