Hill City is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Graham 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 1,403.

History

The first settlement at Hill City was made in 1876, making it the oldest town in Graham County. The community was named after W. R. Hill, a first settler. Hill City was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...

ted in 1878. The first post office in Hill City was established in September 1878. Hill City was designated county seat in 1880. By 1915, Hill City had 647 inhabitants.

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

On June 9, 2005, a large tornado passed one mile south of Hill City. Another large tornado hit just north of the city on June 20, 2011. On June 26, 2012, the temperature reached 115 °F (46 °C), breaking the June record tied just two days earlier and during the Dust Bowl on June 30, 1933; the town was the hottest city in the United States for four days in a row, with temperatures of 114°, 111°, 115°, and 115 °F (46°, 44°, 46°, and 46 °C).

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 1,403 people, 625 households, and 359 families in Hill City. The population density was 1,397.4 per square mile (539.5/km). There were 760 housing units at an average density of 757.0 per square mile (292.3/km). The racial makeup was 92.3% (1,295)

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 ...

(90.81%

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 ...

), 2.0% (28)

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. ...

, 0.43% (6) 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 ...

, 0.93% (13) Asian, 0.07% (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 ...

, 0.36% (5) from other races, and 3.92% (55) from two or more races.

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 2.92% (41) of the population. Of the 625 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18; 45.0% were married couples living together; 27.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 37.6% of households consisted of individuals and 23.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.0 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 19.7% of the population. 22.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 107.0 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 $36,469 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,528) and the median family income was $52,639 (+/- $14,837). Males had a median income of $34,194 (+/- $3,300) versus $28,194 (+/- $3,697) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $31,375 (+/- $2,111). Approximately, 15.0% of families and 15.0% 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 10.9% of those under the age of 18 and 19.9% 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 1,474 people, 669 households, and 404 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 783 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.2%

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 ...

, 4.5%

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 ...

, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population. There were 669 households, of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% 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, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.76. The median age in the city was 48 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 23.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,604 people, 696 households, and 448 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 795 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.33%

, 3.43%

, 0.19% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.06%

, 0.69% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.12% of the population. There were 696 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were

living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.80. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,236, and the median income for a family was $36,500. Males had a median income of $26,207 versus $18,295 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 $16,989. About 6.2% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the

, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Graham County USD 281 public school district. The district elementary and junior/senior high school are located in Hill City. It was previously known as Hill City USD 281.

Notable people

* Charles V. Park (1885–1982) — noted

librarian A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...

for whom the Charles V. Park Library at

Central Michigan University Central Michigan University (CMU) is a Public university, public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eigh ...

is named; born in Hill City

References

External links

City of Hill City

Hill City - Directory of Public Officials

Hill City map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Graham County, Kansas 1876 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1876