Prairie Village is a city in Johnson 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, and located within the

Kansas City Metropolitan Area The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 22,957.

History

After the successful development of the

Country Club Plaza The Country Club Plaza (often called The Plaza) is a privately owned regional shopping center in the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri. Opened in 1923, it is considered to be the first planned large outdoor su ...

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, real estate magnate J. C. Nichols turned toward development of his native Johnson County, just a few miles from the Plaza. Prairie Village was platted in 1941 and was named after Prairie School, which was established almost a century before. In 1949, Prairie Village was named the best planned community in America by the

National Association of Home Builders The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is one of the largest trade associations in the United States, representing the interests of home builders, developers, contractors, and associated businesses. NAHB is headquartered in Washington, D ...

. It incorporated in 1951. Remnants of the

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the ...

are found in the city.

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

, Osage, and Kansa Indians formerly inhabited the land now developed into the City of Prairie Village. In 1858, Thomas Porter bought 160 acres of farmland in what is now Prairie Village; he raised all his children on that farmland and was involved in agricultural development and civic affairs. Porter's sister, Betty Porter, married Thompson A. Lewis, who owned 80 acres between Mission Road and Roe Avenue. Henry Coppock arrived in Johnson County in 1857, before heading farther west to work in freighting and farming. He came back in the mid-1860s and bought land in 1865. Coppock built his family home on 900 acres in Prairie Village. Coppock's house stood for 30 years. Now on his land is Homestead County Club. The original Prairie School was built in 1882, and a new building was constructed in 1912. This landmark was a community treasure until 1990 when it was struck by a bolt of lightning during a storm. The east entrance of the 1912 building still stands at the remodeled school. In the 1940s, J.C. Nichols, an experienced developer, wanted to turn the farmland into suburban housing for white soldiers returning home from the war. Nichols bought farmland from the Porters, Coppocks, and Lewises. There were hurdles along the way including a lack of experienced builders after World War II, but this didn't stop Nichols from pursuing his goal. Prairie Village continued to expand as the Prairie Village Shopping Center opened in 1947 and the Corinth Square Shopping Center opened in 1955, with subdivisions including Corinth Hills, Corinth Meadows, Corinth Estates, Somerset Hills, Ridgeview Heights, Town & Country Estates, Calvin Crest, Prairie Hills, Prairie Fields and Prairie Ridge, to name a few.

Geography

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 22,957 people, 9,910 households, and 6,108 families in Prairie Village. The population density was 3,696.2 per square mile (1,427.1/km). There were 10,619 housing units at an average density of 1,709.7 per square mile (660.1/km). The racial makeup was 89.58% (20,565)

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 ...

(88.07%

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 ...

), 1.18% (271)

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. ...

, 0.25% (58) 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 ...

, 1.57% (360) Asian, 0.01% (2)

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 ...

, 1.01% (232) from other races, and 6.4% (1,469) 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 4.73% (1,085) of the population. Of the 9,910 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18; 51.3% were married couples living together; 29.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 31.8% of households consisted of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 52.2% of the population. 22.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 120.7 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 $88,196 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,978) and the median family income was $123,136 (+/- $8,460). Males had a median income of $65,169 (+/- $6,334) versus $46,660 (+/- $3,472) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $52,448 (+/- $2,243). Approximately, 0.7% of families and 3.9% 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 0.2% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% 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 21,447 people, 9,771 households, and 5,816 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 10,227 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3%

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 ...

, 1.0%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population. There were 9,771 households. 26.3% had children under the age of 18, 48.8% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone aged 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 21% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 22,072 people, 9,833 households, and 6,165 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 10,126 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.15%

, 0.78%

, 0.16% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.03%

, 0.64% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.27% of the population. There were 9,833 households. 26.6% had children under the age of 18, 52.8% were

living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $58,685, and the median income for a family was $70,602 (these figures had risen to $71,646 and $88,185 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $50,428 versus $37,321 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 $34,677. About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the

, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Largest employers

According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

Education

Public education in Prairie Village is administered by the

Shawnee Mission School District Shawnee Mission USD 512 is a public unified school district headquartered in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, United States. The district comprises five high schools, five middle schools, 34 elementary schools, and six District centers. In the 2023� ...

. Middle school students attend Indian Hills Middle School, whose mascot is the Knight. High school students attend Shawnee Mission East High School.

Libraries

The Johnson County Library serves residents of Prairie Village. The library's Corinth branch is in Prairie Village.

Sister cities

* Dolyna,

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (), also referred to as Ivano-Frankivshchyna () or simply Frankivshchyna, is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (region) in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. It has a pop ...

, Ukraine *

Schaerbeek (French language, French, ; former History of Dutch orthography, Dutch spelling) or (modern Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Reg ...

, Belgium

Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Prairie Village include actress and dancer Sandahl Bergman,

Joyce DiDonato Joyce DiDonato (née Flaherty; born February 13, 1969) is an American opera singer and recitalist. A coloratura mezzo-soprano, she has performed operas and concert works spanning from the 19th-century Romantic era to those by Handel and Mozart. ...

, internationally acclaimed opera singer, and former Governor of Kansas Robert Bennett.

Gallery

File:Prairie Village, Kansas - Franklin Park Pavilion.JPG, Dining pavilion at Franklin Park in Prairie Village, Kansas. File:Prairie Village, Kansas - Franklin Park Stream 1.JPG, Children playing in the stream at Franklin Park in Prairie Village, Kansas File:Prairie Village, Kansas - Franklin Park playground.JPG, Children playing on playground equipment

References

External links

City of Prairie Village

Prairie Village - Directory of Public Officials

Prairie Village city map
, KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Johnson County, Kansas Cities in Kansas City metropolitan area Populated places established in 1941 1941 establishments in Kansas