Valley Center is a city in Sedgwick 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 a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

of Wichita. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,340.

History

Valley Center was incorporated on September 29, 1885, and was named for its location in the valley of the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...

. The former Valley Center rail depot for Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company and the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company was moved to south of Hillsboro at the southeastern corner of Indigo Rd and 140th Street and is currently a private residence. On the morning of July 17, 2007, a large explosion occurred at the Barton Solvents chemical plant in Valley Center, destroying the plant and forcing the temporary evacuation of the city. Cleanup began several weeks later, and the investigation was completed by mid-August.

Geography

Valley Center is located at (37.829719, -97.369341). 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. Valley Center is located two miles west of the combined Interstate 135, U.S. Route 81 and K-15.

Demographics

Valley Center is part of the Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 7,340 people, 2,599 households, and 1,967 families in Valley Center. The population density was 1,032.3 per square mile (398.9/km). There were 2,799 housing units at an average density of 393.7 per square mile (152.1/km). The racial makeup was 86.14% (6,323)

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 ...

, 1.38% (101) black or African-American, 1.05% (77) Native American, 0.61% (45) Asian, 0.01% (1)

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 ...

, 2.18% (160) from other races, and 8.62% (633) 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 5.5% (430) of the population. Of the 2,599 households, 44.1% had children under the age of 18; 63.1% were married couples living together; 24.5% had a female householder with no husband present. 22.3% of households consisted of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.0 and the average family size was 3.6. 40.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 82.6 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 $66,250 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,521) and the median family income $73,183 (+/- $6,598). Males had a median income of $44,175 (+/- $9,121) versus $27,475 (+/- $8,688) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $37,107 (+/- $6,335). Approximately, 1.7% of families and 2.9% 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 1.9% 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 6,822 people, 2,484 households, and 1,862 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 2,601 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.2%

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 ...

, 0.8%

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 ...

, 0.8% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population. There were 2,484 households, of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% 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, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.0% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.22. The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 31.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 11.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,883 people, 1,761 households, and 1,368 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,826 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.78%

, 0.33%

, 0.55% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.70% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.25% of the population. There were 1,761 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were

living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% 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 3.13. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $50,683, and the median income for a family was $56,667. Males had a median income of $42,917 versus $26,639 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 $20,259. About 1.0% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the

, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Valley Center USD 262 employs approximately 370 people and serves more than 2,760 children from the communities of Valley Center, Park City, Kechi, and Wichita. The schools include one Pre-K - 3 building, two K-3 schools, an intermediate school that houses the fourth and fifth grades, a sixth, seventh and eighth grade middle school, and a high school. There is also an alternative school, The Learning Center, which assists students of all ages earning their high school diploma. The Valley Center school district mascot is the Hornets.

Events

* Fall Festival - Annual event in September.

Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Valley Center include: * Cady Groves (1989-2020), pop-country singer * Patrick Miller (1980-), U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, prisoner of war

References

External links

City of Valley Center

Valley Center - Directory of Public Officials
{{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Sedgwick County, Kansas Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area Populated places established in 1885