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List of cities in Kansas facts for kids

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Kansas in United States
Map of the United States with Kansas highlighted

Kansas is a state located in the central part of the United States. In 2023, about 2.94 million people lived in Kansas. The state is growing slowly, ranking 31st out of all 50 states. Kansas is also quite large, being the 13th biggest state by land area. It covers about 81,759 square miles (211,754 square kilometers). The state is divided into 105 counties and has 627 official communities called cities.

What Makes a City in Kansas?

In Kansas, all official communities are called cities. This is different from some other states where you might find towns or villages. Kansas is one of only 11 states that only have cities as their official local governments.

Once a community becomes an official city in Kansas, it stays a city. This is true even if its population drops below the number usually needed to become a city. If people decide to un-incorporate (stop being an official city) and then want to become a city again later, they have to meet the current rules for new cities.

Kansas cities are grouped into three different classes based on their population:

  • Cities of the 3rd Class

When a community first becomes a city, it starts as a 3rd class city. To do this, it usually needs to have at least 300 people. Or, it can have 300 or more building lots that have water and sewer lines. The rules for becoming a city have changed over time, so older cities might have started with fewer people.

  • Cities of the 2nd Class

A city can ask to become a 2nd class city when its population is more than 2,000 but less than 15,000. A city with 2,000 to 15,000 people can choose to stay a 3rd class city. However, once it reaches 15,000 people, it must become a 2nd class city.

  • Cities of the 1st Class

A city can ask to become a 1st class city when its population reaches 15,000. If a city has between 15,000 and 25,000 people, it can choose to remain a 2nd class city. But, when it reaches 25,000 people, it must become a 1st class city.

Kansas's Biggest Cities

Here are some of the largest cities in Kansas, based on population numbers from 2020 and 2022. Only cities with over 4,000 people are listed. Topeka is special because it's not only the biggest city in Shawnee County, but it's also the capital city of Kansas!

Wichita-ks
Wichita, Kansas, the most populated city in Kansas
Quality-i70
Kansas City, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas, the capital of Kansas
2022 Rank City 2022 Estimate 2020 Census Change County
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 Wichita † 396,192 397,532 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.34% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 Overland Park 197,726 197,238 &10000000000000000247416+0.25% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 Kansas City † 153,345 156,607 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.08% Wyandotte
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 Olathe † 145,616 141,290 &10000000000000003061787+3.06% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 Topeka †† 125,449 126,587 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.90% Shawnee
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 Lawrence † 95,794 94,934 &10000000000000000905892+0.91% Douglas
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 Shawnee 69,198 67,311 &10000000000000002803405+2.80% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 Lenexa 58,617 57,434 &10000000000000002059755+2.06% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 Manhattan † 53,829 54,100 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.50% Riley
Pottawatomie
&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 Salina † 46,231 46,889 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.40% Saline
&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 Hutchinson † 39,699 40,006 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.77% Reno
&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 Leavenworth † 37,081 37,351 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.72% Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 Leawood 33,713 33,902 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.56% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 Garden City † 27,519 28,151 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.25% Finney
&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 Dodge City † 27,422 27,788 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.32% Ford
&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 Derby 25,939 25,625 &10000000000000001225365+1.23% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 Gardner 24,206 23,287 &10000000000000003946407+3.95% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 Emporia † 23,941 24,139 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.82% Lyon
&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 Prairie Village 22,947 22,957 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.04% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 Junction City † 22,264 22,932 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.91% Geary
&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 Hays † 21,136 21,116 &10000000000000000094714+0.09% Ellis
&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 Pittsburg 20,658 20,646 &10000000000000000058122+0.06% Crawford
&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 Liberal † 19,274 19,825 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.78% Seward
&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024 Newton † 18,392 18,602 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.13% Harvey
&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 Andover 15,628 14,892 &10000000000000004942250+4.94% Butler
&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 Great Bend † 14,489 14,733 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.66% Barton
&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 McPherson † 13,865 14,082 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.54% McPherson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 El Dorado † 12,865 12,870 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.04% Butler
&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 Ottawa † 12,613 12,625 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.10% Franklin
&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 Arkansas City 11,923 11,974 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.43% Cowley
&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 Winfield † 11,701 11,777 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.65% Cowley
&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 Haysville 11,287 11,262 &10000000000000000221985+0.22% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 Lansing 11,187 11,239 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.46% Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034 Merriam 10,966 11,098 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.19% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 Atchison † 10,730 10,885 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.42% Atchison
&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 Mission 9,813 9,954 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.42% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 Parsons 9,382 9,600 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.27% Labette
&&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 Spring Hill 9,242 7,952 &10000000000000016222334+16.22% Johnson
Miami
&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 Augusta 9,222 9,256 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.37% Butler
&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040 Bel Aire 8,822 8,262 &10000000000000006778019+6.78% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041 Coffeyville 8,690 8,826 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.54% Montgomery
&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042 Park City 8,656 8,333 &10000000000000003876155+3.88% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043 Chanute 8,568 8,722 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.77% Neosho
&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 Independence † 8,436 8,548 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.31% Montgomery
&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 Bonner Springs 7,666 7,837 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.18% Wyandotte
Johnson
Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046 Wellington † 7,640 7,715 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.97% Sumner
&&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047 Fort Scott † 7,615 7,552 &10000000000000000834216+0.83% Bourbon
&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048 Basehor 7,544 6,896 &10000000000000009396751+9.40% Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049 Valley Center 7,348 7,340 &10000000000000000108991+0.11% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 Roeland Park 6,771 6,871 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.46% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 Mulvane 6,763 6,286 &10000000000000007588291+7.59% Sumner
Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052 Pratt † 6,534 6,603 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.04% Pratt
&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.&&&&&053 De Soto 6,478 6,118 &10000000000000005884275+5.88% Johnson
Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054 Abilene † 6,441 6,460 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.29% Dickinson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&055.&&&&&055 Eudora 6,426 6,408 &10000000000000000280898+0.28% Douglas
&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 Maize 6,405 5,735 &10000000000000011682650+11.68% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&057.&&&&&057 Tonganoxie 5,850 5,573 &10000000000000004970392+4.97% Leavenworth
&&&&&&&&&&&&&058.&&&&&058 Paola † 5,738 5,768 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.52% Miami
&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.&&&&&059 Ulysses † 5,659 5,788 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.23% Grant
&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060 Goddard 5,559 5,084 &10000000000000009343036+9.34% Sedgwick
&&&&&&&&&&&&&061.&&&&&061 Colby † 5,542 5,570 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.50% Thomas
&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062 Iola † 5,401 5,396 &10000000000000000092661+0.09% Allen
&&&&&&&&&&&&&063.&&&&&063 Louisburg 5,057 4,969 &10000000000000001770980+1.77% Miami
&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 Concordia † 5,054 5,111 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.12% Cloud
&&&&&&&&&&&&&065.&&&&&065 Baldwin City 4,906 4,826 &10000000000000001657687+1.66% Douglas
&&&&&&&&&&&&&066.&&&&&066 Wamego 4,880 4,841 &10000000000000000805618+0.81% Pottawatomie
Wabaunsee
&&&&&&&&&&&&&067.&&&&&067 Edwardsville 4,648 4,717 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.46% Wyandotte
&&&&&&&&&&&&&068.&&&&&068 Goodland † 4,392 4,465 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.63% Sherman
&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.&&&&&069 Russell † 4,351 4,401 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.14% Russell
&&&&&&&&&&&&&070.&&&&&070 Rose Hill 4,294 4,185 &10000000000000002604540+2.60% Butler
&&&&&&&&&&&&&071.&&&&&071 Osawatomie 4,238 4,255 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.40% Miami
&&&&&&&&&&&&&072.&&&&&072 Fairway 4,170 4,170 0.00% Johnson
&&&&&&&&&&&&&073.&&&&&073 Clay Center † 4,123 4,199 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.81% Clay
&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074 Scott City † 4,008 4,113 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.55% Scott


Military Bases in Kansas

Clocktower-Sherman-Grant-SheridanHalls Nov-2002 0056
Grant Hall, the main building at Fort Leavenworth

Besides regular cities, Kansas also has important military bases. These bases are like small towns themselves, with many people living and working there. In 2016, over 85,000 people lived on military bases in Kansas. This included more than 25,000 active duty military members. Even though they aren't called "cities," these military places are definitely big population centers.

Here are some of the main military bases in Kansas:

Installation Total Population on Base Active Duty Military County
Fort Riley 54,957 18,553 Riley and Geary
McConnell Air Force Base 17,523 2,989 Sedgwick
Fort Leavenworth 12,733 5,383 Leavenworth

Fictional Cities in Kansas

Kansas is a well-known state, so it's often used as a setting for stories, movies, and TV shows! Here are some famous fictional cities in Kansas:

  • Flowers, Kansas: From the book The Van Gogh Cafe, located along the I-70 highway.
  • Jericho, Kansas: This was the setting for the 2006 TV series Jericho. It was imagined to be in northwest Kansas, near the real cities of Colby and Oakley.
  • Rustwater, Kansas: The town where the 1992 movie Leap of Faith takes place.
  • Smallville, Kansas: This is the childhood home of the famous superhero Superman.
  • Stubbville, Kansas: A town that the "people train" passes through near Wichita in the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
  • Nowhere, Kansas: The closest town to the main farmhouse in the 1999 animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog.
  • Rachel, Kansas: The setting for the 1966 film, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
  • Pork Corners, Kansas: The hometown of Sgt. Orville Snorkel from the Beetle Bailey comics.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Localidades de Kansas para niños

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