Wilson County, Kansas

Wilson County (standard abbreviation: WL) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 8,624 people lived there. Its county seat is Fredonia.

Wilson County
County
Brown Hotel in Neodesha (2017)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°34′00″N 95°44′00″W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	1855
Named for	Hiero T. Wilson
Seat	Fredonia
Largest city	Neodesha
Area
• Total	575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Land	570 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Water	4.7 sq mi (12 km2)  0.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,624
• Density	15.1/sq mi (5.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	wilsoncountykansas.org

History

19th century

In 1855, Wilson County was created.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km²). Of that, 570 square miles (1,500 km²) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km²) (0.8%) is water.

People

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	27		—
1870	6,694		24,692.6%
1880	13,775		105.8%
1890	15,286		11.0%
1900	15,621		2.2%
1910	19,810		26.8%
1920	21,157		6.8%
1930	18,646		−11.9%
1940	17,723		−5.0%
1950	14,815		−16.4%
1960	13,077		−11.7%
1970	11,317		−13.5%
1980	12,128		7.2%
1990	10,289		−15.2%
2000	10,332		0.4%
2010	9,409		−8.9%
2020	8,624		−8.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Age pyramid

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	79.7% 3,153	18.3% 723	2.0% 78
2016	77.6% 2,788	16.5% 594	5.8% 209
2012	76.0% 2,825	22.0% 818	2.0% 74
2008	69.2% 2,850	28.4% 1,170	2.5% 101
2004	74.2% 3,263	24.1% 1,060	1.7% 75
2000	67.1% 2,748	29.0% 1,186	3.9% 161
1996	56.4% 2,458	29.8% 1,297	13.8% 602
1992	41.5% 1,925	28.7% 1,331	29.8% 1,379
1988	63.1% 2,743	35.6% 1,545	1.3% 58
1984	72.2% 3,663	26.5% 1,344	1.3% 64
1980	69.3% 3,328	25.1% 1,205	5.6% 268
1976	55.7% 2,682	42.5% 2,047	1.9% 89
1972	74.8% 3,568	21.9% 1,043	3.3% 159
1968	63.4% 3,340	24.2% 1,276	12.4% 656
1964	52.5% 2,919	46.7% 2,592	0.8% 45
1960	67.8% 4,333	31.8% 2,034	0.4% 27
1956	73.0% 4,502	26.7% 1,645	0.3% 20
1952	73.2% 5,180	26.1% 1,845	0.8% 53
1948	59.5% 3,868	39.0% 2,538	1.5% 100
1944	68.6% 4,248	30.9% 1,912	0.6% 35
1940	64.4% 5,288	34.8% 2,859	0.8% 62
1936	55.6% 4,829	43.9% 3,816	0.5% 42
1932	44.9% 3,422	52.5% 4,001	2.5% 193
1928	78.5% 5,603	20.5% 1,465	1.0% 73
1924	65.0% 4,596	24.6% 1,736	10.5% 739
1920	66.2% 4,024	29.1% 1,768	4.7% 284
1916	41.8% 2,970	49.2% 3,494	9.0% 640
1912	19.9% 849	30.6% 1,304	49.5% 2,108
1908	53.1% 2,428	38.9% 1,777	8.0% 364
1904	63.4% 2,583	25.4% 1,034	11.3% 459
1900	55.6% 2,193	43.4% 1,711	1.1% 42
1896	48.4% 1,852	51.2% 1,959	0.4% 17
1892	51.8% 1,803		48.2% 1,678
1888	55.5% 2,191	26.2% 1,035	18.3% 723

Wilson County is very Republican. No Democratic Presidential candidate has won Wilson County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.

Education

Unified school districts

• Altoona-Midway USD 387
• Neodesha USD 461
• Fredonia USD 484

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Wilson County from KDOT (map legend)

Cities

• Neodesha
• Fredonia
• Altoona
• Buffalo
• Benedict
• New Albany
• Coyville

References

Notes

More reading

• Handbook of Wilson County, Kansas; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 44 pages; 1886.
• Standard Atlas of Wilson County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 52 pages; 1910.
• Historical Atlas of Wilson County, Kansas; John P. Edwards; 35 pages; 1881.

Other websites

County

• Wilson County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

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