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How many counties are there in Kansas? The answer may surprise you. There are 105 counties in Kansas.
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Introduction
Kansas has a total of 105 counties.
The Number of Counties in Kansas
As of 2019, there are 105 counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. The last new county created in Kansas was Elk County, established in 1875.
The Largest County in Kansas
The largest county in Kansas is Sedgwick County. It covers an area of 1,015 square miles and has a population of 514,000 people. Other large counties in Kansas include Shawnee County (area: 944 square miles; population: 184,000), Johnson County (area: 794 square miles; population: 603,000), and Wyandotte County (area: 640 square miles; population: 161,000).
The Smallest County in Kansas
In the United States, Kansas is the 15th largest state by area with a total area of 82,278 square miles (213,100 km2). Of this, 82,165 square miles (212,900 km2) is land and 113 square miles (290 km2) is water, making it the 34th largest state by water area. It is divided into 105 counties with 628 cities. The largest city in Kansas is Wichita with a population of 386,552.
The History of Counties in Kansas
The history of counties in Kansas is a long and complicated one. Kansas was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, which was made by the United States in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase included all of the land that now makes up the state of Kansas, as well as parts of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
Kansas was first organized into counties by the Kansas Territorial Legislature in 1855. At that time, there were only 33 counties. The number of counties grew slowly at first, but began to increase more rapidly after 1866. By 1870, there were already 75 counties in Kansas.
Today, there are 105 counties in Kansas.
Conclusion
As of 2010, there are 105 counties in the state of Kansas.
