Chase County | |
|---|---|
Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls | |
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas | |
Kansas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 38°18′N 96°35′W / 38.300°N 96.583°W | |
| Country | |
| State | |
| Founded | February 11, 1859 |
| Named for | Salmon P. Chase |
| Seat | Cottonwood Falls |
| Largest city | Cottonwood Falls |
| Area | |
| • Total | 778 sq mi (2,020 km2) |
| • Land | 773 sq mi (2,000 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 2,572 |
| • Density | 3.3/sq mi (1.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | chasecountyks.com |
Chase County (county code CS) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 2,572 people lived there. Its county seat is Cottonwood Falls. Cottonwood Falls is also the biggest city in Chase County. The center of population of Kansas is in Chase County, about four miles north of Strong City.
In 1859, Chase County was created in the Kansas Territory.
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a railroad from Emporia to Newton. In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a railroad from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This railroad connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior.
The south-western border one mile "notch" into Marion County was created under strange circumstances. There was a murder. Marion County didn't want to have the trial, so a section one mile wide and eighteen miles long was given to Chase County. This was to make it so that the murder had happened there. The one mile strip of land is still part of Chase County.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km2). Of that, 773 square miles (2,000 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.6%) is water.
Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,046 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,975 | 88.8% | |
| 1880 | 6,081 | 207.9% | |
| 1890 | 8,233 | 35.4% | |
| 1900 | 8,246 | 0.2% | |
| 1910 | 7,527 | −8.7% | |
| 1920 | 7,144 | −5.1% | |
| 1930 | 6,952 | −2.7% | |
| 1940 | 6,345 | −8.7% | |
| 1950 | 4,831 | −23.9% | |
| 1960 | 3,921 | −18.8% | |
| 1970 | 3,408 | −13.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,309 | −2.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,021 | −8.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,030 | 0.3% | |
| 2010 | 2,790 | −7.9% | |
| 2020 | 2,572 | −7.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 | |||

| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 74.6% 1,090 | 23.8% 348 | 1.6% 24 |
| 2020 | 75.3% 1,123 | 23.1% 345 | 1.5% 23 |
| 2016 | 70.8% 969 | 23.1% 316 | 6.1% 84 |
| 2012 | 68.8% 875 | 28.2% 358 | 3.0% 38 |
| 2008 | 70.5% 976 | 27.7% 383 | 1.8% 25 |
| 2004 | 70.3% 1,055 | 27.9% 418 | 1.9% 28 |
| 2000 | 64.4% 848 | 29.7% 391 | 5.9% 78 |
| 1996 | 50.2% 778 | 32.0% 496 | 17.8% 276 |
| 1992 | 36.2% 610 | 27.9% 470 | 35.9% 605 |
| 1988 | 60.6% 884 | 36.9% 538 | 2.5% 36 |
| 1984 | 74.0% 1,162 | 25.0% 393 | 1.0% 15 |
| 1980 | 66.9% 1,073 | 25.8% 413 | 7.3% 117 |
| 1976 | 57.6% 922 | 40.2% 643 | 2.3% 36 |
| 1972 | 76.0% 1,184 | 20.2% 315 | 3.7% 58 |
| 1968 | 62.6% 1,038 | 27.9% 462 | 9.5% 158 |
| 1964 | 50.3% 902 | 49.4% 886 | 0.3% 5 |
| 1960 | 64.1% 1,276 | 35.5% 708 | 0.4% 8 |
| 1956 | 74.5% 1,553 | 25.4% 529 | 0.2% 4 |
| 1952 | 77.8% 1,815 | 22.0% 513 | 0.3% 6 |
| 1948 | 58.9% 1,432 | 39.6% 961 | 1.5% 37 |
| 1944 | 60.0% 1,510 | 39.7% 998 | 0.4% 9 |
| 1940 | 57.8% 1,871 | 41.5% 1,344 | 0.7% 23 |
| 1936 | 48.4% 1,610 | 51.3% 1,706 | 0.3% 9 |
| 1932 | 46.0% 1,485 | 52.7% 1,703 | 1.3% 43 |
| 1928 | 72.8% 2,079 | 25.9% 739 | 1.3% 38 |
| 1924 | 62.6% 1,822 | 26.1% 758 | 11.3% 330 |
| 1920 | 63.2% 1,659 | 34.4% 904 | 2.4% 64 |
| 1916 | 44.1% 1,356 | 51.6% 1,584 | 4.3% 132 |
| 1912 | 25.4% 476 | 43.4% 812 | 31.2% 585 |
| 1908 | 53.0% 1,021 | 43.3% 834 | 3.6% 70 |
| 1904 | 64.4% 1,217 | 29.7% 562 | 5.9% 111 |
| 1900 | 52.5% 1,084 | 46.3% 956 | 1.2% 25 |
| 1896 | 44.7% 812 | 54.1% 981 | 1.2% 22 |
| 1892 | 47.4% 891 | 52.7% 990 | |
| 1888 | 54.1% 1,126 | 28.5% 593 | 17.4% 362 |
