Douglas County, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Douglas County is a county
located in northeast Kansas
, in the Central
United States
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 110,826. Its county seat
and most populous city is Lawrence
, and the entire county is included in the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
, a senator from Illinois
. The county was practically at the center of the Bleeding Kansas
years as leaders in Lecompton
, the territorial capital, wanted Kansas
to be a slave state and leaders in Lawrence wanted Kansas to be a free state. Because of this, multiple events took place, including the drafting of the Lecompton Constitution
admitting Kansas as a slave state, the sacking of Lawrence
, and the Battle of Black Jack
.
Democratic state representatives of the county include Terri Lois Gregory (10th District), Barbara Ballard (44th District), and Paul Davis (46th District), Ann Mah (53rd District); Republican state representatives include Anthony Brown (38th District), Tom Sloan (45th District), and William Prescott (59th District). The three state senators representing the county, Marci Francisco (2nd District), Tom Holland
(3rd District), and Anthony Hensley (19th District), are all Democrats.
, which flows through Lawrence and provides hydropower
at the Bowersock Dam.
. The city of Lawrence
is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) of significant size included in that township's population total.
The county originally had only four townships. Lecompton
comprised the area of Lecompton, Kanwaka
, and Clinton
townships; Washington took the place of Marion
and Willow Springs
townships; Wakarusa
comprised both Wakarusa and Eudora
townships; and Calhoun was the original name of Palmyra
township. Grant
township was annexed from Jefferson County
in 1874.
, completed in 1980, offers boating, fishing and other water sports and various parks surrounding the lake provides camping and trails for mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
was held there every June from 2004 to 2008.
Lone Star Lake is a small country lake to the southwest of Lawrence offers fishing, boating and camping. Just northwest of Baldwin City is Douglas State Fishing Lake which provides hunting, fishing and limited camping. Other parks around the county include Black Jack Park
which includes the Ivan Boyd Prairie Preserve and Robert Hall Pearson Memorial Park, Broken Arrow Park in Lawrence and Wells Overlook Park just south of Lawrence.
Other events in the county include the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City every third full weekend in October. Lecompton
's Territorial Days take place every year in June and Lawrence has many parades throughout the year including Christmas
and St. Patrick's Day.
As of the U.S. Census in 2000
, there were 99,962 people, 38,486 households, and 21,167 families residing in the county. The population density
was 219 people per square mile (84/km²). There were 40,250 housing units at an average density of 88 per square mile (34/km²). The racial makeup
of the county was 86.09% White
, 4.24% Black or African American
, 2.56% Native American
, 3.12% Asian
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
, 1.20% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races
. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 3.27% of the population.
There were 38,486 household
s out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.10% were married couples
living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.00% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.40% under the age of 18, 26.40% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 16.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.
The median income for a household
in the county was $37,547, and the median income for a family was $53,991. Males had a median income of $35,577 versus $27,225 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,952. About 6.20% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.
's main campus is located in Lawrence as is Haskell Indian Nations University
. Baker University
, the state's oldest university, is located in Baldwin City.
State
Additional information
Maps
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in northeast Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in the Central
Central United States
The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the Southern United States; the term is also sometimes used...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 110,826. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
and most populous city is Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, and the entire county is included in the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Douglas County was opened for settlement on May 15, 1854, and was named for Stephen A. DouglasStephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, a senator from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The county was practically at the center of the Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas
Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events, involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian" elements, that took place in the Kansas Territory and the western frontier towns of the U.S. state of Missouri roughly between 1854 and 1858...
years as leaders in Lecompton
Lecompton, Kansas
Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861...
, the territorial capital, wanted Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
to be a slave state and leaders in Lawrence wanted Kansas to be a free state. Because of this, multiple events took place, including the drafting of the Lecompton Constitution
Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed constitutions for the state of Kansas . The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H. Lane and other free-state advocates...
admitting Kansas as a slave state, the sacking of Lawrence
Sacking of Lawrence
In the northern spring of 1856, the Sacking of Lawrence helped ratchet up the guerrilla war in Kansas Territory that became known as Bleeding Kansas.-Background:...
, and the Battle of Black Jack
Battle of Black Jack
The Battle of Black Jack took place on June 2, 1856, when anti-slavery forces, led by the noted abolitionist John Brown, attacked the encampment of Henry C. Pate near Baldwin City, Kansas. The battle is cited as one incident of “Bleeding Kansas” and a contributing factor leading up to the American...
.
Government
Douglas County is currently served by county commissioners Mike Gaughan, Nancy Thellman, and Jim Flory.Democratic state representatives of the county include Terri Lois Gregory (10th District), Barbara Ballard (44th District), and Paul Davis (46th District), Ann Mah (53rd District); Republican state representatives include Anthony Brown (38th District), Tom Sloan (45th District), and William Prescott (59th District). The three state senators representing the county, Marci Francisco (2nd District), Tom Holland
Tom Holland (Kansas politician)
Tom Holland is a Democratic member of the Kansas Senate, representing the 3rd District since 2009. He was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008...
(3rd District), and Anthony Hensley (19th District), are all Democrats.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 474.47 square miles (1,228.9 km²), of which 456.87 square miles (1,183.3 km²) (or 96.29%) is land and 17.6 square miles (45.6 km²) (or 3.71%) is water. Much of its northern boundary is defined by the Kansas RiverKansas River
The Kansas River is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name come from the Kanza people who once inhabited the area...
, which flows through Lawrence and provides hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
at the Bowersock Dam.
Townships
Douglas County is divided into nine townshipsCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
. The city of Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) of significant size included in that township's population total.
| Township | FIPS | Population center |
Population | Population density /km² (/sq mi) |
Land area km² (sq mi) | Water area km² (sq mi) | Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton | 14325 | 531 | 7 (17) | 80 (31) | 26 (10) | 24.41% | 38°54′18"N 95°24′20"W | |
| Eudora | 21700 | Eudora Eudora, Kansas Eudora is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located along the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,136.- History :... |
5,571 | 43 (113) | 128 (49) | 2 (1) | 1.57% | 38°55′42"N 95°6′15"W |
| Grant | 27650 | 442 | 10 (27) | 43 (16) | 0 (0) | 0.74% | 39°0′8"N 95°13′19"W | |
| Kanwaka | 36075 | 1,317 | 12 (30) | 114 (44) | 8 (3) | 6.69% | 38°57′37"N 95°23′16"W | |
| Lecompton | 39175 | Lecompton Lecompton, Kansas Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861... |
1,761 | 20 (51) | 90 (35) | 2 (1) | 2.45% | 39°2′31"N 95°24′27"W |
| Marion | 44700 | 836 | 5 (12) | 185 (72) | 1 (0) | 0.52% | 38°49′4"N 95°24′35"W | |
| Palmyra | 54225 | Baldwin City Baldwin City, Kansas Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
5,760 | 27 (70) | 212 (82) | 2 (1) | 0.79% | 38°47′0"N 95°10′40"W |
| Wakarusa | 74400 | 2,237 | 19 (49) | 119 (46) | 2 (1) | 1.81% | 38°55′49"N 95°14′43"W | |
| Willow Springs | 79500 | 1,409 | 10 (26) | 141 (54) | 1 (0) | 0.54% | 38°47′23"N 95°18′17"W | |
| Sources: | ||||||||
Historic Townships
Lecompton Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Lecompton Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,761. It was named for the town of Lecompton which was the territorial capital of Kansas.-Geography:...
comprised the area of Lecompton, Kanwaka
Kanwaka Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Kanwaka Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,317. The name is a portmanteau of the Kansas River and Wakarusa River.-Geography:...
, and Clinton
Clinton Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Clinton Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 531.-Geography:Clinton Township covers an area of and contains no incorporated settlements...
townships; Washington took the place of Marion
Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Marion Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 836. It was named after the former town of Marion which in turn was named after Francis Marion.-Geography:...
and Willow Springs
Willow Springs Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Willow Springs Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,409. It was named after a small watering stop along the Santa Fe Trail.-Geography:...
townships; Wakarusa
Wakarusa Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Wakarusa Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,237. It was named for the Wakarusa River which flows through Douglas County from Wabaunsee County to the Kansas River near Eudora.-Geography:...
comprised both Wakarusa and Eudora
Eudora Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Eudora Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 5,571.-Geography:Eudora Township covers an area of and contains one incorporated settlement, Eudora...
townships; and Calhoun was the original name of Palmyra
Palmyra Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Palmyra Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 5,760. It was named after a small trail stop on the Santa Fe Trail that was later absorbed into Baldwin City. It was originally called Calhoun from 1855 to 1858.-Geography:Palmyra Township...
township. Grant
Grant Township, Douglas County, Kansas
Grant Township is a township in Douglas County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 442.-History:Grant Township was annexed from the extreme southern portion of Sarcoxie Township in Jefferson County in 1872...
township was annexed from Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Kansas
Jefferson County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 19,126. Its county seat is Oskaloosa, and its most populous city is Valley Falls...
in 1874.
Adjacent counties
- Jefferson CountyJefferson County, KansasJefferson County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 19,126. Its county seat is Oskaloosa, and its most populous city is Valley Falls...
(north) - Leavenworth CountyLeavenworth County, KansasLeavenworth County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 76,227. Its county seat and most populous city is Leavenworth...
(northeast) - Johnson CountyJohnson County, KansasJohnson County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. The county is largely suburban, being part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and containing many of its affluent southwestern suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 544,179. Its county...
(east) - Miami CountyMiami County, KansasMiami County is a county located in East Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 32,787. Its county seat and most populous city is Paola...
(southeast) - Franklin CountyFranklin County, KansasFranklin County is a county located in East Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 25,992. Its county seat and most populous city is Ottawa...
(south) - Osage CountyOsage County, KansasOsage County is a county located in east-central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 16295. Its county seat is Lyndon, and its most populous city is Osage City. The county along with Shawnee, Jackson, Jefferson, and Wabaunsee counties is...
(southwest) - Shawnee CountyShawnee County, KansasShawnee County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state capital and county seat. The county's population was 177,934 for the 2010 census...
(northwest)
Major highways
- Interstate 70, as part of the Kansas TurnpikeKansas TurnpikeThe Kansas Turnpike is a freeway-standard toll road that lies entirely within the U.S. state of Kansas. It runs in a general southwest-northeast direction from the Oklahoma border, and passes through several major Kansas cities, including Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City...
, runs east to west just north of Lawrence. - U.S. Highway 59 runs north to south through the middle of the county and the middle of Lawrence.
- U.S. Highway 40 virtually follows the Oregon TrailOregon TrailThe Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
heading west out of Lawrence. - U.S. Highway 56 runs east to west in the southern half of the county, going through Baldwin CityBaldwin City, KansasBaldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and skirts the Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe TrailThe Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
. - K-10K-10 (Kansas highway)K-10 is a 38 mile state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. It was originally designated in 1929. It is mostly a controlled-access freeway, linking Lawrence to Lenexa. It provides an important toll-free alternate route to Interstate 70...
runs from the I-70 Lecompton Exchange along the south and west border of Lawrence to US-59 then north until 23rd Street where it heads east out of town into Johnson County. - Other major highways include: US-24 which is in Grant township leading from Leavenworth to Jefferson County; K-32K-32 (Kansas highway)K-32 is an approximately state highway that runs from Lawrence to Kansas City in the U.S. state of Kansas, generally paralleling the course of the Kansas River. Its western terminus is just outside of Lawrence at US-24/US-40...
starts just outside of Lawrence and leads into Leavenworth County and K-33K-33 (Kansas highway)K-33 is a 10.5 mile state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. It was originally designated in 1929. It is a two-lane expressway, linking rural Franklin County to Douglas County K-33 is a 10.5 mile (17 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. It was originally designated in 1929. It is...
is in extreme southeast Douglas County and leads into Franklin County.
Parks and Events
Clinton LakeClinton Lake (Kansas)
Clinton Lake is a reservoir on the southwestern edge of Lawrence, Kansas. The lake was created by the construction of the Clinton Dam, and the 35 square miles of land and water is maintained by the U.S...
, completed in 1980, offers boating, fishing and other water sports and various parks surrounding the lake provides camping and trails for mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a four-day music festival held in early June at Mulberry Mountain near Ozark, Arkansas. The festival has been held annually since 2004....
was held there every June from 2004 to 2008.
Lone Star Lake is a small country lake to the southwest of Lawrence offers fishing, boating and camping. Just northwest of Baldwin City is Douglas State Fishing Lake which provides hunting, fishing and limited camping. Other parks around the county include Black Jack Park
Battle of Black Jack
The Battle of Black Jack took place on June 2, 1856, when anti-slavery forces, led by the noted abolitionist John Brown, attacked the encampment of Henry C. Pate near Baldwin City, Kansas. The battle is cited as one incident of “Bleeding Kansas” and a contributing factor leading up to the American...
which includes the Ivan Boyd Prairie Preserve and Robert Hall Pearson Memorial Park, Broken Arrow Park in Lawrence and Wells Overlook Park just south of Lawrence.
Other events in the county include the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City every third full weekend in October. Lecompton
Lecompton, Kansas
Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861...
's Territorial Days take place every year in June and Lawrence has many parades throughout the year including Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and St. Patrick's Day.
Demographics
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 99,962 people, 38,486 households, and 21,167 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 219 people per square mile (84/km²). There were 40,250 housing units at an average density of 88 per square mile (34/km²). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the county was 86.09% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 4.24% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 2.56% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 3.12% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 1.20% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 3.27% of the population.
There were 38,486 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.00% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.40% under the age of 18, 26.40% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 16.90% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.
The median income for a household
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
in the county was $37,547, and the median income for a family was $53,991. Males had a median income of $35,577 versus $27,225 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,952. About 6.20% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
Name and population (2007 estimate):- LawrenceLawrence, KansasLawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, 89,852 (county seat) - EudoraEudora, KansasEudora is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located along the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,136.- History :...
, 6,077 - Baldwin CityBaldwin City, KansasBaldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, 4,202 - LecomptonLecompton, KansasLecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861...
, 646
Unincorporated places
- Big SpringsBig Springs, KansasBig Springs is an unincorporated community in western Douglas County, Kansas, United States. Today it has a water tower, tool shop, church and a fire station that is part of the Lecompton Township Fire Dist. 1. Its mailing address is Lecompton...
- ClearfieldClearfield, KansasClearfield is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas. It is located nine miles northeast of Baldwin City and had a post office from 1885 until 1900....
- ClintonClinton, KansasClinton is an unincorporated community situated on a peninsula in the middle of Clinton Lake in Douglas County, Kansas, United States.-Bloomington:...
- GlobeGlobe, KansasGlobe is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas. It is located along U.S. Highay 56 in Marion Township. It was originally called Marion after Francis Marion until being renamed Globe. It had a post office from 1870 to 1894 and again from 1895 to 1900....
- GroverGrover, KansasGrover is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 4 miles west of Lecompton and 6 miles east of Tecumseh. Grover had a post office from 1886 to 1895 and again from 1897 to 1899...
- HesperHesper, KansasHesper is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located two and a half miles southeast of Eudora. Hesper was founded in 1858 by Quakers wanting to lend support to the free-state cause. In 1884, the Hesper Academy was opened but it closed in 1912.Friends University in Wichita was...
- KanwakaKanwaka, KansasKanwaka is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 4 miles west of Lawrence. Kanwaka is a portmanteau of the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. Kanwaka was first settled in 1854 and had a post office from 1857 to 1870 and again from 1897 until 1900.Kanwaka is located at the...
- Lake ViewLake View, KansasLake View is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 1 mile north of Lawrence. Lake View was established in 1892 as a lake side resort and was in use until the 1930s. The Lake View club continues to maintain the oxbow lake....
- Lone StarLone Star, KansasLone Star is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 7 miles southwest of Lawrence. Lone Star was firmly established in 1897 but the first settlers arrived in 1854. The area did have a post office established under "Bond" from 1875 until 1899 when the name was changed to...
- MidlandMidland, KansasMidland is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 2 miles north of Lawrence....
- Pleasant GrovePleasant Grove, KansasPleasant Grove is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located 4 miles south of Lawrence. It had a post office from 1875 until 1900....
- SibleyvilleSibleyville, KansasSibleyville is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located five miles southeast of Lawrence. It was at the intersection of County Road 458 and the Leavenworth, Lawrence and Fort Gibson railroad tracks although the town never had more than a dozen houses....
- StullStull, KansasStull is an unincorporated town in Douglas County, Kansas, United States located 10 miles west of Lawrence and 13 miles east of Topeka.-19th century:...
- VinlandVinland, KansasVinland is a small agricultural unincorporated community south of the city of Lawrence and near Baldwin City in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- WordenWorden, KansasWorden is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas located seven miles west of Baldwin City and nine miles east of Overbrook along U.S. Highway 56. USD 348 in Baldwin maintains Marion Springs Elementary located in Worden....
Education
Unified school districts
Douglas County is served by seven school districts.- Lawrence USD 497 serves LawrenceLawrence, KansasLawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
and the Clinton Lake area. - Baldwin City USD 348 serves Baldwin CityBaldwin City, KansasBaldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and most of southern Douglas County. - Perry-Lecompton USD 343 serves LecomptonLecompton, KansasLecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 608 at the 2000 census. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861...
and most of northwest Douglas County. - Eudora USD 491 serves EudoraEudora, KansasEudora is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located along the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,136.- History :...
and the northeast part of the county. - Santa Fe Trail USD 434 covers the southwest part of the county.
- Wellsville USD 289 covers extreme southeast Douglas County.
- Shawnee Heights USD 450 services the extreme western part of the county including Big SpringsBig Springs, KansasBig Springs is an unincorporated community in western Douglas County, Kansas, United States. Today it has a water tower, tool shop, church and a fire station that is part of the Lecompton Township Fire Dist. 1. Its mailing address is Lecompton...
.
Universities and Colleges
The University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
's main campus is located in Lawrence as is Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University is a tribal university located in Lawrence, Kansas, for members of federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States...
. Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
, the state's oldest university, is located in Baldwin City.
Notable people
- Isaac F. HughesIsaac F. HughesNot to be confused with William M. Hughes, council member in 1927 to 1929.Isaac F. Hughes, known as I.F. Hughes, was a miller, a grocer and a businessman who was the first representative of Los Angeles City Council District 3 after a new city charter went into effect in 1925...
, Douglas County commissioner and City Council member in both Lawrence, Kansas, and Los Angeles, California.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Douglas County, KansasNational Register of Historic Places listings in Douglas County, KansasThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Douglas County, Kansas.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Douglas County, Kansas, United States...
- Kansas RiverKansas RiverThe Kansas River is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name come from the Kanza people who once inhabited the area...
- Natural crossing point for westward wagon trains on the Oregon TrailOregon TrailThe Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat... - California RoadCalifornia TrailThe California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
- Cutoff on the Oregon Trail to Lawrence, Kansas from Westport - Santa Fe Trail Swales - Visible near Black Jack Park
- Geographic Information System Viewers
Further reading
County- Armitage, Katie H., “‘Seeking a Home Where He Himself Is Free’: African Americans Build a Community in Douglas County, Kansas,” Kansas History, 31 (Autumn 2008), 154–75
State
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook), (Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
Official sitesAdditional information
Maps
- 2010 Douglas County Map, KDOT
- 2011 Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
- 2011 Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
- 2005 Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE