Bennington is a city in Ottawa County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 622.

History

19th century

Bennington was platted in 1878 and grew to a population of over 200 within three years.History of Bennington
The city name comes from one of two sources. A paper written on the history of Bennington states that Bennington is an Indian name meaning "place of fine trees." The same article also states that co-city founder George R. Parker gave the town its name after

Bennington, Vermont Bennington is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester (town), Vermont, Manchester. As of the 2020 United States Census, US Cens ...

.History of Bennington (continued)
The Solomon Valley Railroad, a branch of the

Kansas Pacific Railroad The Kansas Pacific Railway (KP) was a historic railroad company that operated in the western United States in the late 19th century. It was a federally chartered railroad, backed with government land grants. At a time when the first transcontin ...

, reached Bennington in 1878. In 1879, the first school was located one half mile south of town. In 1918, a new school house was built. In 1938, an auditorium was added; in 1955 a shop was added; and in 1961 a new grade school building was annexed.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Bennington has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Bennington is part of the Salina Micropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 622 people, 254 households, and 163 families in Bennington. The population density was 1,481.0 per square mile (571.8/km). There were 270 housing units at an average density of 642.9 per square mile (248.2/km). The racial makeup was 91.8% (571)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(91.0%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 0.32% (2)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.48% (3) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.0% (0) Asian, 0.0% (0)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 0.16% (1) from other races, and 7.23% (45) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 2.25% (14) of the population. Of the 254 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18; 49.6% were married couples living together; 24.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 28.7% of households consisted of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.5. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 23.0% of the population. 24.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 103.5 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $67,143 (with a margin of error of +/- $13,979) and the median family income was $73,913 (+/- $5,512). Males had a median income of $40,703 (+/- $5,196) versus $23,594 (+/- $10,436) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,365 (+/- $2,567). Approximately, 13.0% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 37.1% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 672 people, 261 households, and 188 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 283 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, and 1.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population. There were 261 households, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.0% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age in the city was 37.4 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.3% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.8% male and 47.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 623 people, 245 households, and 182 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 266 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.75%

, 0.16%

, 0.16% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.16%

, 0.32% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population. There were 245 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,303, and the median income for a family was $45,972. Males had a median income of $32,143 versus $21,429 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $15,919. About 5.1% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the

, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Bennington government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 pm.Bennington - Directory of Public Officials

* City Hall, 121 North Nelson Street. * U.S. Post Office, 116 North Nelson Street.

Education

The community is served by Twin Valley USD 240 public school district. * Bennington High School, 301 North Putnam Street. * Bennington Junior High School, 301 North Putnam Street. * Bennington Grade School, 223 North Putnam Street.

References

External links

City of Bennington

Bennington - Directory of Public Officials
* , from ''Hatteberg's People'' on

KAKE KAKE (channel 10) is a television station in Wichita, Kansas, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on West Street in northwestern Wichita, and its transmitter is located i ...

TV news * , from ''Hatteberg's People'' on

TV news
Bennington city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Ottawa County, Kansas Salina, Kansas micropolitan area 1878 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1878