Woodson County, Kansas

Woodson County (standard abbreviation: WO) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020 census, 3,115 people lived there. Its county seat is Yates Center.

Woodson County
County
Woodson County Courthouse in Yates Center
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°50′34″N 95°43′28″W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	1855
Named for	Daniel Woodson
Seat	Yates Center
Largest city	Yates Center
Area
• Total	505 sq mi (1,310 km2)
• Land	498 sq mi (1,290 km2)
• Water	7.4 sq mi (19 km2)  1.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,115
• Density	6.3/sq mi (2.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	woodsoncounty.net

History

19th century

In 1855, Woodson County was created.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 505 square miles (1,310 km²). Of that, 498 square miles (1,290 km²) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km²) (1.5%) is water.

People

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,488		—
1870	3,827		157.2%
1880	6,535		70.8%
1890	9,021		38.0%
1900	10,022		11.1%
1910	9,450		−5.7%
1920	8,984		−4.9%
1930	8,526		−5.1%
1940	8,014		−6.0%
1950	6,711		−16.3%
1960	5,423		−19.2%
1970	4,789		−11.7%
1980	4,600		−3.9%
1990	4,116		−10.5%
2000	3,788		−8.0%
2010	3,309		−12.6%
2020	3,115		−5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Age pyramid

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

Presidential election results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	79.4% 1,228	19.0% 294	1.6% 24
2016	75.0% 1,082	18.9% 273	6.1% 88
2012	71.5% 1,035	26.3% 380	2.2% 32
2008	66.0% 1,055	32.0% 512	2.0% 32
2004	68.3% 1,204	30.1% 530	1.6% 29
2000	61.1% 974	32.7% 521	6.3% 100
1996	52.0% 953	32.6% 598	15.3% 281
1992	35.5% 662	31.6% 590	32.9% 614
1988	57.5% 1,062	41.2% 761	1.3% 24
1984	69.4% 1,408	29.4% 596	1.3% 26
1980	65.6% 1,435	29.5% 646	4.9% 108
1976	54.1% 1,104	44.3% 904	1.6% 33
1972	72.6% 1,592	25.1% 550	2.3% 51
1968	62.6% 1,450	27.6% 639	9.8% 226
1964	52.6% 1,279	46.4% 1,128	1.0% 24
1960	67.4% 1,853	32.3% 888	0.4% 10
1956	70.9% 2,171	28.4% 870	0.7% 22
1952	76.3% 2,594	23.1% 786	0.6% 20
1948	62.6% 1,997	35.9% 1,145	1.5% 49
1944	69.6% 2,308	30.1% 999	0.3% 11
1940	64.9% 2,637	34.4% 1,398	0.7% 30
1936	55.5% 2,374	44.0% 1,884	0.5% 20
1932	45.2% 1,842	52.0% 2,119	2.9% 117
1928	76.6% 2,885	22.7% 855	0.7% 27
1924	63.2% 2,412	26.9% 1,026	10.0% 380
1920	68.7% 2,253	28.8% 944	2.5% 82
1916	48.2% 1,861	46.5% 1,794	5.3% 205
1912	29.1% 694	37.8% 900	33.1% 788
1908	53.2% 1,252	44.5% 1,047	2.3% 53
1904	63.6% 1,490	28.0% 657	8.4% 197
1900	55.5% 1,418	43.7% 1,115	0.8% 20
1896	51.6% 1,288	47.6% 1,189	0.8% 21
1892	50.2% 1,071		49.8% 1,064
1888	52.0% 1,149	26.9% 595	21.1% 467

Woodson County is very Republican. The only Democrat to win the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Woodrow Wilson won a plurality in 1912.

Education

Unified school districts

• Woodson USD 366

Communities

Cities

• Yates Center
• Toronto
• Neosho Falls

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

Ghost towns

• Defiance - located six miles east of Yates Center. The people moved to Yates Center after it was chosen as the permanent county seat in 1876.
• Kalida - located two miles south of Yates Center. The people moved to Yates Center after it was chosen as the permanent county seat in 1876

More reading

• Standard Atlas of Woodson County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 38 pages; 1904.

Other websites

County

• Official website
• Woodson County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

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