Harvey County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Harvey County
state=Kansas
founded=March 7, 1872
seat wl=Newton
area_total_km2=1400|area_total_sq_mi=540
area_land_km2=1397|area_land_sq_mi=539
area_water_km2=3|area_water_sq_mi=1
area percentage=0.22%
census estimate yr=2006
pop=33643
density_km2=24.1|density_sq_mi=62.4
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5
web=www.harveycounty.com

Harvey County (county code HV) is a county located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. The population was estimated to be 33,643 in the year 2006. Its county seat and most populous city is Newton.GR|6 The county is a part of the Wichita (Kansas) Metropolitan Statistical Area which also includes Butler, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties. The county is named in honor of Governor James M. Harvey. The FIPS place code for the county is 020079.

Law and government

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1996, when 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 540 square miles (1,400 km²), of which 539 square miles (1,397 km²) is land and 1 square miles (3 km²), or 0.22%, is water.GR|2 The Little Arkansas River flows through the county.

Adjacent counties

*Marion County (northeast)
*Butler County (east)
*Sedgwick County (south)
*Reno County (west)
*McPherson County (northwest)

Demographics

Harvey County's population was estimated to be 33,643 in the year 2006, an increase of 757, or +2.3%, 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 32,869 people, 12,581 households, and 8,932 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile (24/km²). There were 13,378 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.04% White, 1.59% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 2.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.97% of the population.

There were 12,581 households out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,907, and the median income for a family was $48,793. Males had a median income of $35,037 versus $22,492 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,715. About 4.20% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 5.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):
*Newton, 18,154 (county seat)
*Hesston, 3,625
*Halstead, 1,901
*Sedgwick, 1,649
*North Newton, 1,574
*Burrton, 919
*Walton, 297

Townships

Harvey County is divided into fifteen townships. The cities of Halstead and Newton 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

* Burrton USD 369 ( [http://www.burrton.k12.ks.us/ Web site] )
* Newton USD 373 ( [http://www.newton.k12.ks.us/ Web site] )
* Sedgwick Public Schools USD 439 ( [http://www.usd439.k12.ks.us/ Web site] )
* Halstead USD 440 ( [http://www.usd440.com/ Web site] )
* Hesston USD 460 ( [http://www.hesstonschools.org/ Web site] )

ee also

References

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.harveycounty.com/ Harvey County]
* [http://www.harveycoedc.org/ Harvey County Economic Development Council Inc.]
* [http://www.hcgsks.org/ Harvey County Genealogical Society]
* [http://www.hchm.org/ Harvey County Historical Society]

Additional information
* [http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/harvey/harvey-co-p1.html#TOC Cutler's History of Kansas, Harvey County]
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/HV/ Blue Skyways]
* [http://www.ku.edu/pri/ksdata/county.shtml Kansas Statistical Abstract]
* [http://www.kshs.org/genealogists/places/counties.php?county=HV Kansas State Historical Society]