Decatur County, Kansas

Decatur County (county code DC) is a county in Northwest Kansas. In 2020, 2,764 people lived there.^[1] Its county seat is Oberlin. Oberlin is also the biggest city in Decatur County.^[2] The county is named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr.

Decatur County
County
Bank of Oberlin (2014)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°48′N 100°28′W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	March 20, 1873
Named for	Stephen Decatur, Jr.
Seat	Oberlin
Largest city	Oberlin
Area
• Total	894 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Land	894 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.07%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	2,764
• Density	3.1/sq mi (1.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	oberlinks.com

History

Decatur County was created on March 20, 1873 and organized on December 15, 1879. It is named after the Navy war hero Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr..^[3] He served during the First Barbary War and the Second Barbary War and the War of 1812.

Oberlin was where the last Native American (specifically the Northern Cheyenne) Raid in Kansas happened.^[4]

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 894 square miles (2,320 km²). Of that, 894 square miles (2,320 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (0.07%) is water.^[5]

People

Census	Pop.		%±
1880	4,180		—
1890	8,414		101.3%
1900	9,234		9.7%
1910	8,976		−2.8%
1920	8,121		−9.5%
1930	8,866		9.2%
1940	7,434		−16.2%
1950	6,185		−16.8%
1960	5,778		−6.6%
1970	4,988		−13.7%
1980	4,509		−9.6%
1990	4,021		−10.8%
2000	3,472		−13.7%
2010	2,961		−14.7%
2020	2,764		−6.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[1]

Population pyramid

Government

Decatur county is very Republican. The last time a democratic candidate won the county was in 1936 by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results

Presidential Elections Results^[10]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	84.1% 1,260	14.6% 218	1.3% 20
2016	83.0% 1,210	12.2% 178	4.7% 69
2012	79.5% 1,218	17.4% 266	3.1% 48
2008	76.8% 1,189	22.2% 343	1.0% 16
2004	77.9% 1,355	20.4% 355	1.7% 30
2000	71.4% 1,255	24.1% 424	4.6% 80
1996	68.1% 1,255	22.6% 417	9.3% 172
1992	45.0% 940	27.6% 576	27.4% 573
1988	60.1% 1,291	36.9% 793	3.0% 64
1984	78.2% 1,770	20.6% 467	1.2% 28
1980	73.0% 1,642	19.7% 443	7.3% 165
1976	52.7% 1,232	43.3% 1,011	4.0% 93
1972	70.2% 1,707	25.3% 616	4.4% 108
1968	65.7% 1,654	25.9% 652	8.4% 210
1964	51.0% 1,382	48.5% 1,314	0.6% 16
1960	63.8% 1,846	35.9% 1,038	0.3% 8
1956	68.6% 2,028	31.1% 920	0.3% 9
1952	74.5% 2,451	25.0% 821	0.5% 16
1948	51.4% 1,545	46.7% 1,402	1.9% 58
1944	59.9% 1,758	39.5% 1,159	0.6% 17
1940	56.2% 2,018	43.0% 1,546	0.8% 29
1936	42.1% 1,727	57.6% 2,362	0.4% 15
1932	36.3% 1,439	61.0% 2,422	2.7% 108
1928	66.5% 2,314	32.5% 1,129	1.0% 35
1924	46.9% 1,621	35.2% 1,218	17.9% 618
1920	51.6% 1,448	43.5% 1,221	5.0% 140
1916	27.7% 1,007	67.0% 2,431	5.3% 193
1912	14.9% 256	55.5% 955	29.6% 509
1908	39.3% 898	54.8% 1,250	5.9% 135
1904	59.7% 1,215	20.2% 411	20.1% 409
1900	41.8% 848	57.0% 1,158	1.2% 24
1896	36.4% 594	63.2% 1,032	0.4% 7
1892	38.6% 619		61.4% 985
1888	57.4% 1,224	34.3% 731	8.3% 177

Education

Unified school districts

• Oberlin USD 294
• Prairie Heights USD 295, dissolved as of July 1, 2006; absorbed by USD 294.

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Decatur County (map legend)

Cities

• Clayton
• Dresden
• Jennings
• Norcatur
• Oberlin