Clark County, Kansas

Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Ashland. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,991. The county was named after Charles Clarke.

History
For millennia, the Great Plains of North America were inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

In 1867, Clark County was established.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 977 sqmi, of which 975 sqmi is land and 2.6 sqmi (%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Ford County (north)
 * Kiowa County (northeast)
 * Comanche County (east)
 * Harper County, Oklahoma (southeast)
 * Beaver County, Oklahoma (southwest)
 * Meade County (west)

Major highways
Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau
 * U.S. Route 54
 * U.S. Route 160
 * U.S. Route 183
 * U.S. Route 283
 * Kansas Highway 34

Demographics


As of the census of 2000, there were 2,390 people, 979 households, and 676 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 /mi2. There were 1,111 housing units at an average density of 1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.77% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 1.13% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 1.88% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.02% of the population.

There were 979 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 4.90% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,857, and the median income for a family was $40,521. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,795. About 11.30% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.

Presidential elections
Prior to 1944, Clark County was a swing county, backing the national winner in every presidential election from 1900 to 1940. From 1944 on, it has become a Republican stronghold in presidential elections aside from 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson won the county as part of a nationwide landslide victory.

Laws
The Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Clark County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation.

Unified school districts

 * Minneola USD 219
 * Ashland USD 220

Communities
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Clark County.

Cities

 * Ashland (county seat)
 * Englewood
 * Minneola

Unincorporated communities

 * Acres
 * Letitia
 * Sitka

Ghost towns

 * Appleton
 * Cash City
 * Lexington
 * Vanham

Townships
Clark County is divided into six 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.