Meriden is a city in Jefferson 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 744.

History

Meriden was founded in 1872. It was named by a pioneer settler for his former hometown of Meriden, New Hampshire. Several streets in Meriden are named after early settlers. Owens Street is named after Albert Owens, whom owned the land that Meriden was originally platted on in 1872. Dawson Street is named after Dr. A. Dawson, who was the first to build a dwelling in Meriden. The

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad 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 ...

originally went through the town. A depot was built in 1873. The railroad officially ceased operations on December 31, 1996. Today, there are little remnants left of the railroad line besides a few old train bridges on private property in the surrounding area.

Geography

Meriden is located at (39.1890, -95.5684). 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 , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

Meriden is part of the

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeastern Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2020 cen ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 744 people, 298 households, and 190 families in Meriden. The population density was 984.1 per square mile (380.0/km). There were 333 housing units at an average density of 440.5 per square mile (170.1/km). The racial makeup was 89.52% (666)

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 ...

(86.83%

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 ...

), 0.81% (6)

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. ...

, 2.42% (18) 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 ...

, 0.81% (6) from other races, and 6.45% (48) 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 4.44% (33) of the population. Of the 298 households, 36.2% had children under the age of 18; 41.6% were married couples living together; 28.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.2% of households consisted of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 2.8. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 10.5% of the population. 26.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 105.2 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 $61,168 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,081) and the median family income was $62,083 (+/- $8,995). Males had a median income of $40,682 (+/- $9,759) versus $24,886 (+/- $12,192) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,286 (+/- $4,345). Approximately, 7.5% of families and 8.6% 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 12.3% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% 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 813 people, 315 households, and 215 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 336 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.8%

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 ...

, 1.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population. There were 315 households, of which 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% 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, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 9.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.7% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 30.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 8.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 706 people, 260 households, and 198 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 279 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.17%

, 0.99% Native American, 0.14% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population. There were 260 households, out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were

living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.14. In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $40,221, and the median income for a family was $45,278. Males had a median income of $35,515 versus $25,769 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 $16,008. About 4.5% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the

, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Jefferson West USD 340 public school district.

References

External links

City of Meriden

Meriden - Directory of Public Officials

Meriden City Map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Jefferson County, Kansas Topeka metropolitan area, Kansas