Sumner County | |
|---|---|
Old Oxford Mill in Oxford (2012) | |
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas | |
Kansas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 37°14′N 97°29′W / 37.233°N 97.483°W | |
| Country | |
| State | |
| Founded | December 20, 1870 |
| Named for | Charles Sumner |
| Seat | Wellington |
| Largest city | Wellington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,185 sq mi (3,070 km2) |
| • Land | 1,182 sq mi (3,060 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 22,382 |
| • Density | 18.9/sq mi (7.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | County website |
Sumner County (standard abbreviation: SU) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 22,382 people lived there. Its county seat is Wellington.
On February 26, 1867, Sumner County was created from parts of Marion County and Butler County. It was named after Charles Sumner, a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1811–74), who was wanted Kansas to be a free state.
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a north-south railroad from Herington to Caldwell. This railroad connected Herington, Lost Springs, Lincolnville, Antelope, Marion, Aulne, Peabody, Elbing, Whitewater, Furley, Kechi, Wichita, Peck, Corbin, Wellington, Caldwell. By 1893, this railroad was slowly built to Fort Worth, Texas. This line is called the "OKT".
In December 2011, the Kansas Star Casino opened about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west of the center of Mulvane.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 1,185 square miles (3,070 km2). Of that, 1,182 square miles (3,060 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 22 | — | |
| 1880 | 20,812 | 94,500.0% | |
| 1890 | 30,271 | 45.4% | |
| 1900 | 25,631 | −15.3% | |
| 1910 | 30,654 | 19.6% | |
| 1920 | 29,213 | −4.7% | |
| 1930 | 28,960 | −0.9% | |
| 1940 | 26,163 | −9.7% | |
| 1950 | 23,646 | −9.6% | |
| 1960 | 25,316 | 7.1% | |
| 1970 | 23,553 | −7.0% | |
| 1980 | 24,928 | 5.8% | |
| 1990 | 25,841 | 3.7% | |
| 2000 | 25,946 | 0.4% | |
| 2010 | 24,132 | −7.0% | |
| 2020 | 22,382 | −7.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 | |||

Sumner County is part of the Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area
Sumner County often votes for the Republican Party in Presidential elections. However, in 1992 George H. W. Bush won the county by less than two percent. The last time they have voted for a Democratic candidate was in 1976 for Jimmy Carter.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 74.2% 8,105 | 23.7% 2,591 | 2.1% 232 |
| 2016 | 71.8% 6,984 | 21.4% 2,076 | 6.8% 662 |
| 2012 | 68.5% 6,260 | 29.1% 2,658 | 2.4% 223 |
| 2008 | 65.2% 6,737 | 32.4% 3,353 | 2.4% 247 |
| 2004 | 67.6% 7,092 | 30.7% 3,217 | 1.7% 179 |
| 2000 | 60.4% 6,176 | 34.7% 3,549 | 5.0% 507 |
| 1996 | 54.2% 5,952 | 33.1% 3,638 | 12.6% 1,387 |
| 1992 | 35.3% 4,087 | 30.8% 3,564 | 34.0% 3,937 |
| 1988 | 53.7% 5,394 | 44.0% 4,417 | 2.3% 231 |
| 1984 | 64.3% 6,942 | 34.4% 3,708 | 1.3% 143 |
| 1980 | 57.5% 6,038 | 35.8% 3,761 | 6.6% 697 |
| 1976 | 44.9% 4,645 | 52.1% 5,385 | 3.0% 310 |
| 1972 | 68.1% 6,941 | 26.3% 2,685 | 5.6% 569 |
| 1968 | 54.5% 5,622 | 34.5% 3,562 | 11.0% 1,136 |
| 1964 | 45.6% 4,760 | 53.3% 5,574 | 1.1% 116 |
| 1960 | 61.5% 7,219 | 38.0% 4,462 | 0.5% 55 |
| 1956 | 63.0% 7,024 | 36.6% 4,088 | 0.4% 46 |
| 1952 | 69.0% 8,134 | 30.2% 3,567 | 0.8% 96 |
| 1948 | 55.4% 5,922 | 42.8% 4,571 | 1.8% 192 |
| 1944 | 59.9% 6,343 | 39.5% 4,187 | 0.6% 64 |
| 1940 | 51.9% 6,585 | 47.2% 5,988 | 1.0% 125 |
| 1936 | 38.2% 4,946 | 61.6% 7,966 | 0.2% 27 |
| 1932 | 42.4% 4,926 | 54.7% 6,353 | 2.9% 340 |
| 1928 | 79.6% 8,951 | 18.8% 2,108 | 1.6% 181 |
| 1924 | 54.9% 5,552 | 25.3% 2,556 | 19.8% 2,000 |
| 1920 | 60.5% 5,830 | 35.8% 3,454 | 3.7% 354 |
| 1916 | 39.4% 4,079 | 53.3% 5,519 | 7.4% 763 |
| 1912 | 12.2% 781 | 40.0% 2,557 | 47.8% 3,060 |
| 1908 | 51.3% 3,235 | 44.0% 2,772 | 4.8% 299 |
| 1904 | 61.6% 3,264 | 28.1% 1,489 | 10.3% 545 |
| 1900 | 50.6% 3,184 | 47.4% 2,982 | 2.0% 125 |
| 1896 | 44.8% 2,515 | 54.2% 3,048 | 1.0% 56 |
| 1892 | 45.5% 3,503 | 54.5% 4,192 | |
| 1888 | 49.7% 3,499 | 30.4% 2,139 | 19.9% 1,400 |
