Howard 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 Elk 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 570.

History

Howard was founded in 1870, and it was incorporated as a city in 1877. Howard was named after

Oliver O. Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army, Union General officer, general in the American Civil War, Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard ...

, a Union Army general during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

and founder of

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

. The first post office in Howard was established in February, 1870. As of 1901, Howard was a

sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, were all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States. They were towns that practiced a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combinati ...

where African Americans were not allowed to live.

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, Howard 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

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 570 people, 268 households, and 148 families in Howard. The population density was 808.5 per square mile (312.2/km). There were 347 housing units at an average density of 492.2 per square mile (190.0/km). The racial makeup was 90.88% (518)

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 ...

(89.12%

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 ...

), 0.35% (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. ...

, 1.23% (7) 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 ...

, 0.18% (1) 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 ...

, 1.05% (6) from other races, and 6.32% (36) 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 4.56% (26) of the population. Of the 268 households, 20.1% had children under the age of 18; 44.8% were married couples living together; 35.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 39.9% of households consisted of individuals and 28.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 21.2% of the population. 23.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 17.7% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 29.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 123.1 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 $39,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,890) and the median family income was $61,167 (+/- $6,692). Males had a median income of $38,750 (+/- $13,936) versus $13,500 (+/- $9,870) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,944 (+/- $7,633). Approximately, 11.4% of families and 23.7% 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 26.8% of those under the age of 18 and 14.4% 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 687 people, 318 households, and 176 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 415 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.1%

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 ...

, 1.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.1% of the population. There were 318 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.7% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age in the city was 49.6 years. 19.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.5% 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 808 people, 350 households, and 215 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 452 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.93%

, 0.25%

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 ...

, 1.24% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population. There were 350 households, out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were

living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 19.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 30.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,822, and the median income for a family was $28,365. Males had a median income of $24,886 versus $16,354 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 $15,441. About 11.9% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the

, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by West Elk USD 282 public school district. School unification consolidated Moline, Howard and Severy schools forming USD 282. West Elk High School is located in Howard. The West Elk High School mascot is Patriots. Prior to school unification, the Howard High School mascot was Pirates.

References

External links

City of Howard

Howard - Directory of Public Officials

Howard city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Elk County, Kansas Sundown towns in Kansas