Downs is a city in Osborne 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 800.

History

Downs had its start in the year 1879 when the Central Branch Railroad was extended to that point. It was named for William F. Downs, a railroad official from Atchison. Downs became an incorporated town in December of the same year. In 1910, the city had a population of 1,427. Business included two newspapers, a public library,

flour mills A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...

grain elevator A grain elevator or grain terminal is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lowe ...

s, and an opera house.

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 800 people, 384 households, and 202 families in Downs. The population density was 714.3 per square mile (275.8/km). There were 499 housing units at an average density of 445.5 per square mile (172.0/km). The racial makeup was 92.75% (742)

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 ...

(92.38%

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 ...

), 0.0% (0)

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. ...

, 1.12% (9) 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 ...

, 0.38% (3) 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 ...

, 1.38% (11) from other races, and 4.38% (35) 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 2.38% (19) of the population. Of the 384 households, 16.4% had children under the age of 18; 43.8% were married couples living together; 27.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 42.2% of households consisted of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.7 and the average family size was 2.4. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 15.1% of the population. 18.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 33.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 109.3 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 $44,013 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,965) and the median family income was $62,778 (+/- $21,479). Males had a median income of $39,583 (+/- $10,879) versus $26,538 (+/- $8,014) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,250 (+/- $9,794). Approximately, 7.9% of families and 13.5% 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 4.5% of those under the age of 18 and 5.8% 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 900 people, 424 households, and 239 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 508 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.6%

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 ...

, 0.1%

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 ...

, 1.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, and 0.7% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population. There were 424 households, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.6% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.68. The median age in the city was 49.5 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.1% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 26% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,038 people, 474 households, and 273 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 543 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.75%

, 0.67% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population. There were 474 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were

living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.5% 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 2.77. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 29.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,808, and the median income for a family was $36,518. Males had a median income of $24,940 versus $16,302 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 $15,001. About 9.0% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the

, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Waconda USD 272 public school district. The district elementary school is Lakeside Elementary School in Cawker City. The district high school is Lakeside High School in Downs, with the mascot Knights. School unification combined Downs and Waconda East schools into

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

272 in 2003. The combined high school became Lakeside Jr./Sr. High School located in Downs. Downs High School was closed through school unification. The Downs High School mascot was Dragons. The Downs Dragons won the following Kansas State High School championships: * 1938 Boys Basketball - Class B * 1950 Boys Basketball - Class B * 1988 Boys Cross Country - Class 2-1A Previously the community had Downs Elementary School and Downs Junior High School.Home
Waconda USD 272. April 9, 2002. Retrieved on February 25, 2017.

Notable people

Francis Schmidt Francis Albert Schmidt (December 3, 1885 – September 19, 1944) was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at the University of Tulsa (1919–1921), the University of Ark ...

, football and basketball coach

References

External links

City of Downs

Downs - Directory of Public Officials

Historic Images of Downs
Wichita State University Library
Downs city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Osborne County, Kansas 1879 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1879