Liberal, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liberal, Kansas
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City and county seat
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      From left to right, clockwise: A welcome sign on U.S. Route 83, the Baker Arts Center, the Pioneer Mother of Kansas statue, the Liberal Chamber of Commerce office, Crosspointe Baptist Church of Liberal (formerly First Baptist Church), the Seward County Courthouse.
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| Motto(s):
"Crossroads of Commerce"
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Location within Seward County and Kansas
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Kansas | |
| County | Seward | |
| Founded | 1888 | |
| Incorporated | 1888 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11.65 sq mi (30.18 km2) | |
| • Land | 11.43 sq mi (29.60 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2) | |
| Elevation | 2,848 ft (868 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,825 | |
| • Density | 1,701.7/sq mi (656.89/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
67901, 67905
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| Area code | 620 | |
| FIPS code | 20-39825 | |
| GNIS ID | 485613 | |
Liberal is a city in Kansas, United States. It is the county seat of Seward County, Kansas. In 2024, about 18,743 people lived there. Liberal is in the southwest part of Kansas. It is located near the border with Oklahoma. The city is also home to Seward County Community College.
Contents
History of Liberal
Liberal started thanks to an early settler named Seymour S. Rogers. In 1872, he built the first house in the area. Rogers was known for giving free water to thirsty travelers. People often said, "That's very liberal of you!" This is how the town got its name.
In 1885, Rogers opened a general store. A U.S. Post Office was also set up there, and Rogers named it 'Liberal'. When the railroad came through in 1888, a plan for the town was made. By the next year, about 800 people lived in Liberal.
Some farmers left the area because of a drought. But when the nearby Indian Territory opened, more settlers came. They were looking for cheap land in what is now Oklahoma.
Important natural resources were found later. In 1920, natural gas was discovered west of town. This area became part of the huge Panhandle-Hugoton Gas Field. Then, in 1951, oil was found southwest of Liberal. In 1963, the world's largest helium plant, National Helium, opened in the city.
Geography and Climate
Liberal is in southwestern Kansas. It sits where two major roads, U.S. Route 83 and U.S. Route 54, meet. The city is about 140 miles (225 km) north of Amarillo, Texas. It is also about 202 miles (325 km) west of Wichita.
The city is located in the High Plains region. This area is part of the larger Great Plains. Liberal covers about 11.75 square miles (30.43 km2). Most of this area is land.
Weather in Liberal
Liberal has a semi-arid climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and cool, dry winters. The temperature can change a lot between day and night.
- Hot Days: The temperature reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher about 80 days a year. It gets to 100°F (38°C) or higher about 16 days a year.
- Cold Days: The temperature drops to 0°F (-18°C) or lower about 1 to 2 days a year.
- Record Temperatures: The hottest temperature ever recorded was 114°F (46°C) in June 1981. The coldest was -20°F (-29°C) in February 1930.
| Climate data for Liberal, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 85 (29) |
90 (32) |
93 (34) |
103 (39) |
106 (41) |
114 (46) |
113 (45) |
111 (44) |
108 (42) |
99 (37) |
90 (32) |
85 (29) |
114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 71.2 (21.8) |
77.2 (25.1) |
85.2 (29.6) |
90.8 (32.7) |
96.6 (35.9) |
101.7 (38.7) |
104.5 (40.3) |
101.8 (38.8) |
99.2 (37.3) |
93.0 (33.9) |
79.8 (26.6) |
70.6 (21.4) |
105.6 (40.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47.6 (8.7) |
51.0 (10.6) |
60.7 (15.9) |
69.6 (20.9) |
78.7 (25.9) |
88.8 (31.6) |
93.2 (34.0) |
91.2 (32.9) |
83.9 (28.8) |
71.5 (21.9) |
58.3 (14.6) |
47.4 (8.6) |
70.2 (21.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.7 (0.9) |
36.6 (2.6) |
45.5 (7.5) |
54.2 (12.3) |
64.2 (17.9) |
74.6 (23.7) |
79.1 (26.2) |
77.4 (25.2) |
69.5 (20.8) |
56.8 (13.8) |
43.4 (6.3) |
34.1 (1.2) |
55.8 (13.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.7 (−6.8) |
22.2 (−5.4) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
38.7 (3.7) |
49.8 (9.9) |
60.3 (15.7) |
65.1 (18.4) |
63.6 (17.6) |
55.0 (12.8) |
42.2 (5.7) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
41.4 (5.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 5.5 (−14.7) |
9.0 (−12.8) |
14.7 (−9.6) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
37.7 (3.2) |
50.9 (10.5) |
57.9 (14.4) |
57.0 (13.9) |
42.3 (5.7) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
14.1 (−9.9) |
6.4 (−14.2) |
0.1 (−17.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−20 (−29) |
−12 (−24) |
10 (−12) |
20 (−7) |
38 (3) |
48 (9) |
40 (4) |
29 (−2) |
8 (−13) |
−2 (−19) |
−15 (−26) |
−20 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.47 (12) |
0.40 (10) |
1.20 (30) |
1.80 (46) |
2.66 (68) |
3.31 (84) |
3.20 (81) |
2.72 (69) |
1.53 (39) |
2.29 (58) |
0.73 (19) |
0.80 (20) |
21.11 (536) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.5 (8.9) |
1.8 (4.6) |
2.3 (5.8) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
1.0 (2.5) |
4.6 (12) |
14.4 (36.85) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 53.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 6.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 426 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,716 | 302.8% | |
| 1920 | 3,613 | 110.5% | |
| 1930 | 5,294 | 46.5% | |
| 1940 | 4,410 | −16.7% | |
| 1950 | 7,134 | 61.8% | |
| 1960 | 13,813 | 93.6% | |
| 1970 | 13,862 | 0.4% | |
| 1980 | 14,911 | 7.6% | |
| 1990 | 16,573 | 11.1% | |
| 2000 | 19,666 | 18.7% | |
| 2010 | 20,525 | 4.4% | |
| 2020 | 19,825 | −3.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010–2020 |
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In 2020, the city of Liberal had 19,825 people. There were 6,618 households and 4,771 families. The population density was about 1,734 people per square mile.
Many different groups of people live in Liberal.
- About 38.8% of the people were White.
- About 3.3% were Black or African American.
- About 2.5% were Native American.
- About 2.6% were Asian.
- A large part of the population, about 68.1%, was Hispanic or Latino.
About 30.9% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in Liberal was 30.3 years.
Economy and Jobs
The main ways people make a living in Liberal are through Energy and agriculture (farming). The area has natural resources like oil, natural gas, and water.
The biggest employer in Liberal is the beef industry. This includes ranches, feed lots, and meat packing plants. Farmers in the area grow crops like winter wheat, corn, and alfalfa. Trucking is also a big business here.
In 2012, about 70% of people over 16 had jobs. Many people worked in:
- Making products and transportation (28.5%)
- Natural resources, building, and maintenance (20%)
- Sales and office jobs (19.9%)
The cost of living in Liberal is lower than the average for the U.S. This means it's generally cheaper to live there.
Major Employers
Here are some of the largest employers in Liberal:
| # | Employer | Employees |
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| 1 | National Beef Packing Company | 3,500 |
| 2 | Liberal USD 480 (School District) | 800 |
| 3 | Seward County Community College | 450 |
| 4 | Southwest Medical Center | 425 |
| 5 | Walmart Stores | 350 |
| 6 | Seaboard Foods | 275 |
| 7 | Seward County | 200 |
| 8 | City of Liberal | 200 |
| 9 | National Carriers | 200 |
| 10 | Panhandle Oilfield Services | 175 |
Education in Liberal
Colleges
- Seward County Community College is located in Liberal.
Schools for Kids
The public schools in Liberal are part of the Liberal USD 480 school district. They have twelve schools:
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There is also a private Christian school called Fellowship Baptist School (Kindergarten to 12th grade).
Getting Around Liberal
Liberal is connected by major roads. U.S. Route 83 goes north and south. U.S. Route 54 goes northeast and southwest. U.S. Route 270 also starts in Liberal.
The Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport is just west of the city. It has flights to Denver. The Union Pacific Railroad also runs through Liberal.
For getting around the city, there is the Liberal City Bus. It offers bus routes and on-demand rides during the week.
Media and News
Liberal is a center for radio and TV in southwest Kansas.
- Newspapers: The main newspaper is the Leader & Times, published six days a week. There is also a Spanish newspaper called El Lider. Students at Seward County Community College publish the Crusader. The Liberal Light is a weekly paper.
- Radio: Liberal has two AM and seven FM radio stations.
- Television: One TV station, KSWE-LD, broadcasts from Liberal. People can also watch channels from Wichita/Hutchinson and Amarillo, Texas, on cable.
Fun Things to Do
Events and Traditions
Liberal is famous for its yearly Pancake Day race. This race is held against the town of Olney, United Kingdom. They compete to see which city has the fastest pancake race time!
Places to Visit
- Adventure Bay Water Park: Liberal has a fun water park called Adventure Bay.
- Mid-America Air Museum: This museum has one of the largest collections of civilian and military aircraft in the United States. It has over one hundred planes!
- Coronado Museum: Here you can learn about the Native Americans who lived in the area. It also has items from Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's trip in 1541. You can also learn about farming and ranching history.
- The Land of Oz Exhibit: If you love The Wizard of Oz, you can visit a special exhibit in Liberal. It's a recreation of Dorothy Gale's house and the famous Yellow Brick Road. Many famous people, like Bob Dole and Liza Minnelli, have bricks with their names on the road.
- Liberal Memorial Library: This library is in Cooper Park. Outside the library, you can see the "Pioneer Mother of Kansas" statue. There is also a "Statue of Liberty" that was given by the Boy Scouts of America.
Sports
The Liberal Bee Jays are a semi-professional baseball team. They have won five national championships and many state championships. Many players from the Bee Jays have gone on to play in the major leagues.
Famous People from Liberal
Many notable people were born in or have lived in Liberal, including:
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See also
In Spanish: Liberal (Kansas) para niños
