Kansas

Kansas
State
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Sunflower State (official); The Wheat State; [1]America's Heartland [2]
Motto(s): Ad astra per aspera( Latin) To the stars through difficulties
Anthem:"Home on the Range"
Map of the United States with Kansas highlighted
Country	United States
Before statehood	Kansas Territory
Admitted to the Union	January 29, 1861 Kansas Day (34th)
Capital	Topeka
Largest city	Wichita
Largest county or equivalent	Johnson
Largest metroandurbanareas	Kansas portion ofKansas City, MO-KS area[a]
Government
•Governor	Laura Kelly(D)
•Lieutenant Governor	David Toland(D)
Legislature	Legislature
•Upper house	Senate
•Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Kansas Supreme Court
U.S. senators	Jerry Moran(R) Roger Marshall(R)
U.S. House delegation	1:Tracey Mann(R) 2:Jake LaTurner(R) 3:Sharice Davids(D) 4:Ron Estes(R)(list)
Area
• Total	82,278[3]sq mi (213,100 km2)
• Land	81,759[3]sq mi (211,754 km2)
• Water	520[3]sq mi (1,346 km2) 0.6[4]%
• Rank	15th
Dimensions
• Length	210[5]mi (340 km)
• Width	400[5]mi (640 km)
Elevation	2,000 ft (610 m)
Highest elevation ( Mount Sunflower [6] [b])	4,041 ft (1,232 m)
Lowest elevation ( Verdigris Riverat Oklahomaborder [6] [b])	679 ft (207 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,940,865
• Rank	36th
• Density	34.9/sq mi (13.5/km2)
• Rank	40th
•Median household income	$64,124 (2,021)[7]
• Income rank	34th (2,021)[7]
Demonym	Kansan
Language
•Official language	English[8]
Time zones
Majority of state	UTC– 06:00(Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC– 05:00(CDT)
Greeley,Hamilton,Sherman, andWallacecounties	UTC– 07:00(Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC– 06:00(MDT)
USPS abbreviation	KS
ISO 3166 code	US-KS
Traditional abbreviation	Kan., Kans.
Latitude	37° Nto40° N
Longitude	94° 35′ W to 102° 3′ W
Website	kansas.gov
Symbols of Kansas
Amphibian	Barred tiger salamander
Bird	Western meadowlark
Flower	Wild sunflower
Grass	Little bluestem
Insect	Western honey bee
Mammal	American bison
Reptile	Ornate box turtle
Tree	Plains cottonwood

Kansas(/ˈkænzəs/^ⓘKAN-zəss)^[9]is alandlockedstatein theMidwesternregion of theUnited States.^[10]It bordersNebraskato the north;Missourito the east;Oklahomato the south; andColoradoto the west. Kansas is named after theKansas River, in turn named after theKansapeople.^{[11][12][13][14]}ItscapitalisTopeka, and itsmost populous cityisWichita, however the largest urban area is the bi-stateKansas City, MO–KS metropolitan area.

For thousands of years, what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverseIndigenous tribes. The first settlement of non-indigenous people in Kansas occurred in 1827 atFort Leavenworth. The pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over theslaverydebate. When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854 with theKansas–Nebraska Act, conflict between abolitionistFree-StatersfromNew Englandand pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri broke out over the question of whether Kansas would become afree state or a slave state, in a period known asBleeding Kansas. On January 29, 1861,^[15][16]Kansas entered theUnionas a free state, hence the unofficial nickname "The Free State". Passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862 brought a further influx of settlers, and the booming cattle trade of the 1870s attracted some of the Wild West's most iconic figures to western Kansas.^[17][18]

As of 2015, Kansas was among the most productive agricultural states, producing high yields of wheat, corn,sorghum, andsoybeans.^[19]In addition to its traditional strength in agriculture, Kansas possesses an extensive aerospace industry. Kansas, which has an area of 82,278 square miles (213,100 square kilometers) is the15th-largest state by area, the36th most-populousof the 50 states, with a population of 2,940,865^[20]according to the 2020 census, and the10th least densely populated. Residents of Kansas are calledKansans.Mount Sunfloweris Kansas's highest point at 4,039 feet (1,231 meters).^[21]

The nameKansasderives from theAlgonquianterm,Akansa, for theQuapawpeople. These were aDhegiha Siouan-speaking people who settled inArkansasaround the 13th century. The stem -kansais named after theKaw people, also known as theKansa, a federally recognized Native American tribe.^[22]Thetribe's name (nativelykką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the (south) wind" although this was probably not the term's original meaning.^[23][24]

BeforeEuropean colonization, Kansas was occupied by theCaddoanWichitaand later theSiouanKaw people. Tribes in the eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys. Tribes in the western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds ofbison. The first European to set foot in present-day Kansas was the SpanishconquistadorFrancisco Vázquez de Coronado, who explored the area in 1541.

Between 1763 and 1803, the territory of Kansas was integrated intoSpanish Louisiana. During that period, GovernorLuis de Unzaga'le Conciliateur' promoted expeditions and good relations with theAmerindians. ExplorerAntoine de Marignyand others continued trading across theKansas River, especially at its confluence with theMissouri River, tributaries of theMississippi River.^[25]

In 1803, most of modern Kansas wasacquired by the United Statesas part of theLouisiana Purchase. Southwest Kansas, however, was still a part of Spain, Mexico, and theRepublic of Texasuntil the conclusion of theMexican–American Warin 1848, when these lands wereceded to the United States. From 1812 to 1821, Kansas was part of theMissouri Territory. TheSanta Fe Trailtraversed Kansas from 1821 to 1880, transporting manufactured goods fromMissouriand silver and furs fromSanta Fe, New Mexico.Wagon ruts from the trailare still visible in the prairie today.

In 1827,Fort Leavenworthbecame the first permanent settlement of white Americans in the future state.^[26]TheKansas–Nebraska Actbecame law on May 30, 1854, establishingNebraska TerritoryandKansas Territory, and opening the area to broader settlement by whites.Kansas Territorystretched all the way to the Continental Divide and included the sites of present-dayDenver,Colorado Springs, andPueblo.

The first non-military settlement of Euro-Americans in Kansas Territory consisted ofabolitionistsfromMassachusettsand otherFree-Staterswho founded the town of Lawrence and attempted to stop the spread of slavery from neighboring Missouri.

Missouri andArkansascontinually sent settlers into Kansas Territory along its eastern border to sway votes in favor of slavery prior to Kansas statehood elections. Directly presaging theAmerican Civil Warthese forces collided, entering into skirmishes and guerrilla conflicts that earned the territory the nicknameBleeding Kansas. These includedJohn Brown'sPottawatomie massacreof 1856.

Kansas wasadmitted to the Unionas a free state on January 29, 1861, making it the 34th state to join the United States. By that time, the violence in Kansas had largely subsided, but during the Civil War, on August 21, 1863,William Quantrillled several hundred of his supporters on a raid intoLawrence, destroying much of the city and killing nearly 200 people. He was roundly condemned by both the conventionalConfederate militaryand the partisan rangers commissioned by theMissouri legislature. His application to that body for a commission was flatly rejected due to his pre-war criminal record.^[27]

Passage of theHomestead Actsin 1862 accelerated settlement and agricultural development in the state. After the Civil War, many veterans constructed homesteads in Kansas. Many African Americans also looked to Kansas as the land of "John Brown" and, led byfreedmenlikeBenjamin "Pap" Singleton, began establishing black colonies in the state. Leaving southern states in the late 1870s because of increasing discrimination, they became known asExodusters.

At the same time, theChisholm Trailwas opened and theWild Westera commenced in Kansas. Storied lawmanWild Bill Hickokwas a deputy marshal atFort Rileyand a marshal atHaysandAbilene.Dodge Citywas home to bothBat MastersonandWyatt Earp, who worked as lawmen in the town. TheDalton Gangrobbed trains and banks throughout Kansas and the Southwest and maintained a hideout inMeade. In one year alone^[which?], eight million head of cattle from Texas boarded trains in Dodge City bound for the East, earning Dodge the nickname "Queen of the Cowtowns".

In response to demands ofMethodistsand otherevangelical Protestants, in 1881 Kansas became the first U.S. state to adopt a constitutional amendmentprohibitingallalcoholic beverages, which was repealed in 1948. Anti-saloon activistCarrie Nationvandalized her first saloon inKiowain 1900. In 1922, suffragistElla Uphay Mowrybecame the first female gubernatorial candidate in the state when she ran as "Mrs. W.D. Mowry". She later stated that, "Someone had to be the pioneer. I firmly believe that some day a woman will sit in the governor's chair in Kansas."^[28][29][30]

Kansas suffered severe and environmental damage in the 1930s due to the combined effects of theGreat Depressionand theDust Bowl, and large numbers of people left southwestern Kansas in particular for better opportunities elsewhere.^[31]The outbreak ofWorld War IIspurred rapid growth in aircraft manufacturing near Wichita in the so-calledBattle of Kansas, and the aerospace sector remains a significant portion of the Kansan economy to this day.

Kansas is bordered byNebraskato the north;Missourito the east;Oklahomato the south; andColoradoto the west. The state is divided into105 countieswith628 cities, with its largest county by area beingButler County.^[32]Kansas is locatedequidistantfrom the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Thegeographic center of the 48 contiguous statesis inSmith CountynearLebanon. Until 1989, theMeades Ranch Triangulation StationinOsborne Countywas the geodetic center of North America: the central reference point for all maps of North America. The geographic center of Kansas is inBarton County.

Kansas is underlain by a sequence of horizontal to gently westwarddippingsedimentary rocks. A sequence ofMississippian,PennsylvanianandPermianrocks outcrop in the eastern and southern part of the state. The state's western half has exposures ofCretaceousthrough Tertiary sediments, the latter derived from theerosionof theupliftedRocky Mountainsto the west. These are underlain by older Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments which correlate well with the outcrops to the east. The state's northeastern corner was subjected toglaciationin thePleistoceneand is covered byglacial driftandloess.

The western two-thirds of the state, lying in thegreat central plainof the United States, has a generally flat or undulating surface, while the eastern third has many hills and forests. The land gradually rises from east to west; its altitude ranges from 684 ft (208 m) along theVerdigris RiveratCoffeyvilleinMontgomery County, to 4,039 ft (1,231 m) atMount Sunflower, 0.5 miles (0.80 kilometers) from the Colorado border, inWallace County. It is a common misconception that Kansas is the flattest state in the nation—in 2003, a tongue-in-cheek study famously declared the state "flatter than a pancake".^[33]In fact, Kansas has a maximum topographic relief of 3,360 ft (1,020 m),^[34]making it the 23rd flattest U.S. state measured by maximum relief.^[35]

Around 74 mi (119 km) of the state's northeastern boundary is defined by theMissouri River. TheKansas River(locally known as the Kaw), formed by the junction of theSmoky HillandRepublicanrivers at appropriately-namedJunction City, joins the Missouri River atKansas City, after a course of 170 mi (270 km) across the northeastern part of the state.

TheArkansas River(pronunciation varies), rising inColorado, flows with a bending course for nearly 500 mi (800 km) across the western and southern parts of the state. With its tributaries, (theLittle Arkansas,Ninnescah, Walnut,Cow Creek,Cimarron, Verdigris, and theNeosho), it forms the southern drainage system of the state.

Kansas's other rivers are theSalineand Solomon Rivers, tributaries of the Smoky Hill River; theBig Blue,Delaware, andWakarusa, which flow into the Kansas River; and theMarais des Cygnes, a tributary of the Missouri River. Spring River is located betweenRivertonandBaxter Springs.

Areas under the protection of theNational Park Serviceinclude:^[36]

• Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Sitein Topeka
• Fort Larned National Historic SiteinLarned
• Fort Scott National Historic Sitein Bourbon County
• Nicodemus National Historic SiteatNicodemus
• Pony Express National Historic Trail
• Tallgrass Prairie National PreservenearStrong City

In Kansas, there are currently 238 species of rare animals and 400 rare plants.^[37]Among those include:Smooth rockress,Virginia rail,Western Grotto Salamander,Royal Fern,Turkey-tangle,Bobolink,Cave salamander,Snowy Plover,Strecker's Chorus Frog,Peregrine falcon, andBlack-footed ferret.^[38][39]Common animal species and grasses include:Crows,Deer,Lesser prairie chicken,Mice,Moles,Virginia Opossum,Prairie dogs,Raccoon,Eastern Gama Grass,Prairie Dropseed,Indian Grass,Little Bluestem,Switch grass,Northern Sea Oats,Tussock Sedge,Sideoats grama, andBig Bluestem.^[40][41]

In theKöppen climate classification, Kansas has three climates: humid continental, semi-arid steppe, and humid subtropical. The eastern two-thirds of the state (especially the northeastern portion) has ahumid continental climate, with cool to cold winters and hot, often humid summers. Most of the precipitation falls during both the summer and the spring. TheUSDAhardiness zonesfor Kansas range from Zone 5b (−15 °F to −10 °F) in the North to Zone 7a (0 °F to 5 °F) in the South.^[42]

The western third of the state—from roughly theU.S. Route 83corridor westward—has asemi-aridsteppeclimate. Summers are hot, often very hot, and generally less humid. Winters are highly changeable between warm and very cold. The western region receives an average of about 16 inches (410 millimeters) of precipitation per year.Chinook windsin the winter can warm western Kansas all the way into the 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) range.

The south-central and southeastern portions of the state, including theWichitaarea, have ahumid subtropical climatewith hot and humid summers, milder winters, and more precipitation than elsewhere in Kansas. Some features of all three climates can be found in most of the state, with droughts and changeable weather between dry and humid not uncommon, and both warm and cold spells in the winter.

Temperatures in areas between U.S. Routes 83 and81, as well as the southwestern portion of the state along and south ofU.S. 50, reach 90 °F (32 °C) or above on most days of June, July, and August. High humidity added to the high temperatures sends theheat indexinto life-threatening territory, especially in Wichita,Hutchinson,Salina,Russell,Hays, andGreat Bend. Temperatures are often higher inDodge City,Garden City, andLiberal, but the heat index in those three cities is usually lower than the actual air temperature.

Although temperatures of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher are not as common in areas east of U.S. 81, higher humidity and theurban heat islandeffect lead most summer days to heat indices between 107 and 114 °F (42 and 46 °C) inTopeka,Lawrence, and theKansas City metropolitan area. Also, combined with humidity between 85 and 95 percent, dangerous heat indices can be experienced at every hour of the day.

Precipitation ranges from about 47 inches (1,200 mm) annually in the state's southeast corner to about 16 inches (410 mm) in the southwest. Snowfall ranges from around 5 inches (130 mm) in the fringes of the south, to 35 inches (890 mm) in the far northwest. Frost-free days range from more than 200 days in the south, to 130 days in the northwest. Thus, Kansas is the country's ninth or tenth sunniest state, depending on the source. Western Kansas is as sunny as parts of California andArizona.

Kansas is prone to severe weather, especially in the spring and the early-summer. Despite the frequent sunshine throughout much of the state, due to its location at a climatic boundary prone to intrusions of multiple air masses, the state is vulnerable to strong and severe thunderstorms. Some of these storms becomesupercellthunderstorms; these can produce sometornadoes, occasionally those ofEF3strength or higher. Kansas averages more than 50 tornadoes annually.^[43]Severe thunderstorms sometimes drop some very largehailover Kansas as well. Furthermore, these storms can even bring in flash flooding and damaging straight line winds.

According to NOAA, the all-time highest temperature recorded in Kansas is (121 °F or 49.4 °C) on July 24, 1936, nearAltoninOsborne County, and the all-time low is −40 °F (−40 °C) on February 13, 1905, nearLebanoninSmith County. Alton and Lebanon are approximately 50 miles (80 km) apart.

Kansas's record high of 121 °F (49.4 °C) ties withNorth Dakotafor the fifth-highest record high in an American state, behind California (134 °F or 56.7 °C),Arizona(128 °F or 53.3 °C),Nevada(125 °F or 51.7 °C), andNew Mexico(122 °F or 50 °C).

Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Kansas cities (°F) ^[44]

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Concordia	36/17	43/22	54/31	64/41	74/52	85/62	91/67	88/66	80/56	68/44	51/30	40/21
Dodge City	41/19	48/24	57/31	67/41	76/52	87/62	93/67	91/66	82/56	70/44	55/30	44/22
Goodland	39/16	45/20	53/26	63/35	72/46	84/56	89/61	87/60	78/50	66/38	50/25	41/18
Topeka	37/17	44/23	55/33	66/43	75/53	84/63	89/68	88/65	80/56	69/44	53/32	41/22
Wichita	40/20	47/25	57/34	67/44	76/54	87/64	93/69	92/68	82/59	70/47	55/34	43/24

Urban and rural populations

Known asrural flight, the last few decades have been marked by a migratory pattern out of the countryside into cities. Out of all the cities in these Midwestern states, 89% have fewer than 3,000 people, and hundreds of those have fewer than 1,000. In Kansas alone, there are more than 6,000ghost townsand dwindling communities,^[45]according to one Kansas historian, Daniel C. Fitzgerald. At the same time, some of the communities in Johnson County (metropolitan Kansas City) are among the fastest-growing in the country.

Cities with population of at least 15,000

	City	Population*	Growth rate**	Metro area
1	Wichita	397,532	3.97%	Wichita
2	Overland Park	197,238	13.77%	Kansas City, MO-KS
3	Kansas City	156,607	7.42%	Kansas City
4	Olathe	141,290	12.25%	Kansas City
5	Topeka	126,587	−0.70%	Topeka
6	Lawrence	94,934	8.32%	Lawrence
7	Shawnee	67,311	8.20%	Kansas City
8	Lenexa	57,434	19.18%	Kansas City
9	Manhattan	54,100	3.48%	Manhattan
10	Salina	46,889	-1.71%	‡
11	Hutchinson	40,006	−4.93%	‡
12	Leavenworth	37,351	5.96%	Kansas City
13	Leawood	33,902	6.39%	Kansas City
14	Garden City	28,151	5.60%	‡
15	Dodge City	27,788	1.64%	‡
16	Derby	25,625	15.65%	Wichita
17	Emporia	24,139	-3.12%	‡
18	Gardner	23,287	21.77%	Kansas City
19	Prairie Village	22,957	7.04%	Kansas City
20	Junction City	22,932	-1.80%	Manhattan
21	Hays	21,116	2.95%	‡
22	Pittsburg	20,646	2.04%	‡
23	Liberal	19,825	−3.41%	‡
24	Newton	18,602	−2.77%	Wichita
*2020 census[46] **Growth rate 2010–2020 ‡Defined as amicropolitan area

Kansas has 627incorporated cities. By state statute, cities are divided into three classes as determined by the population obtained "by any census of enumeration". A city of the third class has a population of less than 5,000, but cities reaching a population of more than 2,000 may be certified as a city of the second class. The second class is limited to cities with a population of less than 25,000, and upon reaching a population of more than 15,000, they may be certified as a city of the first class. First and second class cities are independent of anytownshipand are not included within the township's territory.

Note: Births in table do not add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.

Live Births by Single Race/Ethnicity of Mother

Race	2013[47]	2014[48]	2015[49]	2016[50]	2017[51]	2018[52]	2019[53]	2020[54]	2021[55]	2022[56]
White:	34,178 (88.0%)	34,420 (87.7%)	34,251 (87.5%)	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
>Non-Hispanic White	28,281 (72.8%)	28,504 (72.7%)	28,236 (72.1%)	26,935 (70.8%)	25,594 (70.1%)	25,323 (69.8%)	24,549 (69.4%)	23,663 (68.8%)	24,056 (69.3%)	23,669 (68.8%)
Black	2,967 (7.6%)	3,097 (7.9%)	3,090 (7.9%)	2,543 (6.7%)	2,657 (7.3%)	2,575 (7.1%)	2,458 (6.9%)	2,412 (7.0%)	2,316 (6.7%)	2,208 (6.4%)
Asian	1,401 (3.6%)	1,359 (3.5%)	1,483 (3.8%)	1,299 (3.4%)	1,255 (3.4%)	1,228 (3.4%)	1,216 (3.4%)	1,146 (3.3%)	1,031 (3.0%)	1,055 (3.1%)
American Indian	293 (0.7%)	347 (0.9%)	330 (0.8%)	173 (0.5%)	248 (0.7%)	217 (0.6%)	214 (0.6%)	162 (0.5%)	183 (0.5%)	241 (0.7%)
Hispanic(of any race)	6,143(15.8%)	6,132(15.6%)	6,300(16.1%)	6,298(16.5%)	5,963(16.3%)	5,977(16.5%)	6,071(17.2%)	5,970(17.4%)	6,122(17.6%)	6,309(18.3%)
Total Kansas	38,839(100%)	39,223(100%)	39,154(100%)	38,053(100%)	36,519(100%)	36,261(100%)	35,395(100%)	34,376(100%)	34,705(100%)	34,401(100%)

• Since 2016, data for births ofWhite Hispanicorigin are not collected, but included in oneHispanicgroup; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

The residents of Kansas have a life expectancy near the U.S. national average. In 2013, males in Kansas lived an average of 76.6 years compared to a male national average of 76.7 years and females lived an average of 81.0 years compared to a female national average of 81.5 years. Increases in life expectancy between 1980 and 2013 were below the national average for males and near the national average for females. Male life expectancy in Kansas between 1980 and 2014 increased by an average of 5.2 years, compared to a male national average of a 6.7-year increase. Life expectancy for females in Kansas between 1980 and 2014 increased by 4.3 years, compared to a female national average of a 4.0 year increase.^[57]

Using 2017–2019 data, theRobert Wood Johnson Foundationcalculated that life expectancy for Kansas counties ranged from 75.8 years forWyandotte Countyto 81.7 years forJohnson County. Life expectancy for the state as a whole was 78.5 years.^[58]Life expectancy for the United States as a whole in 2019 was 78.8 years.^[59]

The northeastern portion of the state, extending from the eastern border toJunction Cityand from the Nebraska border to south of Johnson County is home to more than 1.5 million people in the Kansas City (Kansas portion), Manhattan, Lawrence, and Topekametropolitan areas.Overland Park, a young city incorporated in 1960, has the largest population and the largest land area in the county. It is home toJohnson County Community College.

Olathe is thecounty seatand home toJohnson County Executive Airport. The cities of Olathe,Shawnee,De SotoandGardnerhave some of the state's fastest growing populations. The cities of Overland Park,Lenexa, Olathe, De Soto, and Gardner are also notable because they lie along the former route of theSanta Fe Trail. Among cities with at least one thousand residents,Mission Hillshas the highest median income in the state.

Several institutions of higher education are located in Northeast Kansas includingBaker University(the oldest university in the state, founded in 1858 and affiliated with theUnited Methodist Church) in Baldwin City,Benedictine College(sponsored bySt. Benedict's AbbeyandMount St. Scholastica Monasteryand formed from the merger of St. Benedict's College (1858) and Mount St. Scholastica College (1923)) in Atchison,MidAmerica Nazarene Universityin Olathe,Ottawa Universityin Ottawa and Overland Park, Kansas City Kansas Community College and KU Medical Center in Kansas City, and KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park. Less than an hour's drive to the west,Lawrenceis home to theUniversity of Kansas, the largest public university in the state, andHaskell Indian Nations University.

To the north,Kansas City, with the second largest land area in the state, contains a number of diverse ethnic neighborhoods. Its attractions include theKansas Speedway,Sporting Kansas City,Kansas City Monarchs, andThe Legends at Village Westretail and entertainment center. Nearby, Kansas's first settlementBonner Springs^[60]is home to several national and regional attractions including theProvidence Medical Center Amphitheather, theNational Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, and the annualKansas City Renaissance Festival. Further up theMissouri River, the city ofLansingis the home of the state's first maximum-security prison. HistoricLeavenworth, founded in 1854, was the first incorporated city in Kansas. North of the city,Fort Leavenworthis the oldest active Army post west of theMississippi River. The city ofAtchisonwas an early commercial center in the state and is well known as the birthplace ofAmelia Earhart.

To the west, nearly a quarter million people reside in the Topeka metropolitan area.Topekais the state capital and home toWashburn UniversityandWashburn Institute of Technology. Built at aKansas Rivercrossing along the oldOregon Trail, this historic city has several nationally registered historic places. Further westward alongInterstate 70and the Kansas River isJunction Citywith its historic limestone and brick buildings and nearbyFort Riley, well known as the home to theU.S. Army's1st Infantry Division(nicknamed "the Big Red One"). A short distance away, the city ofManhattanis home toKansas State University, the second-largest public university in the state and the nation's oldest land-grant university, dating back to 1863. South of the campus,Aggievilledates back to 1889 and is the state's oldest shopping district of its kind.

In south-central Kansas, theWichita metropolitan areais home to more than 600,000 people.^[61]Wichitais the largest city in the state in terms of both land area and population. 'The Air Capital' is a major manufacturing center for the aircraft industry and the home ofWichita State University. Before Wichita was 'The Air Capital' it was a Cowtown.^[62]With a number of nationally registered historic places, museums, and other entertainment destinations, it has a desire to become a cultural mecca in the Midwest. Wichita's population growth has grown by double digits and the surrounding suburbs are among the fastest growing cities in the state. The population ofGoddardhas grown by more than 11% per year since 2000.^[63]Other fast-growing cities includeAndover,Maize,Park City,Derby, andHaysville.

Wichita was one of the first cities to add the city commissioner and city manager in their form of government.^[62]Wichita is also home of the nationally recognized Sedgwick County Zoo.^[62]

Up river (theArkansas River) from Wichita is the city ofHutchinson. The city was built on one of the world's largest salt deposits (of what would formStrataca), and it has the world's largest and longest wheat elevator. It is also the home ofKansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, Prairie Dunes Country Club and theKansas State Fair. North of Wichita alongInterstate 135is the city ofNewton, the former western terminal of theSanta Fe Railroadand trailhead for the famedChisholm Trail. To the southeast of Wichita are the cities ofWinfieldandArkansas Citywith historic architecture and theCherokee StripMuseum (in Ark City). The city ofUdallwas the site of the deadliesttornadoin Kansas on May 25, 1955; it killed 80 people in and near the city.^[64]

Southeast Kansashas a unique history with a number of nationally registered historic places in this coal-mining region. Located inCrawford County(dubbed the Fried Chicken Capital of Kansas),Pittsburgis the largest city in the region and the home ofPittsburg State University. The neighboring city ofFrontenacin 1888 was the site of the worst mine disaster in the state in which an underground explosion killed 47 miners. "Big Brutus" is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) outside the city ofWest Mineral. Along with the restored fort, historicFort Scotthas a national cemetery designated by President Lincoln in 1862. The region also shares a Media market withJoplin, Missouri, a city in Southwest Missouri.

Salinais the largest city in central and north-central Kansas. South of Salina is the small city ofLindsborgwith its numerousDala horses. Much of the architecture and decor of this town has a distinctly Swedish style. To the east alongInterstate 70, the historic city ofAbilenewas formerly a trailhead for theChisholm Trailand was the boyhood home of PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower, and is the site of hisPresidential Libraryand the tombs of the former president, First Lady and son who died in infancy. To the west isLucas, the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas.

Westward along the Interstate, the city ofRussell, traditionally the beginning of sparsely-populated northwest Kansas, was the base of former U.S. SenatorBob Doleand the boyhood home of U.S. SenatorArlen Specter. The city ofHaysis home toFort Hays State Universityand the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and is the largest city in the northwest with a population of around 20,001.

Two other landmarks are located in smaller towns inEllis County: the "Cathedral of the Plains" is located 10 miles (16 km) east of Hays inVictoria, and the boyhood home ofWalter Chrysleris 15 miles (24 km) west of Hays inEllis. West of Hays, population drops dramatically, even in areas along I-70, and only two towns containing populations of more than 4,000:ColbyandGoodland, which are located 35 miles (56 km) apart along I-70.

Dodge City, famously known for the cattle drive days of the late 19th century, was built along the oldSanta Fe Trailroute. The city ofLiberalis located along the southern Santa Fe Trail route. The first wind farm in the state was built east ofMontezuma.Garden Cityhas theLee Richardson Zoo. In 1992, ashort-lived secessionist movementadvocated the secession of several counties in southwest Kansas.^[65]

Located midway between Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita in the heart of the Bluestem Region of theFlint Hills, the city ofEmporiahas several nationally registered historic places and is the home ofEmporia State University, well known for its Teachers College. It was also the home of newspaper manWilliam Allen White.

TheUnited States Census Bureauestimates that the population of Kansas was 2,913,314 on July 1, 2019, a 2.11% increase since the2010 United States censusand an increase of 58,387, or 2.05%, since 2010.^[66]This includes a natural increase since the last census of 93,899 (246,484 births minus 152,585 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 20,742 people out of the state.Immigrationfrom outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 44,847 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 65,589 people.^[67]At the2020 census, its population was 2,937,880.

In 2018, The top countries of origin for Kansas's immigrants wereMexico,India,Vietnam,GuatemalaandChina.^[68]

The population density of Kansas is 52.9 people per square mile.^[69]Thecenter of populationof Kansas is located inChase County, at38°27′N96°32′W / 38.450°N 96.533°W /38.450; -96.533, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the community ofStrong City.^[70]

The focus on labor-efficient grain-based agriculture—such as a large wheat farm that requires only one or a few people with largemachineryto operate, rather than avegetable farmthat requires many people—is causing thede-population of rural areasacross Kansas.^[71]

According toHUD's 2022Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 2,397homelesspeople in Kansas.^[72][73]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	107,206		—
1870	364,399		239.9%
1880	996,096		173.4%
1890	1,428,108		43.4%
1900	1,470,495		3.0%
1910	1,690,949		15.0%
1920	1,769,257		4.6%
1930	1,880,999		6.3%
1940	1,801,028		−4.3%
1950	1,905,299		5.8%
1960	2,178,611		14.3%
1970	2,246,578		3.1%
1980	2,363,679		5.2%
1990	2,477,574		4.8%
2000	2,688,418		8.5%
2010	2,853,118		6.1%
2020	2,937,880		3.0%
2023 (est.)	2,940,546	[74]	0.1%
1910–2020[75]

According to the 2021 United States census estimates, the racial makeup of the population was:^[76]White American, non-Hispanic(74.7%),HispanicorLatino(12.7%), Black or African American (6.2%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (0.1%), two or more races (3.3%),Asian(3.2%), and American Indian and Alaska Native (1.2%). At the 2020 census, its racial and ethnic makeup was 75.6% White, 5.7% African American, 2.9% Asian American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.9% some other race, and 9.5% two or more races.

Kansas ethnic breakdown of population

Racial composition	1990[77]	2000[78]	2010[79]	2020[80]
White	90.1%	86.1%	83.8%	75.6%
Black	5.8%	5.8%	5.9%	5.7%
Asian	1.3%	1.7%	2.4%	2.9%
Native	0.9%	0.9%	1.0%	1.1%
Native Hawaiianand other Pacific Islander	–	–	0.1%	0.1%
Other race	2.0%	3.4%	3.9%	4.9%
Two or more races	–	2.1%	3.0%	9.5%

As of 2004, the population included 149,800 foreign-born (5.5% of the state population). The ten largest reported ancestry groups, which account for nearly 90% of the population, in the state are:German(33.75%),Irish(14.4%),English(14.1%),American(7.5%),French(4.4%),Scottish(4.2%),Dutch(2.5%),Swedish(2.4%),Italian(1.8%), andPolish(1.5%).^[81]German descendants are especially present in the northwest and northeast with German immigrants settling and founding towns such asNortonville,Holton,SabethaandHorton. Descendants of English and of white Americans from other states are especially present in the southeast.^{[citation needed]}Kansas is also home to a large Czech community.^[82]

Mexicans are present in the southwest and make up nearly half the population in certain counties. Many African Americans in Kansas are descended from theExodusters, newly freed blacks who fled the South for land in Kansas following the Civil War.^[83]

There is a growing Asian community in Kansas. Since 1965, more and more Asian families have moved to Kansas from countries such as the Philippines, China, Korea, India, and Vietnam.^[84]

Birth data

Live births by single race/ethnicity of mother

Race	2013[85]	2014[86]	2015[87]	2016[88]	2017[89]	2018[52]	2019[90]	2020[91]	2021[92]	2022[93]
White:	34,178 (88.0%)	34,420 (87.7%)	34,251 (87.5%)	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
>non-Hispanic White	28,281 (72.8%)	28,504 (72.7%)	28,236 (72.1%)	26,935 (70.8%)	25,594 (70.1%)	25,323 (69.8%)	24,549 (69.4%)	23,663 (68.8%)	24,056 (69.3%)	23,669 (68.8%)
Black	2,967 (7.6%)	3,097 (7.9%)	3,090 (7.9%)	2,543 (6.7%)	2,657 (7.3%)	2,575 (7.1%)	2,458 (6.9%)	2,412 (7.0%)	2,316 (6.7%)	2,208 (6.4%)
Asian	1,401 (3.6%)	1,359 (3.5%)	1,483 (3.8%)	1,299 (3.4%)	1,255 (3.4%)	1,228 (3.4%)	1,216 (3.4%)	1,146 (3.3%)	1,031 (3.0%)	1,055 (3.1%)
American Indian	293 (0.7%)	347 (0.9%)	330 (0.8%)	173 (0.5%)	248 (0.7%)	217 (0.6%)	214 (0.6%)	162 (0.5%)	183 (0.5%)	163 (0.5%)
Hispanic(of any race)	6,143(15.8%)	6,132(15.6%)	6,300(16.1%)	6,298(16.5%)	5,963(16.3%)	5,977(16.5%)	6,071(17.2%)	5,970(17.4%)	6,122(17.6%)	6,309(18.3%)
Total Kansas	38,839(100%)	39,223(100%)	39,154(100%)	38,053(100%)	36,519(100%)	36,261(100%)	35,395(100%)	34,376(100%)	34,705(100%)	34,401(100%)

As of 2011, 35.0% of Kansas's population younger than one year of age belonged to minority groups (i.e., did not have two parents of non-Hispanic white ancestry).^[94]

English is the most-spoken language in Kansas, with 91.3% of the population speaking only English at home as of the year 2000. 5.5% speak Spanish, 0.7% speak German, and 0.4% speak Vietnamese.^[95]

The 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey showed the religious makeup of adults in Kansas was as follows:^[96]57% Protestant, 18% Catholic, 1% Mormon, 1% Jehovah's Witness, 20% unaffiliated, 1% Buddhism, and 2% other religions. In 2010, theAssociation of Religion Data Archives(ARDA) reported that the Catholic Church had the highest number of adherents in Kansas (at 426,611), followed by theUnited Methodist Churchwith 202,989 members, and theSouthern Baptist Convention, reporting 99,329 adherents.^[97]

In 2020, ARDA reported 414,939 Catholics, 165,658 United Methodists, and 164,486 Southern Baptists.^[98]In 2022, thePublic Religion Research Institute(PRRI)'s study revealed 74% of the total population were Christian; among them, 59% were Protestant, 13% Catholic, and 2% Mormon. The religiously unaffiliated were 23% of the population, Unitarian Universalists 1%, and New Agers 1%.^[99]

Kansas's capital Topeka is sometimes cited as the home ofPentecostalismas it was the site ofCharles Fox Parham'sBethel Bible College, whereglossolaliawas first claimed as the evidence of a spiritual experience referred to as thebaptism of the Holy Spiritin 1901. It is also the home of ReverendCharles Sheldon, author ofIn His Steps, and was the site where the question "What would Jesus do?" originated in a sermon of Sheldon's at Central Congregational Church.

Kansas is the location of the second Baha'i community west of Egypt, when the Baha'i community ofEnterprise, KSwas started in 1897. From that beginning theBaha'i Faithspread across Kansas.^[100]

Topeka is also home of theWestboro Baptist Church, ahate groupaccording to theSouthern Poverty Law Center.^{[101][102][103]}The church has garnered worldwide media attention for picketing the funerals of U.S. servicemen and women for what church members claim as "necessary to combat the fight for equality for gays and lesbians". They have sometimes successfully raised lawsuits against the city of Topeka.

#	Country	Population[1]
1	Mexico	81,933
2	India	13,526
3	Vietnam	11,119
4	China	8,223
5	Guatemala	6,271
6	Philippines	5,005
7	South Korea	4,108
8	El Salvador	3,919
9	Laos	3,447
10	Germany	3,326

Kansas's total gross domestic product was $226 billion in 2023.^[104]The state's 2023per capita incomewas $63,732, which ranked 29th among U.S. states, andmedian household incomewas measured at $68,925.^[105][106]

Total Employment of the metropolitan areas in the State of Kansas by total Non-farm Employment in 2016^[107]

• Kansas Portion of theKansas City MO-KS MSA: 468,400 non-farm, accounting for 40.9% of state GDP in 2015^[108]
• Wichita, KS MSA: 297,300 non-farm
• Topeka, KS MSA: 112,600 non-farm
• Lawrence KS, MSA: 54,000 non-farm
• Manhattan, KS MSA: 44,200 non-farm
• Total employment: 1,184,710

Total Number of employer establishments in 2016: 74,884^[109]

In 2015, the job growth rate was 0.8%, among the lowest rates in America with only "10,900 total nonfarm jobs" added that year.^[110]As of April 2016, the state's unemployment rate was 4.2%.^[111]

The State of Kansas had a $350 million budget shortfall in February 2017.^[112]In February 2017, S&P downgraded Kansas's credit rating to AA−.^[113]

Nearly 90% of Kansas's land is devoted to agriculture.^[71]The state's agricultural outputs are cattle, sheep, wheat,sorghum,soybeans, cotton,hogs,corn, and salt. As of 2018, there were 59,600 farms in Kansas, 86 (0.14%) of which arecertified organic farms.^[71]The average farm in the state is about 770 acres (more than a square mile), and in 2016, the average cost of running the farm was $300,000.^[71]

By far, the most significant agricultural crop in the state is wheat. Eastern Kansas is part of theGrain Belt, an area of major grain production in the central United States. Approximately 40% of all winter wheat grown in the U.S. is grown in Kansas.^[71]Roughly 95% of the wheat grown in the state ishard red winter wheat.^[71]During 2016, farmers of conventionally grown wheat farmed 8.2 million acres and harvested an average of 57 bushels of wheat per acre.^[71]

The industrial outputs are transportation equipment, commercial and private aircraft, food processing, publishing, chemical products, machinery, apparel, petroleum, and mining.

Largest private employers (as of 2016) ^[114]

Rank	Business	Employees	Location	Industry
1	Spirit AeroSystems	12,000	Wichita	Aviation
2	Sprint Corporation	7,600	Overland Park	Telecommunications
3	Textron Aviation	6,812	Wichita	Aviation
4	General Motors	4,000	Kansas City	Automotive manufacturing
5	Bombardier Aerospace	3,500	Wichita	Aviation
6	Black & Veatch	3,500	Overland Park	Engineering consulting
7	National Beef	3,500	Liberal	Food products
8	Tyson Foods	3,200	Holcomb	Food products
9	Performance Contracting	2,900	Lenexa	Roofing and siding
10	National Beef	2,500	Dodge City	Food products

The state's economy is also heavily influenced by the aerospace industry. Several large aircraft corporations have manufacturing facilities in Wichita and Kansas City, includingSpirit AeroSystems,Bombardier Aerospace(LearJet), andTextron Aviation(a merger of the formerCessna,Hawker, andBeechcraftbrands).Boeingended a decades-long history of manufacturing in Kansas between 2012 and 2013.

Major companies headquartered in Kansas include theGarmin(Olathe),YRC Worldwide(Overland Park),Payless Shoes(national headquarters and major distribution facilities inTopeka), andKoch Industries(with national headquarters inWichita), andColeman(headquarters in Wichita).

Kansas is also home to three major military installations:Fort Leavenworth(Army),Fort Riley(Army), andMcConnell Air Force Base(Air Force). Approximately 25,000 active duty soldiers and airmen are stationed at these bases which also employ approximately 8,000 civilian DoD employees. The U.S. Army Reserve also has the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command headquartered in Wichita that serves reservists and their units from around the region. The Kansas Air National Guard has units atForbes Fieldin Topeka and the 184th Intelligence Wing in Wichita. The Smoky Hill Weapons Range, a detachment of the Intelligence Wing, is one of the largest and busiest bombing ranges in the nation. During World War II, Kansas was home to numerous Army Air Corps training fields for training new pilots and aircrew. Many of those airfields live on today as municipal airports.

Kansas has vast renewable resources and is a top producer ofwind energyin the US, with an installed capacity of about 6,100Megawatts(MW) from nearly 3,200 wind turbines in 2019. Wind generated thelargest share of electricityfrom the state at 41%. An additional 700 MW of capacity was scheduled to come online during 2020. Kansas is also a leading national producer of renewableethanolandbiodieselfuels at nearly 600 million gallons per year.^[115]

Kansas is ranked eighth inU.S. petroleum extraction. Production has experienced a steady decline as the state's limited economical reserves especially from theAnadarko Basinare depleted. Sinceoil pricesbottomed in 1999, oil production in Kansas has remained fairly constant, with an average monthly rate of about 2.8 million barrels (450,000 cubic meters) in 2004. Therecent higher priceshave madecarbon dioxide sequestrationand other oil recovery techniques more economical.

Kansas is also ranked eighth in U.S. natural gas production. Production has steadily declined since the mid-1990s with the gradual depletion of theHugoton Natural Gas Field—the state's largest field which extends into Oklahoma and Texas. In 2004, slower declines in the Hugoton gas fields and increasedcoalbed methaneproduction contributed to a smaller overall decline. Average monthly production was over 32 billion cubic feet (0.91 cubic kilometers).

Tax is collected by theKansas Department of Revenue.

Revenue shortfalls resulting from lower than expected tax collections and slower growth in personal income following a 1998 permanent tax reduction have contributed to the substantial growth in the state's debt level as bonded debt increased from $1.16 billion in 1998 to $3.83 billion in 2006. Some increase in debt was expected as the state continues with its 10-year Comprehensive Transportation Program enacted in 1999.

In 2003, Kansas had three income brackets for income tax calculation, ranging from 3.5% to 6.45%.

The state sales tax in Kansas is 6.15%. Various cities and counties in Kansas have an additional local sales tax. Except during the 2001recession(March–November 2001), when monthly sales tax collections were flat, collections have trended higher as the economy has grown and two rate increases have been enacted. If there had been no change in sales tax rates or in the economy, the total sales tax collections for 2003 would have been $1,797 million, compared to $805.3 million in 1990. However, they instead amounted to $1,630 million an inflation-adjusted reduction of 10%. The state sales tax is a combined destination-based tax, meaning a single tax is applied that includes state, county, and local taxes, and the rate is based on where the consumer takes possession of the goods or services. Thanks to the destination structure and the numerous local special taxing districts, Kansas has 920 separate sales tax rates ranging from 6.5% to 11.5%.^[116]This taxing scheme, known as "Streamlined Sales Tax" was adopted on October 1, 2005, under the governorship ofKathleen Sebelius.^[117]Groceries are subject to sales tax in the state. All sales tax collected is remitted to the state department of revenue, and local taxes are then distributed to the various taxing agencies.

As of June 2004,Moody's Investors Serviceranked the state 14th for net tax-supported debt per capita. As a percentage of personal income, it was at 3.8%—above the median value of 2.5% for all rated states and having risen from a value of less than 1% in 1992. The state has a statutory requirement to maintain cash reserves of at least 7.5% of expenses at the end of each fiscal year; however, lawmakers can vote to override the rule, and did so during the most recent budget agreement.

During his campaign for the 2010 election, GovernorSam Brownbackcalled for a complete "phase out of Kansas's income tax".^[118]In May 2012, Governor Brownback signed into law theKansas Senate Bill Substitute HB 2117.^[119]Starting in 2013, the "ambitious tax overhaul" trimmed income tax, eliminated some corporate taxes, and createdpass-through incometax exemptions, he raised the sales tax by one percent to offset the loss to state revenues but that was inadequate. He made cuts to education and some state services to offset lost revenue.^[120]The tax cut led to years of budget shortfalls, culminating in a $350 million budget shortfall in February 2017. From 2013 to 2017, 300,000 businesses were considered to be pass-through income entities and benefited from the tax exemption. The tax reform "encouraged tens of thousands of Kansans to claim their wages and salaries as income from a business rather than from employment."^[112]

The economic growth that Brownback anticipated never materialized. He argued that it was because of "low wheat and oil prices and a downturn in aircraft sales".^[118]The state general fund debt load was $83 million in fiscal year 2010 and by fiscal year 2017 the debt load sat at $179 million.^[121]In 2016, Governor Brownback earned the title of "most unpopular governor in America". Only 26 percent of Kansas voters approved of his job performance, compared to 65 percent who said they did not.^[122]In the summer of 2016S&P GlobalRatings downgraded Kansas's credit rating.^[113]In February 2017, S&P lowered it to AA−.^[113]

In February 2017, a bi-partisan coalition presented a bill that would repeal the pass-through income exemption, the "most important provisions of Brownback's overhaul", and raise taxes to make up for the budget shortfall. Brownback vetoed the bill but "45 GOP legislators had voted in favor of the increase, while 40 voted to uphold the governor's veto."^[112]On June 6, 2017, a coalition of Democrats and newly elected Republicans overrode [Brownback's] veto and implemented tax increases to a level close to what it was before 2013.^[118]Brownback's tax overhaul was described in a June 2017 article inThe Atlanticas the United States' "most aggressive experiment in conservative economic policy".^[118]The drastic tax cuts had "threatened the viability of schools and infrastructure" in Kansas.^[118]

Kansas is served by twoInterstate highwayswith onebeltway, twospur routes, and threebypasses, with over 874 miles (1,407 km) in all. The first section of Interstate in the nation was opened onInterstate 70(I-70) just west ofTopekaon November 14, 1956.^[123]

I-70 is a major east–west route connecting toDenver, Colorado andKansas City, Missouri. Cities along this route (from west to east) includeColby,Hays,Salina,Junction City,Topeka,Lawrence,Bonner Springs, andKansas City.

I-35is a major north–south route connecting toOklahoma City, Oklahoma andDes Moines, Iowa. Cities along this route (from south to north) includeWichita,El Dorado,Emporia,Ottawa, and Kansas City (and suburbs).

Spur routes serve as connections between the two major routes.I-135, a north–south route, connects I-35 at Wichita to I-70 at Salina.I-335, a southwest–northeast route, connects I-35 at Emporia to I-70 at Topeka. I-335 and portions of I-35 and I-70 make up theKansas Turnpike. Bypasses includeI-470around Topeka,I-235around Wichita, andI-670in downtown Kansas City.I-435is a beltway around theKansas City metropolitan areawhileI-635bypasses through Kansas City.

U.S. Route 69(US-69) travels south to north, from Oklahoma to Missouri. The highway passes through the eastern section of Kansas, traveling throughBaxter Springs,Pittsburg,Frontenac,Fort Scott,Louisburg, and the Kansas City area.

Kansas also has the country's third largest state highway system after Texas and California. This is because of the high number of counties andcounty seats(105) and their intertwining.

In January 2004, theKansas Department of Transportation(KDOT) announced the new Kansas511traveler information service.^[124]By dialing 511, callers will get access to information about road conditions, construction, closures, detours and weather conditions for the state highway system. Weather and road condition information is updated every 15 minutes.

The state's only major commercial (Class C) airport isWichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, located alongUS-54on the western edge of the city.Manhattan Regional AirportinManhattanoffers daily flights toDallas/Fort Worth International Airportand Chicago'sO'Hare International Airport, making it the second-largest commercial airport in the state.^[125]Most air travelers in northeastern Kansas fly out ofKansas City International Airport, located inPlatte County, Missouri, as well asTopeka Regional Airportin the state's capital.

In the state's southeastern part, people often useTulsa International AirportinTulsa, OklahomaorJoplin Regional AirportinJoplin, Missouri. For those in the far western part of the state,Denver International Airportis a popular option. Connecting flights are also available from smaller Kansas airports inDodge City,Garden City,Hays,Hutchinson,Liberal, orSalina.

Dotted across the state are smaller regional and municipal airports, including theLawrence Municipal Airport, which houses many aircraft for the city of Lawrence and theUniversity of Kansas, Miami County Airport, Wamego Airport,Osage City Municipal Airport, which is the headquarters ofSkydive Kansas,Garden City Regional Airport,Manhattan Regional Airport, andDodge City Regional Airport.

Up through the mid 20th century, railroads connected most cities in Kansas. DuringWorld War II, less profitable links were abandoned forscrap metal drives, then additional mileage was reduced as passenger service was halted caused by the wide spread use of automobiles and trucking on the expanding highway system.

For passenger service, currently theSouthwest ChiefAmtrakroute runs through the state on its route from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California on theBNSFrailway. Stops in Kansas includeLawrence,Topeka,Newton,Hutchinson,Dodge City, andGarden City.^[126]AnAmtrak Thruwayconnects Newton to theHeartland FlyerinOklahoma City, Oklahoma.^[127]There has been proposals to modify the Amtrak routing through Kansas, such as: removing rail service from theSouthwest ChiefbetweenAlbuquerque, New Mexicoand Dodge City,^[128]and extending rail service for theHeartland Flyerfrom Oklahoma City to Newton with new stops atArkansas CityandWichita.^[129][130]

For freight service, there are threeClass I railroadsin Kansas:BNSF,Union Pacific, andCPKC; as well as manyshortline railroads.^[131]

Local transit map
D-TRAN Finney County Transit Liberal City Bus Rcat Wichita Transit Lcat PACT/Gus Bus CityGo ATA Bus Lawrence Transit Topeka Metro Johnson County Transit KCATA class=notpageimage| Local Transit Systems (Only systems with fixed-route services are shown)

Executive branch: The executive branch consists of one officer and five elected officers. The governor andlieutenant governorare elected on the sameticket. The attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, and state insurance commissioner are each elected separately.

Legislative branch: ThebicameralKansas Legislatureconsists of theKansas House of Representatives, with 125 members serving two-year terms, and theKansas Senate, with 40 members serving four-year terms.

Judicial branch: The judicial branch of the state government isheadedby theKansas Supreme Court. The court has seven judges. A vacancy is filled by the Governor picking one of three nominees selected by the nine-memberKansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The board consists of five Kansas lawyers elected by other Kansas lawyers and four members selected by the governor.

Since the 1930s, Kansas has remained one of the most socially conservative states in the nation. The 1990s brought the defeat of prominent Democrats, includingDan Glickman, and theKansas State Board of Education's 1999 decision to eliminateevolutionfrom the state teaching standards, a decision that was later reversed.^[132]In 2005, voters accepted a constitutional amendment to bansame-sex marriage. The next year, the state passed a law setting a minimum age for marriage at 15 years.^[133]Kansas's path to a solid Republican state has been examined by journalist and historianThomas Frankin his 2004 bookWhat's the Matter with Kansas?.

Starting in 1887 Kansas women could vote in city elections andhold certain offices.^[134]

Kansas was the first state to institute a system ofworkers' compensation(1910) and to regulate thesecuritiesindustry (1911). Kansas also permittedwomen's suffragein 1912, almost a decade before the federal constitution was amended to require it.^[135]Suffrage in all states would not be guaranteed until ratification of the19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitutionin 1920.

Thecouncil–manager governmentmodel was adopted by many larger Kansas cities in the years following World War I while many American cities were being run bypolitical machinesororganized crime, notably thePendergast Machinein neighboringKansas City, Missouri. Kansas was also at the center ofBrown v. Board of EducationofTopeka, a 1954 Supreme Court decision that banned racially segregated schools throughout the U.S., though, infamously, many Kansas residents opposed the decision, and it led to protests in Topeka after the verdict.^[136]

The state backed Republican Presidential CandidatesWendell WillkieandThomas E. Deweyin1940and1944, respectively, breaking ranks with the majority of the country in the election ofFranklin D. Roosevelt. Kansas also supported Dewey in1948despite the presence of incumbent presidentHarry S. Truman, who hailed fromIndependence, Missouri, approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of the Kansas–Missouri state line. After Roosevelt carried Kansas in1936, only one Democrat has won the state since,Lyndon B. Johnsonin1964.

Voter Registration as of November 2023 ^[137]

Party		Number of voters	Percentage
	Republican	869,391	44.48%
	Unaffiliated	554,236	28.35%
	Democratic	506,640	25.92%
	Libertarian	24,088	1.23%
Total		1,954,355	100.00%

In 2008, Democrat GovernorKathleen Sebeliusvetoed permits for the construction of new coal-fired energy plants in Kansas, saying: "We know that greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. As an agricultural state, Kansas is particularly vulnerable. Therefore, reducing pollutants benefits our state not only in the short term—but also for generations of Kansans to come."^[138]However, shortly after Mark Parkinson became governor in 2009 upon Sebelius's resignation to become Secretary of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Parkinson announced a compromise plan to allow construction of a coal-fired plant.

In 2010, RepublicanSam Brownbackwas elected governor with 63 percent of the state vote. He was sworn in as governor in 2011, Kansas's first Republican governor in eight years. Brownback had established himself as a conservative member of the U.S. Senate in years prior, but made several controversial decisions after becoming governor, leading to a 23% approval rating among registered voters – the lowest of any governor in the United States.^[139]In May 2011, much to the opposition of art leaders and enthusiasts in the state, Brownback eliminated the Kansas Arts Commission, making Kansas the first state without an arts agency.^[140]In July 2011, Brownback announced plans to close the Lawrence branch of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services as a cost-saving measure. Hundreds rallied against the decision.^[141]Lawrence City Commission later voted to provide the funding needed to keep the branch open.^[142]

DemocratLaura Kellydefeated former Secretary of State of KansasKris Kobachin the2018 election for Governorwith 48.0% of the vote.^[143][144]

In August 2022, Kansas voters rejected the controversialValue Them Both Amendment, which would have eliminated the right to an abortion in the state constitution. The vote was the first referendum on abortion sinceRoe v. Wadewas overturned earlier that summer, and the result was hailed as a landmark victory for pro-choice advocates in the traditionally socially conservative state.^[145]

In a 2020 study, Kansas was ranked as the 13th hardest state for citizens to vote in.^[146]

Parts of this article (those related to Section) need to be updated. The reason given is: The margin and % numbers are inaccurate for a few elections.. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (February 2023)

The state's current delegation to theCongress of the United StatesincludesRepublicanSenatorsJerry MoranofManhattan, andRoger MarshallofGreat Bend. In theHouse of Representatives, Kansas is represented by Republican RepresentativesTracey MannofQuinter(District 1),Jake LaTurnerofPittsburg(District 2),Ron EstesofWichita(District 4), and Democratic RepresentativeSharice DavidsofKansas City(District 3) Davids is the second Native American to represent Kansas in Congress, after RepublicanCharles Curtis(Kaw).

Historically, Kansas has been strongly Republican, dating from theAntebellumage when the Republican Party was created out of the movement opposing the extension of slavery into Kansas Territory. Kansas has not elected aDemocratto the U.S. Senate since the 1932 election, whenFranklin D. Rooseveltwon his first term as president in the wake of theGreat Depression. This is the longest Senate losing streak for either party in a single state. SenatorSam Brownbackwas a candidate for the Republican party nomination for president in 2008. Brownback was not a candidate for re-election to a third full term in 2010, but he was elected Governor in that year's general election. Moran defeated Tiahrt for the Republican nomination for Brownback's seat in the August 2010 primary, then won a landslide general election victory over Democrat Lisa Johnston.

The only non-Republican presidential candidates Kansas has given its electoral vote to are PopulistJames Weaverand DemocratsWilliam Jennings Bryan(once),Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt (twice), andLyndon Johnson. In 2004,George W. Bushwon the state's six electoral votes by an overwhelming margin of 25 percentage points with 62% of the vote. The only two counties to support DemocratJohn Kerryin that election wereWyandotte, which containsKansas City, andDouglas, home to theUniversity of Kansas, located inLawrence. The 2008 election brought similar results asJohn McCainwon the state with 57% of the votes. Douglas, Wyandotte, andCrawford Countywere the only counties in support of PresidentBarack Obama.^[148]

Abilene was the boyhood home to Republican presidentDwight D. Eisenhower, and he maintained lifelong ties to family and friends there. Kansas was the adult home of two losing Republican candidates (GovernorAlf Landonin1936and Senator Bob Dole in1996).

TheNew York Timesreported in September 2014 that as the Democratic candidate for Senator has tried to drop out of the race, independentGreg Ormanhas attracted enough bipartisan support to seriously challenge the reelection bid of Republican Pat Roberts:

Kansas politics have been roiled in recent years. The rise of the Tea Party and the election of President Obama have prompted Republicans to embrace a purer brand of conservatism and purge what had long been a robust moderate wing from its ranks. Mr. Roberts has sought to adapt to this new era, voting against spending bills that included projects for the state that he had sought. ^[149]

Thelegal drinking agein Kansas is 21. In lieu of the state retail sales tax, a 10% Liquor Drink Tax is collected for liquor consumed on the licensed premises and an 8% Liquor Enforcement Tax is collected on retail purchases. Although the sale of cerealmalt beverage(also known as3.2 beer) was legalized in 1937, the first post-Prohibitionlegalization of alcoholic liquor did not occur until thestate's constitutionwas amended in 1948. The following year theLegislatureenacted the Liquor Control Act which created a system of regulating, licensing, and taxing, and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) was created to enforce the act. The power to regulate cereal malt beverage remains with the cities and counties. Liquor-by-the-drink did not become legal until passage of an amendment to the state's constitution in 1986 and additional legislation the following year. As of November 2006, Kansas still has 29dry countiesand only 17 counties have passed liquor-by-the-drink with no food sales requirement.^[150]Today there are more than 2,600 liquor and 4,000 cereal malt beverage licensees in the state.^[151]

On May 12, 2022, Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation (Senate Bill 84) that legalizes sports betting in the state, making Kansas the 35th state to approve sports wagering in the US. This would give the four state-owned casinos the right to partner with online bookmakers and up to 50 retailers, including gas stations and restaurants, to engage in sports betting.^[152]

Education in Kansas is governed at the primary and secondary school level by theKansas State Board of Education. The state's public colleges and universities are supervised by theKansas Board of Regents.

Twice since 1999 the Board of Education has approved changes in the state science curriculum standards that encouraged the teaching ofintelligent design. Both times, the standards were reversed after changes in the composition of the board in the next election.

The rock bandKansaswas formed in the state capital ofTopeka, the hometown of several of the band's members.

Joe Walsh, guitarist for the famous rock band theEagles, was born in Wichita.Danny Carey, drummer for the bandTool, was raised in Paola.

Singers from Kansas includeLeavenworthnativeMelissa Etheridge,SharonnativeMartina McBride,ChanutenativeJennifer Knapp(whose first album was titledKansas),Kansas CitynativeJanelle Monáe,Prairie VillagenativeJoyce DiDonato, andLiberalnativeJerrod Niemann.

The state anthem is the American classicHome on the Range, written by Kansan Brewster Higley. Another song, the official state march adopted by the Kansas Legislature in 1935 is calledThe Kansas March, which features the lyrics, "Blue sky above us, silken strands of heat, Rim of the far horizon, where earth and heaven meet, Kansas as a temple, stands in velvet sod, Shrine which the sunshine, sanctifies to God."^[153]

The state's most famous appearance in literature was as the home of Dorothy Gale, the main character in the novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz(1900).Laura Ingalls Wilder'sLittle House on the Prairie, published in 1935, is another well-known tale about Kansas.

Kansas was also the setting of the 1965 best-sellerIn Cold Blood, described by its authorTruman Capoteas a "nonfiction novel". Mixing fact and fiction, the book chronicles the events and aftermath of the 1959 murder of a wealthy farmer and his family who lived in the small West Kansas town ofHolcombinFinney County.

The fictional town ofSmallville, Kansas is the childhood home of Clark Kent/Supermanin American comic books published byDC Comics. Also Keystone City is a Kansas city whereThe Flashworks and lives.

The science fiction novellaA Boy and His Dog, as well as thefilmbased on it,^[154]take place in post-apocalypticTopeka.

The winner of the 2011Newbery Medalfor excellence in children's literature,Moon Over Manifest, tells the story of a young and adventurous girl named Abilene who is sent to the fictional town of Manifest, Kansas, by her father in the summer of 1936. It was written by KansanClare Vanderpool.

Lawrenceis the setting for a number of science fiction writerJames Gunn's novels.

Kansas is home to a number of art museums. TheWichita Art Museumcollection focuses on American art.^[155]TheNerman Museum of Contemporary Artin Overland Park exhibits artists of national and international recognition.^[156]TheSpencer Museum of Art, at University of Kansas in Lawrence, has a diverse permanent collection and Ingrid & J.K. Lee Study Center as an education space.^[157]

The first film theater in Kansas was thePatee TheaterinLawrence. Most theaters at the time showed films only as part ofvaudevilleacts but not as an exclusive and stand alone form of entertainment. Though thePatee familyhad been involved invaudeville, they believed films could carry the evening without other variety acts, but to show the films it was necessary for the Patee's to establish a generating plant (back in 1903 Lawrence was not yet fully electrified). The Patee Theater was one of the first of its kind west of theMississippi River. The specialized equipment like theprojectorcame from New York City.^[158]

Kansas has been the setting of many award-winning and popular American films, as well as being the home of some of the oldest operating cinemas in the world. The Plaza Cinema in Ottawa, Kansas, located in the northeastern portion of the state, was built on May 22, 1907, and it is listed by theGuinness Book of World Recordsas the oldest operating cinema in the world.^[159][160]In 1926, The Jayhawk Theatre, anart-decomovie house in Topeka opened its doors for the first time to movie going audiences, and today, in addition to screenings of independent films, the theatre acts as a venue for plays and concerts. The Fox Theater in Hutchinson was built in 1930, and was placed on theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1989.^[161]Like the other theaters listed here, The Fox still plays first run movies to this day.

• As was the case with the novel,Dorothy Gale(portrayed byJudy Garland) in the 1939 fantasy filmThe Wizard of Ozwas a young girl who lived in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. The line, "We're not in Kansas anymore", has entered into the English lexicon as a phrase describing a wholly new or unexpected situation.^[162]
• The 1967 feature filmIn Cold Blood, like the book on which it was based, was set in various locations across Kansas. Many of the scenes in the film were filmed at the exact locations where the events profiled in the book took place. A1996 TV miniserieswas also based on the book.
• The 1988 filmKansasstarredAndrew McCarthyas a traveler who met up with a dangerous wanted drifter played byMatt Dillon.
• The 2005 filmCapote, for whichPhilip Seymour Hoffmanwas awarded theAcademy Award for Best Actorfor his portrayal of the title character, profiled the author as he traveled across Kansas while writingIn Cold Blood(although most of the film itself was shot in the Canadian province ofManitoba).
• The setting ofThe Day After, a 1983 made-for-television movie about a fictional nuclear attack, was the city ofLawrence.
• Due to the super heroSupermangrowing up in the fictional Smallville, Kansas, multiple films featuring the super hero have been entirely or at least partially set in Kansas includingSuperman(1978),Superman III(1983),Man of Steel(2013),Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016), andJustice League(2017).
• The 2012 filmLooperis set in Kansas.
• The 1973 filmPaper Moonin whichTatum O'Nealwon an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (The youngest to win an Academy Award) was based in and filmed in Kansas. The film was shot in the small towns ofHays;McCracken;Wilson; andSt. Joseph, Missouri. Various shooting locations include the Midland Hotel at Wilson; the railway depot atGorham; storefronts and buildings on Main Street inWhite Cloud; Hays; sites on both sides of theMissouri River;Rulo Bridge; andSaint Joseph, Missouri.
• Scenes of the 1996 filmMars Attacks!took place in the fictional town of Perkinsville. Scenes taking place in Kansas were filmed inBurns,Lawrence, andWichita.
• The 2007 filmThe Lookoutis set mostly in Kansas (although filmed in Canada). Specifically two locations; Kansas City and the fictional town of Noel, Kansas.^[163]
• The 2012 documentaryThe Gridironwas filmed atThe University of Kansas
• The 2014 ESPN documentaryNo Place Like Homewas filmed in Lawrence and the countryside ofDouglas County, Kansas
• The 2017 filmThank You for Your Serviceis primarily set in Kansas, including the cities ofTopekaandJunction City.
• The 2017 documentaryWhen Kings Reignedwas filmed in Lawrence.
• The 2019 filmBrightburntook place in the fictional town of Brightburn. As is evident with scenes in the film depicting mountains (Kansas has no mountain ranges), it was filmed in Georgia instead of in Kansas.

• The protagonist brothers of the 2005 TV showSupernaturalhail from Lawrence, with the city referenced numerous times on the show.
• Most of the second season of the TV SeriesPrison Breakhad scenes that took place in Kansas. Specifically the towns ofNess CityandTribuneas the character T–Bag searches for his ex-girlfriend who turned him in to the police. A season 1 episode also briefly took place inTopeka.
• 2006 TV seriesJerichowas based in the fictitious town of Jericho, Kansas, surviving post-nuclear America.
• Early seasons ofSmallville, about Superman as a teenager, were based in a fictional town ofSmallville, Kansas. Unlike most other adaptations of the Superman story, the series also places the fictional city ofMetropolisin western Kansas, a few hours from Smallville.
• Gunsmoke, a radio series western, ran from 1952 to 1961, took place in Dodge City, Kansas.
• Gunsmoke, television series, the longest running prime time show of the 20th century, ran from September 10, 1955, to March 31, 1975, for a total of 635 episodes.
• The 2009ShowtimeseriesUnited States of Tarais set inOverland Park, a suburb of Kansas City.

Team	Sport	League	City
Sporting Kansas City	Soccer	Major League Soccer	Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City II	Soccer	MLS Next Pro	Kansas City
Kansas City Monarchs	Baseball	American Association	Kansas City
Garden City Wind	Baseball	Pecos League	Garden City
Kaw Valley FC	Soccer	USL League Two	Lawrence, andTopeka
Salina Liberty	Indoor football	Champions Indoor Football	Salina
Southwest Kansas Storm	Indoor football	Champions Indoor Football	Dodge City
Topeka Tropics	Indoor football	Champions Indoor Football	Topeka
Wichita Thunder	Ice hockey	ECHL	Wichita
Wichita Wind Surge	Baseball	Double-A Central	Wichita

Sporting Kansas City, who have played their home games atVillage WestinKansas City, since 2008, are the first top-tierprofessional sports leagueand firstMajor League Soccerteam to be located within Kansas. In 2011 the team moved to their new home, a $165 millionsoccer specific stadiumnow known asChildren's Mercy Park.

Historically, Kansans have supported themajor leaguesports teams ofKansas City, Missouri, including theKansas City Royals(MLB), and theKansas City Chiefs(NFL), in part because the home stadiums for these teams are a few miles from the Kansas border. The Chiefs and the Royals play at theTruman Sports Complex, located about 10 miles (16 km) from the Kansas–Missouri state line.FC Kansas City, a charter member of theNational Women's Soccer League, played the2013 season, the first for both the team and the league, on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area, but played on the Missouri side until folding after the2017 season. From 1973 to 1997 theflagship radio stationfor the Royals wasWIBWin Topeka.^[164]

Some Kansans, mostly from the westernmost parts of the state, support the professional sports teams ofDenver, particularly theDenver Broncosof the NFL.

Two majorauto racingfacilities are located in Kansas. TheKansas Speedwaylocated in Kansas City hosts races of theNASCAR,IndyCar, andARCAcircuits. Also, theNational Hot Rod Association(NHRA) holdsdrag racingevents atHeartland Park Topeka. TheSports Car Club of Americahas its national headquarters in Topeka.

The history of professional sports in Kansas probably dates from the establishment of theminor league baseballTopeka Capitals andLeavenworth Soldiersin 1886 in theWestern League.^[165][166]The African-AmericanBud Fowlerplayed on the Topeka team that season, one year before the "color line" descended on professional baseball.^[166]

In 1887, the Western League was dominated by a reorganized Topeka team called theGolden Giants: a high-priced collection of major leaguer players, includingBug Holliday,Jim Conway,Dan Stearns,Perry WerdenandJimmy Macullar, which won the league by 15.5 games.^[166]On April 10, 1887, the Golden Giants also won an exhibition game from the defendingWorld Serieschampions, theSt. Louis Browns(the present-day Cardinals), by a score of 12–9. However, Topeka was unable to support the team, and it disbanded after one year.

The first night game in the history of professional baseball was played in Independence on April 28, 1930, when the Muscogee (Oklahoma) Indians beat the Independence Producers 13–3 in a minor league game sanctioned by the Western League of the Western Baseball Association with 1,500 fans attending the game. The permanent lighting system was first used for an exhibition game on April 17, 1930, between the Independence Producers and House of David semi-professional baseball team of Benton Harbor, Michigan with the Independence team winning 9–1 before a crowd of 1,700 spectators.^[167]

The governing body for intercollegiate sports in the United States, theNational Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA), was headquartered inJohnson County, Kansasfrom 1952 until moving to Indianapolis in 1999.^[168][169]

While there are no franchises of the four major professional sports within the state, many Kansans are fans of the state's major college sports teams, especially theJayhawksof theUniversity of Kansas(KU), and theWildcatsofKansas State University(KSU or "K-State"). The teams are rivals in theBig 12 Conference.

Both KU and K-State have tradition-rich programs in men's basketball. The Jayhawks are a perennial national power, ranking first in all-time victories among NCAA programs. The Jayhawks have won six national titles, including NCAA tournament championships in 1952, 1988, 2008, and 2022. They also were retroactively awarded national championships by theHelms Foundationfor 1922 and 1923. K-State also had a long stretch of success on the hardwood, lasting from the 1940s to the 1980s, making fourFinal Foursduring that stretch. In 1988, KU and K-State met in theElite Eight, KU taking the game 71–58. After a 12-year absence, the Wildcats returned to the NCAA tournament in 2008, and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2010 and 2018. KU is fifth all-time with 15 Final Four appearances, while K-State's four appearances are tied for 17th.

Conversely, success on thegridironhas been less frequent for both KSU and KU. However, there have been recent breakthroughs for both schools' football teams. The Jayhawks won theOrange Bowlfor the first time in three tries in 2008, capping a 12–1 season, the best in school history. And whenBill Snyderarrived to coach at K-State in 1989, he turned the Wildcats from one of the worst college football programs in America,^[170]into a national force for most of the 1990s and early 2000s. The team won theFiesta Bowlin 1997, achieved an undefeated (11–0) regular season and No.1 ranking in 1998, and took theBig 12 Conferencechampionship in 2003. After three seasons in which K-State football languished, Snyder came out of retirement in 2009 and guided them to the top of the college football ranks again, finishing second in the Big 12 in 2011 and earning a berth in theCotton Bowl, and winning the Big 12 again in 2012.

Wichita State University, which also fields teams (called theShockers) inDivision Iof theNCAA, is best known for its baseball and basketball programs. In baseball, the Shockers won theCollege World Seriesin 1989. In men's basketball, they appeared in the Final Four in 1965 and 2013, and entered the 2014 NCAA tournament unbeaten. The school also fielded afootballteam from 1897 to 1986. The Shocker football team is tragically known for aplane crashin 1970 that killed 31 people, including 14 players.

Notable success has also been achieved by the state's smaller schools in football.Pittsburg State University, an NCAA Division II participant, has claimed four national titles in football, two in the NAIA and most recently the 2011 NCAA Division II national title. Pittsburg State became the winningest NCAA Division II football program in 1995. PSU passed Hillsdale College at the top of the all-time victories list in the 1995 season on its march to the national runner-up finish. The Gorillas, in 96 seasons of intercollegiate competition, have accumulated 579 victories, posting a 579–301–48 overall mark.

Washburn University, in Topeka, won theNAIAMen's Basketball Championship in 1987. TheFort Hays State Universitymen won the 1996 NCAA Division II title with a 34–0 record, and the Washburn women won the 2005 NCAA Division II crown. St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College), in Atchison, won the 1954 and 1967 Men's NAIA Basketball Championships.

TheKansas Collegiate Athletic Conferencehas its roots as one of the oldest college sport conferences in existence and participates in the NAIA and all ten member schools are in the state of Kansas. Other smaller school conferences that have some members in Kansas are theMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics AssociationtheMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conference, theMidwest Christian College Conference, and theHeart of America Athletic Conference. Manyjunior collegesalso have active athletic programs.

Emporia State's women's basketball team, under head coachBrandon Schneider, who is now serving as the women's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, has seen success as well. In 2010 the team won the NCAA Division II National Championship. Emporia State and Washburn in Topeka share a heated rivalry in all sports, mostly due to the close proximity of both cities.

TheKansas Jayhawk Community College Conferencehas been heralded as one of the best conferences in all ofNJCAAfootball, withGarden City Community College,Independence Community College, andButler County Community Collegeall consistently in contention for national championships.

TheKansas State High School Activities Association(KSHSAA) is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the state of Kansas at the high school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, and sponsors championships in several sports and activities.

• Index of Kansas-related articles
• Outline of Kansas
• List of Kansas landmarks
• List of people from Kansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kansas
• USSKansas, 2 ships

• Mechem, Kirke (1956).The Annals of Kansas: 1911 to 1925.Kansas Historical Society.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 11,2019.; 559 pages.
• Mechem, Kirke (1954).The Annals of Kansas: 1886 to 1910.Kansas Historical Society.Archivedfrom the original on February 4, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 11,2019.; 535 pages.
• Wilder, Daniel W. (1886).The Annals of Kansas: 1541 to 1885. Kansas Publishing House.Archivedfrom the original on February 4, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 11,2019.; 1204 pages.
• Connelley, William E., ed. (1918),A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, Lewis Publishing Company,archivedfrom the original on August 9, 2020, retrievedSeptember 17,2018; 5 volumes; 2731 pages; (Vol1), (Vol2), (Vol3), (Vol4), (Vol5); the 1919 edition contains additional biographies.
• Connelley, William E. (1916).History of Kansas Newspapers: A History of the Newspapers and Magazines Published in Kansas from 1854 to 1916.Kansas Historical Society.Archivedfrom the original on February 4, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 11,2019.; 369 pages.
• Blackmar, Frank W., ed. (1912),Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc, Standard Publishing Co,archivedfrom the original on August 8, 2020, retrievedSeptember 17,2018; 3 volumes; 2723 pages; (Vol1), (Vol2), (Vol3)
• Everts, Louis H., ed. (1887),Official State Atlas of Kansas, L.H. Everts & Co,archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2019, retrievedApril 23,2018; 610 pages.
• Cutler, William G., ed. (1883).History of the State of Kansas. A.T. Andreas Publisher. Archived fromthe originalon November 9, 2018.; 3 volumes; 1616 pages; (Hathi TrustArchivedSeptember 22, 2020, at theWayback Machine) (Internet Archive)
• Robinson, Sara(1856).Kansas: Its Interior and Exterior Life. Crosby, Nichols and Company.

• State of Kansas
• KansasatCurlie
• Kansas Travel and Tourism DivisionArchivedFebruary 11, 2021, at theWayback Machine
• Kansas Historical SocietyArchivedJanuary 25, 2017, at theWayback Machine
• Kansas MemoryArchivedMay 17, 2013, at theWayback Machine—documents, photographs, and other primary sources provided by theKansas Historical Society
• Kansas State Agency DatabasesArchivedFebruary 25, 2020, at theWayback Machine—Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Kansas state agencies
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of KansasArchivedDecember 30, 2006, at theWayback Machine
• Kansas State Facts from USDAArchivedMay 3, 2012, at theWayback Machine

Maps

• Kansas Department of Transportation mapsArchivedFebruary 28, 2021, at theWayback Machine

• Kansas Highway Map(PDF), KSDOT, 2019,archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2021, retrievedOctober 29,2015.
• Kansas Railroad Map(PDF), KSDOT, 2019,archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2021, retrievedOctober 29,2015.

• "Access state, county, city, railroad, and other maps",Kansas Memory(digital portal), the Kansas State Historical Society,archivedfrom the original on January 20, 2021, retrievedMay 15,2013.
• Geographic data related toKansasatOpenStreetMap
• "Kansas Maps",Perry–Castañeda Library(map collection), The University of Texas,archivedfrom the original on December 15, 2017, retrievedFebruary 17,2004.

Preceded by Oregon

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on January 29, 1861 (34th)

Succeeded by West Virginia

38°N98°W / 38°N 98°W /38; -98 (State of Kansas)