Osborne County, Kansas

Osborne County (standard abbreviation: OB) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 3,500 people lived there.^[1] The county seat is Osborne. Osborne is also the biggest city in Osborne County.^[2]

Osborne County
County
Osborne County Courthouse in Osborne (2012)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°31′57″N 98°39′54″W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Vincent B. Osborne
Seat	Osborne
Largest city	Osborne
Area
• Total	894 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Land	893 sq mi (2,310 km2)
• Water	1.9 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	3,500
• Density	3.9/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	osbornecounty.org

History

In 1867, Osborne County was created.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 894 square miles (2,320 km²). Of that, 893 square miles (2,310 km²) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) (0.2%) is water.^[3] The south fork of Solomon River goes through the county. The land has rolling hills and prairies.^[4]

The geodetic center of North America is within the county.^[5] The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is in Smith County, which is close to Osborne County.

People

Census	Pop.		%±
1870	33		—
1880	12,517		37,830.3%
1890	12,083		−3.5%
1900	11,844		−2.0%
1910	12,827		8.3%
1920	12,441		−3.0%
1930	11,568		−7.0%
1940	9,835		−15.0%
1950	8,558		−13.0%
1960	7,506		−12.3%
1970	6,416		−14.5%
1980	5,959		−7.1%
1990	4,867		−18.3%
2000	4,452		−8.5%
2010	3,858		−13.3%
2020	3,500		−9.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[1]

Age pyramid

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results^[10]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	83.8% 1,629	14.4% 281	1.8% 35
2016	81.7% 1,460	13.0% 233	5.3% 95
2012	80.5% 1,479	17.6% 324	1.9% 35
2008	77.2% 1,490	20.9% 403	1.9% 37
2004	76.5% 1,587	21.9% 454	1.6% 34
2000	70.5% 1,432	23.8% 484	5.6% 114
1996	66.1% 1,582	25.4% 608	8.4% 202
1992	38.5% 1,003	29.9% 779	31.7% 825
1988	60.6% 1,541	37.1% 943	2.4% 60
1984	74.6% 2,171	23.6% 686	1.8% 52
1980	73.3% 2,188	20.8% 620	5.9% 176
1976	55.4% 1,574	41.9% 1,190	2.7% 76
1972	73.4% 2,182	24.4% 724	2.2% 66
1968	65.4% 2,073	25.0% 793	9.6% 304
1964	50.0% 1,700	48.8% 1,659	1.2% 42
1960	70.0% 2,731	29.5% 1,152	0.5% 20
1956	73.7% 2,948	25.6% 1,023	0.7% 28
1952	81.2% 3,577	17.1% 754	1.6% 72
1948	62.9% 2,603	34.3% 1,420	2.8% 117
1944	71.5% 2,827	27.3% 1,078	1.2% 48
1940	68.6% 3,424	29.8% 1,488	1.7% 83
1936	55.5% 2,765	44.2% 2,200	0.3% 13
1932	51.9% 2,555	45.4% 2,231	2.7% 133
1928	81.3% 3,683	18.1% 821	0.5% 24
1924	71.6% 3,333	19.4% 905	9.0% 420
1920	74.5% 3,060	23.8% 980	1.7% 70
1916	42.3% 2,149	51.6% 2,621	6.1% 311
1912	26.8% 733	35.5% 972	37.7% 1,032[lower-alpha 1]
1908	55.3% 1,665	37.6% 1,132	7.1% 214
1904	71.1% 1,765	16.9% 420	12.0% 299
1900	54.4% 1,555	43.4% 1,239	2.2% 63
1896	47.9% 1,325	50.7% 1,403	1.5% 41
1892	45.4% 1,162		54.6% 1,399
1888	64.6% 1,680	26.4% 686	9.0% 234

Presidential Elections Results

Osborne County is very Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Osborne County since Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

Education

Unified school districts

• Waconda USD 272
  • Downs; extends into western Mitchell County
• Osborne USD 392
  • most of county including Alton and Portis
• Natoma-Paradise-Waldo USD 399
  • southwestern portion of county; also extends into Russell and Rooks counties

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Osborne County (map legend)

Cities

• Alton
• Downs
• Natoma
• Osborne
• Portis

References

1. "QuickFacts: Osborne County, Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
4. Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Osborne" . The American Cyclopædia.
5. World’s Largest Things; ‘Geodetic Center of the United States’
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
10. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

Notes

1. This total comprises 915 votes (33.4%) for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt and 105 votes (4.3%) for Socialist Eugene V. Debs.

More reading

• Handbook of Osborne County, Kansas; Junction Steam Print Press; 58 pages; 1880s.
• Standard Atlas of Osborne County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 78 pages; 1917.
• Plat Book of Osborne County, Kansas; North West Publishing Co; 44 pages; 1900.

Other websites

County

• Official website
• Osborne County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

• Osborne County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

39°21′N 98°47′W