Smith Center 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 Smith 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 1,571.

History

Smith Center was founded in 1871. The first post office in Smith Center was established in January 1873. Like Smith County, Smith Center was named for Maj. J. Nelson Smith of the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, a pre-war native of Elwood, Kansas, who died leading his regiment on October 21, 1864 at the Battle of the Little Blue River.

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. Smith Center is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 281 and 36, approximately 100 miles south of

Grand Island, Nebraska Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 53,131 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Nebraska, 4th most populous ...

and 77 miles north of Russell and

Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,665 people, 779 households, and 470 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 928 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.7%

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, 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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2%

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, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

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or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population. There were 779 households, of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.71. The median age in the city was 48.7 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 28.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 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 2000, there were 1,931 people, 852 households, and 534 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 987 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.17%

, 0.21% Native American, 0.26%

, 0.10% from other races, and 0.26% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population. There were 852 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.77. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 21.0% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 32.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,857, and the median income for a family was $36,316. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $20,667 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 $15,500. About 8.7% of families and 10.7% 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 14.0% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Smith Center government consists of a mayor and five council members.Smith Center - Directory of Public Officials
* City Hall, 119 West Court Street.

Education

Primary and secondary education

The community is served by Smith Center USD 237 public school district. The district has two schools in Smith Center: * Smith Center Junior/Senior High School, 300 Roger Barta Way, Grades 7 to 12. * Smith Center Elementary School, 216 South Jefferson Street, Grades K to 6.

Notable people

* Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle,

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

star * Nolan Cromwell, former NFL defensive back * Mitch Holthus, radio announcer for the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...

* Mark Simoneau, former NFL linebacker,

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

r *

Steve Tasker Steven Jay Tasker (born April 10, 1962) is an American sports reporter and former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Bills but began his career with th ...

, former NFL wide receiver * Albert F. "Jud" Wagner, Kansas' last confirmed World War I veteran * Evelyn Wilson, Justice of the

Kansas Supreme Court The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as t ...

References

External links

City of Smith Center

Smith Center - Directory of Public Officials

USD 237
local school district * , from ''Hatteberg's People'' on

KAKE KAKE (channel 10) is a television station in Wichita, Kansas, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on West Street in northwestern Wichita, and its transmitter is located i ...

TV news
Historic Images
- Wichita State University Libraries
Smith Center city map
KDOT {{Authority control 1871 establishments in Kansas Cities in Kansas Cities in Smith County, Kansas County seats in Kansas Populated places established in 1871