Kansas has 105 counties, the fifth-highest total of any state. The first counties were established while Kansas was a Territory from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when Kansas became a state. Many of the counties in the eastern part of the state are named after prominent Americans from the late 18th and early-to-mid-19th centuries, while those in the central and western part of the state are named for figures in the American Civil War. Several counties throughout the state bear names of Native American origin.

Wyandotte County and the city of Kansas City, and Greeley County and the city of Tribune, operate as unified governments.

Every license plate issued by the state contains the same two-letter abbreviation for the county in which its vehicle is registered. The FIPS state code for Kansas is 20.

Counties

Racial / Ethnic Profile of counties in Kansas (2020 Census) Racial / Ethnic Profile of counties in Kansas (2020 Census) Following is a table of counties in Kansas by race/ethnicity. The majority racial/ethnic group is coded per the key below.

Majority minority with no dominant groupMajority WhiteMajority BlackMajority HispanicMajority AsianMajority Native American

+ Racial and ethnic composition of counties in Kansas (2020 Census)(NH = Non-Hispanic) County Locationof County Total Population White alone (NH) % Black orAfrican American alone (NH) % Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) % Asian alone (NH) % Pacific Islander alone (NH) % Other race alone (NH) % Mixed race orMultiracial (NH) % Hispanic or Latino(any race) %Allen12,52610,99187.75%1731.38%1351.08%670.53%20.02%390.31%6174.93%5024.01%Anderson7,8367,25992.64%260.33%460.59%470.60%00.00%260.33%2773.53%1551.98%Atchison16,34813,92585.18%7854.80%780.48%800.49%60.04%490.30%8425.15%5833.57%Barber4,2283,81490.21%70.17%340.80%160.38%50.12%110.26%1794.23%1623.83%Barton25,49319,91178.10%2931.15%900.35%800.31%30.01%630.25%9263.63%4,12716.19%Bourbon14,36012,45186.71%4543.16%880.61%980.68%20.01%400.28%8415.86%3862.69%Brown9,5087,68380.81%971.02%7958.36%420.44%60.06%250.26%5085.34%3523.70%Butler67,38056,84684.37%1,3982.07%4890.73%9961.48%370.05%2220.33%3,8145.66%3,5785.31%Chase2,5722,22886.63%180.70%80.31%80.31%10.04%90.35%783.03%2228.63%Chautauqua3,3792,82283.52%230.68%1855.47%180.53%00.00%20.06%1915.65%1384.08%Cherokee19,36216,24183.88%790.41%7713.98%650.34%260.13%340.18%1,6328.43%5142.65%Cheyenne2,6162,22384.98%60.23%70.27%120.46%00.00%40.15%1264.82%2389.10%Clark1,9911,66883.78%10.05%201.00%241.21%10.05%70.35%673.37%20310.20%Clay8,1177,48692.23%500.62%340.42%490.60%00.00%100.12%2703.33%2182.69%Cloud9,0328,23591.18%1231.36%400.44%400.44%40.04%110.12%2602.88%3193.53%Coffey8,3607,67091.75%450.54%360.43%440.53%10.01%190.23%3243.88%2212.64%Comanche1,6891,52089.99%100.59%20.12%00.00%10.06%30.18%553.26%985.80%Cowley34,54926,22775.91%8652.50%6261.81%4991.44%1790.52%730.21%2,1096.10%3,97111.49%Crawford38,97231,93781.95%8992.31%3200.82%4611.18%1910.49%1200.31%2,3285.97%2,7166.97%Decatur2,7642,56592.80%90.33%70.25%100.36%00.00%30.11%943.40%762.75%Dickinson18,40216,45189.40%1050.57%740.40%740.40%200.11%680.37%7053.83%9054.92%Doniphan7,5106,61488.07%2663.54%660.88%320.43%190.25%280.37%2813.74%2042.72%Douglas118,78590,28176.00%5,1044.30%2,5792.17%4,6573.92%840.07%5230.44%7,2626.11%8,2956.98%Edwards2,9072,15774.20%140.48%150.52%10.03%10.03%20.07%943.23%62321.43%Elk2,4832,21489.17%10.04%431.73%30.12%00.00%00.00%1214.87%1014.07%Ellis28,93425,10986.78%3181.10%650.22%2650.92%00.00%820.28%1,0793.73%2,0166.97%Ellsworth6,3765,45585.56%2543.98%390.61%230.36%00.00%80.13%2323.64%3655.72%Finney38,47014,51437.73%1,3623.54%1640.43%1,5123.93%30.01%1550.40%8772.28%19,88351.68%Ford34,28712,45536.33%8852.58%1010.29%3941.15%60.02%900.26%6902.01%19,66657.36%Franklin25,99622,81887.78%3031.17%1900.73%1030.40%70.03%780.30%1,3505.19%1,1474.41%Geary36,73919,95754.32%6,06216.50%2070.56%1,1833.22%4521.23%1890.51%2,9137.93%5,77615.72%Gove2,7182,48691.46%30.11%30.11%150.55%10.04%160.59%1114.08%833.05%Graham2,4152,17990.23%552.28%80.33%140.58%00.00%140.58%833.44%622.57%Grant7,3523,21143.68%100.14%550.75%80.11%30.04%100.14%1932.63%3,86252.53%Gray5,6534,62981.89%190.34%50.09%140.25%00.00%80.14%1392.46%83914.84%Greeley1,2841,03680.69%00.00%40.31%50.39%00.00%100.78%302.34%19915.50%Greenwood6,0165,40689.86%280.47%320.53%360.60%10.02%150.25%2944.89%2043.39%Hamilton2,5181,36154.05%100.40%120.48%50.20%00.00%20.08%441.75%1,08443.05%Harper5,4854,71485.94%160.29%741.35%150.27%20.04%40.07%2354.28%4257.75%Harvey34,02427,34980.38%5961.75%1830.54%2600.76%100.03%820.24%1,4894.38%4,05511.92%Haskell3,7802,57868.20%90.24%80.21%10.03%00.00%70.19%581.53%1,11929.60%Hodgeman1,7231,54689.73%140.81%70.41%100.58%10.06%20.12%472.73%965.57%Jackson13,23210,53479.61%950.72%1,0988.30%290.22%180.14%370.28%7915.98%6304.76%Jefferson18,36816,54990.10%990.54%1240.68%410.22%270.15%290.16%9325.07%5673.09%Jewell2,9322,74393.55%40.14%100.34%100.34%00.00%80.27%953.24%622.11%Johnson609,863460,39975.49%28,0924.61%1,5950.26%32,8565.39%3460.06%2,3930.39%29,7934.89%54,3898.92%Kearny3,9832,37859.70%340.85%100.25%50.13%10.03%20.05%1573.94%1,39635.05%Kingman7,4706,82991.42%280.37%270.36%330.44%40.05%160.21%2653.55%2683.59%Kiowa2,4602,15887.72%431.75%100.41%160.65%40.16%60.24%1365.53%873.54%Labette20,18416,07779.65%8384.15%4252.11%900.45%90.04%430.21%1,7638.73%9394.65%Lane1,5741,37587.36%00.00%80.51%00.00%20.13%00.00%462.92%1439.09%Leavenworth81,88162,50376.33%6,6568.13%5890.72%1,0601.29%1380.17%2530.31%5,0806.20%5,6026.84%Lincoln2,9392,69191.56%60.20%130.44%80.27%00.00%120.41%792.69%1304.42%Linn9,5918,78291.57%620.65%460.48%200.21%80.08%160.17%4194.37%2382.48%Logan2,7622,45788.96%40.14%00.00%100.36%20.07%100.36%843.04%1957.06%Lyon32,17922,21969.05%5991.86%1220.38%5661.76%50.02%2250.70%1,1873.69%7,25622.55%McPherson30,22326,51987.74%4751.57%930.31%2130.70%80.03%1400.46%1,1833.91%1,5925.27%Marion11,82310,75090.92%1181.00%350.30%390.33%70.06%670.57%3653.09%4423.74%Marshall10,0389,41093.74%390.39%230.23%410.41%00.00%130.13%2852.84%2272.26%Meade4,0553,05375.29%370.91%90.22%130.32%00.00%60.15%1403.45%79719.65%Miami34,19130,47289.12%4301.26%1520.44%1610.47%80.02%860.25%1,6864.93%1,1963.50%Mitchell5,7965,43693.79%190.33%120.21%130.22%00.00%20.03%1572.71%1572.71%Montgomery31,48623,57174.86%1,5334.87%9463.00%1910.61%240.08%720.23%2,7358.69%2,4147.67%Morris5,3864,89790.92%160.30%100.19%180.33%10.02%120.22%2053.81%2274.21%Morton2,7011,94071.83%170.63%100.37%311.15%90.33%120.44%913.37%59121.88%Nemaha10,2739,62293.66%640.62%260.25%350.34%70.07%100.10%2432.37%2662.59%Neosho15,90413,76786.56%1310.82%1270.80%840.53%60.04%250.16%8545.37%9105.72%Ness2,6872,30585.78%20.07%90.33%20.07%00.00%60.22%582.16%30511.35%Norton5,4594,69085.91%1993.65%330.60%350.64%20.04%90.16%1803.30%3115.70%Osage15,76614,50592.00%330.21%430.27%520.33%30.02%240.15%6494.12%4572.90%Osborne3,5003,28593.86%10.03%190.54%180.51%00.00%30.09%1083.09%661.89%Ottawa5,7355,26891.86%300.52%220.38%100.17%00.00%150.26%2464.29%1442.51%Pawnee6,2535,15482.42%2463.93%240.38%280.45%00.00%270.43%2524.03%5228.35%Phillips4,9814,62092.75%190.38%220.44%150.30%10.02%00.00%1623.25%1422.85%Pottawatomie25,34822,06587.05%2711.07%1090.43%1940.77%270.11%700.28%1,1834.67%1,4295.64%Pratt9,1577,87285.97%1061.16%400.44%450.49%70.08%360.39%3103.39%7418.09%Rawlins2,5612,24287.54%180.70%30.12%110.43%00.00%120.47%1164.53%1596.21%Reno61,89850,31681.29%1,7442.82%3970.64%3330.54%410.07%1730.28%2,7984.52%6,0969.85%Republic4,6744,40294.18%150.32%130.28%110.24%90.19%00.00%1332.85%911.95%Rice9,4277,52079.77%1301.38%410.43%300.32%00.00%140.15%4024.26%1,29013.68%Riley71,95951,80772.00%4,7596.61%3050.42%3,3254.62%2240.31%4130.57%3,6565.08%7,47010.38%Rooks4,9194,55892.66%280.57%20.04%50.10%90.18%70.14%1943.94%1162.36%Rush2,9562,74592.86%60.20%30.10%140.47%00.00%00.00%561.89%1324.47%Russell6,6916,03990.26%600.90%290.43%280.42%00.00%130.19%2864.27%2363.53%Saline54,30341,50676.43%1,7323.19%2330.43%1,1092.04%260.05%1620.30%2,8935.33%6,64212.23%Scott5,1513,89575.62%130.25%200.39%150.29%20.04%30.06%1763.42%1,02719.94%Sedgwick523,824336,27164.20%45,0768.61%4,4500.85%22,2054.24%5130.10%1,9790.38%30,7005.86%82,63015.77%Seward21,9645,92826.99%6112.78%660.30%5172.35%10.00%420.19%3931.79%14,40665.59%Shawnee178,909125,87370.36%13,5317.56%1,5750.88%2,4801.39%1620.09%5970.33%10,8306.05%23,86113.34%Sheridan2,4472,21290.40%00.00%70.29%120.49%20.08%10.04%682.78%1455.93%Sherman5,9274,79880.95%1031.74%120.20%130.22%10.02%150.25%2123.58%77313.04%Smith3,5703,37094.40%120.34%150.42%90.25%00.00%50.14%922.58%671.88%Stafford4,0723,36482.61%140.34%210.52%120.29%00.00%20.05%1563.83%50312.35%Stanton2,0841,07451.54%70.34%211.01%20.10%00.00%00.00%713.41%90943.62%Stevens5,2503,00757.28%200.38%200.38%220.42%00.00%160.30%1452.76%2,02038.48%Sumner22,38219,34786.44%2000.89%2150.96%730.33%00.00%930.42%1,2005.36%1,2545.60%Thomas7,9306,91087.14%1061.34%120.15%470.59%00.00%240.30%1992.51%6327.97%Trego2,8082,62793.55%40.14%40.14%120.43%00.00%20.07%953.38%642.28%Wabaunsee6,8776,18589.94%310.45%290.42%120.17%40.06%210.31%2784.04%3174.61%Wallace1,5121,34488.89%30.20%10.07%00.00%20.13%30.20%795.22%805.29%Washington5,5305,08491.93%130.24%20.04%40.07%20.04%60.11%1442.60%2754.97%Wichita2,1521,41265.61%10.05%80.37%00.00%20.09%60.28%874.04%63629.55%Wilson8,6247,67989.04%210.24%790.92%350.41%20.02%270.31%5206.03%2613.03%Woodson3,1152,86491.94%80.26%270.87%00.00%00.00%70.22%1384.43%712.28%Wyandotte169,24563,07937.27%33,94520.06%7250.43%7,6214.50%3640.22%5730.34%7,1244.21%55,81432.98%

Former counties

+Sortable tableCountyDates Notes SourceWashington 1855–57 One of 36 Original Counties. Seward 1861–67 Formerly part of Godfrey. Dissolved into Greenwood and Howard Counties. Godfrey1855–61 One of the Original 36 Counties. Name changed to Seward around 1861. Hunter 1855–64 One of the Original 36 Counties. Dissolved into Butler County.Irving 1860–64 Formed from Hunter County. Dissolved into Butler County.Otoe 1860–64 Formed from Unorganized Area and dissolved into Butler County.Shirley 1860–67 Formed from Unorganized Area and renamed Cloud County.Peketon 1860–65 Formed from Unorganized Area and dissolved back into Unorganized Area.Madison 1855–61 One of the Original 36 Counties. Dissolved into Breckenridge and Greenwood.Howard 1867–75 Formed from Seward and Butler Counties. Dissolved into Chautauqua and Elk Counties.Arapahoe 1873–83 Formed from Unorganized Area. Dissolved into Finney County.Buffalo 1873–81 Formed from Unorganized Area. Dissolved into Gray County.Foote 1873–81 Dissolved into Ford and Finney Counties.Kansas 1873–83 Formed from Unorganized Area. Dissolved into Seward County.Sequoyah 1873–83 Formed from Unorganized Area. Dissolved into Finney County.Garfield 1887–93 Formed from Finney and Hodgeman Counties and merged into Finney County.Billings 1873–74Created from Norton County and returned to Norton County.Davis 1855–89 One of 36 Original Counties, now part of Geary County. Breckinridge 1855–62 Now Lyon County.

St. John County was established in 1881, and formed from the area to the east of range 38 in what was then part of Wallace County. In 1887, the name was changed to Logan County.

Kearney County was established on March 6, 1873, and was dissolved in 1883, with the land area being split between Hamilton and Finney counties. It was reestablished with its original borders in 1887, and organized on March 27, 1888. In 1889, the name was corrected to Kearny County (without an extra "e") to match the last name of Philip Kearny.

See also List of townships in Kansas List of cities in Kansas List of unincorporated communities in Kansas List of census-designated places in Kansas List of ghost towns in Kansas Lists of places in Kansas Kansas locations by per capita income Kansas census statistical areas Kansas license plate county codes

References

Further reading

External links The Establishment of Counties in Kansas—Maps and text transcribed from Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1903–1904.