Courtland is a city in Republic 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 294.

History

The first settlement was made at Courtland in 1885. A post office was opened in Prospect (an extinct town) in 1878, but it was moved to Courtland in 1888. The community was named after

Cortland, New York Cortland is a city and the county seat of Cortland County, New York, United States. Known as the Crown City, Cortland is in New York's Southern Tier region. As of 2024, the estimated population of Cortland, New York, is 17,196, reflecting a dec ...

, but may also be named for Courtland, a city near Mankato, Minnesota, which shares the same spelling. In 1887,

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

built a branch line from

Neva The Neva ( , ; , ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it is the fourth- ...

(four miles west of Strong City) through Courtland to

Superior, Nebraska Superior is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,957. Superior bills itself as the "Victorian Capital of Nebraska", and holds an annual Victorian Festival.

. In 1996, the

merged with

Burlington Northern Railroad The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States–based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995. Its historical lineage begins in the earliest days of railroad ...

and renamed to the current

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe". Courtland was incorporated as a city in 1892.

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.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 294 people, 116 households, and 64 families in Courtland. The population density was 1,092.9 per square mile (422.0/km). There were 149 housing units at an average density of 553.9 per square mile (213.9/km). The racial makeup was 93.2% (274)

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 ...

(92.52%

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 ...

), 0.34% (1)

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. ...

, 0.0% (0) 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, 0.34% (1)

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 ...

, 0.0% (0) from other races, and 6.12% (18) 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 2.04% (6) of the population. Of the 116 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18; 47.4% were married couples living together; 20.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 36.2% of households consisted of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.1. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 17.3% of the population. 27.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 94.5 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 $49,297 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,268) and the median family income was $66,563 (+/- $4,397). Males had a median income of $35,625 (+/- $2,748) versus $30,469 (+/- $19,094) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $31,389 (+/- $1,963). Approximately, 2.7% of families and 4.1% 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 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 14.9% 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 285 people, 137 households, and 82 families living 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 161 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.9%

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 ...

, 0.7%

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 ...

, and 0.4% Asian.

or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population. There were 137 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.66. The median age in the city was 46.1 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.8% were from 45 to 64; and 22.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.6% male and 47.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 334 people, 149 households, and 96 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 174 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.80%

, 0.30%

, 0.30% Native American, 0.60% from other races.

or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population. There were 149 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were

living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.84. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 29.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,188, and the median income for a family was $37,778. Males had a median income of $26,667 versus $13,500 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 $14,543. About 6.3% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the

, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.

Area events

Courtland Fun Day - annual summer celebration held the last Saturday in July since 1964.

Education

The community is served by Pike Valley USD 426 public school district. School unification consolidated Courtland and

Scandia Scandza was described as a "great island" by Gothic-Byzantine historian Jordanes in his work ''Getica''. The island was located in the Arctic regions of the sea that surrounded the world. The location is usually identified with Scandinavia. Jor ...

schools forming the district. The Pike Valley High School mascot is Panthers. Prior to school unification, the Courtland High School mascot was Courtland Tigers. The Courtland Tigers won the Kansas State High School boys class B Indoor Track & Field championship in 1961.

References

External links

City of Courtland

Courtland - Directory of Public Officials

Courtland city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Republic County, Kansas 1885 establishments in Kansas