Otis is a city in Rush 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 296.

History

Otis was founded in 1886, and named for the founder's son, Otis Modderwell. The first post office in Otis was established in August 1887.

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 296 people, 118 households, and 66 families in Otis. The population density was 945.7 per square mile (365.1/km). There were 162 housing units at an average density of 517.6 per square mile (199.8/km). The racial makeup was 91.22% (270)

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 ...

(88.85%

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. ...

, 1.01% (3) 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 ...

, 0.68% (2) from other races, and 6.76% (20) 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 6.42% (19) of the population. Of the 118 households, 21.2% had children under the age of 18; 49.2% were married couples living together; 16.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.6% of households consisted of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.9 and the average family size was 4.2. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 6.4% of the population. 21.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 84.9 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 $38,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $24,369) and the median family income was $55,781 (+/- $11,218). Males had a median income of $30,250 (+/- $18,809) versus $25,972 (+/- $19,542) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,591 (+/- $13,376). Approximately, 8.2% of families and 10.4% 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 7.9% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% 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 282 people, 146 households, and 84 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 169 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.1%

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 ...

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population. There were 146 households, of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% 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, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.56. The median age in the city was 52.7 years. 16% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.2% were from 25 to 44; 37.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 325 people, 148 households, and 92 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 170 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.77%

, 0.31% Native American, 0.31% Asian, and 0.62% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population. There were 148 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were

living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.82. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,109, and the median income for a family was $35,625. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $18,929 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 $14,290. About 4.5% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the

, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

The Linde Group Linde is a global Multinational corporation, multinational chemical company and the world's largest industrial gas supplier by market share and revenue. Founded by German scientist and engineer Carl von Linde in 1879 in Wiesbaden, Germany, the ...

, based in

Munich, Germany Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, operates the world's second largest

helium Helium (from ) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol He and atomic number 2. It is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic, inert gas, inert, monatomic gas and the first in the noble gas group in the periodic table. Its boiling point is ...

production facility in Otis, producing nearly one-sixth of the global supply of the gas. The Otis facility supplies helium to the

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the American-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States ...

, sending nearly in 2008 alone.

Education

The community is served by Otis–Bison USD 403 public school district. School unification consolidated Otis and Bison schools forming USD 403. The Otis-Bison High School mascot is Cougars. Otis schools were closed through school unification. The Otis High School mascot was Eagles."Otis Drops Bazine For Ninth Straight", The Hays Daily News, 7 January 1962, p.12.

References

External links

Otis - Directory of Public Officials

USD 403
local school district

Legends of Kansas * Rush County maps
CurrentHistoric
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Rush County, Kansas Cities in Kansas