| Newton, Kansas | |
| Settlement Type: | City and County seat |
| Image Map1: | Map of Harvey Co, Ks, USA.png |
| Map Caption1: | KDOT map of Harvey County (legend) |
| Coordinates: | 38.0372°N -97.345°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kansas |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Harvey |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | Newton |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1871 |
| Established Title1: | Platted |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1872, 1880 |
| Named For: | Newton, Massachusetts |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Leroy Koehn |
| Leader Title1: | City Manager |
| Leader Name1: | Kelly McElroy |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 14.57 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 14.57 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Km2: | 37.73 |
| Area Land Km2: | 37.73 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Elevation Ft: | 1434 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 18602 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 67114 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 316 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 485629 |
Newton is a city in and the county seat of Harvey County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 18,602.[2] [3] Newton is located 25miles north of Wichita. The city of North Newton is located immediately north and exists as a separate political entity. Newton is located at the intersection of Interstate 135, U.S. Route 50, and U.S. Route 81 highways.
See also: History of Kansas.
For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1872, Harvey County was founded.
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia westward to Newton by July 1871.[4] The town soon became an important railroad shipping point of Texas cattle.[5]
The city was founded in 1871 and named after Newton, Massachusetts, home of some of the Santa Fe stockholders.[6]
In August 1871, there was a Gunfight at Hide Park, in which a total of eight men were killed. The incident began with an argument between two local lawmen, Billy Bailey and Mike McCluskie. Because of this incident, Newton became known as "bloody and lawless—the wickedest city in the west.".[7]
In 1872, the western terminal for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the railhead for the Chisholm Trail were established here. Shortly after incorporation of the city in 1872, the Newton city council passed an ordinance prohibiting the running at large of buffalo and other wild animals.[8]
During World War II, the Newton airport was taken over by the US Navy as a secondary Naval Air Station, and the main runway was extended to over 7000feet.
Newton served as the Middle Division dispatching headquarters for the "Santa Fe" until the mid-1980s, when all dispatching for the Chicago to Los Angeles system was centralized in the Chicago area. In 1995, the Santa Fe merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad, and is now known as the BNSF Railway. The BNSF continues to be a large industrial taxpayer although its impact as an employer has decreased in the past decade.
On February 25, 2016, Newton was the site of the first of several related shooting incidents, which culminated in a mass shooting at an Excel Industries building in nearby Hesston that left three people dead and twelve others injured.[9] [10] The shooter, identified as Excel employee Cedric Larry Ford, was then killed by a responding police officer.[11] [12]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.6sqmi, all of it land.[13]
The city is in the central portion of the continental United States. U.S. Highway 81, also known as the Meridian Highway, stretches from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Mexico City, Mexico through Central and South America. It passes through Newton, Kansas and is known as "Main Street." U.S. Highway 50 runs past the White House in Washington, DC through Newton, Kansas and continues on to Sacramento, California.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Newton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[14]
Newton is included in the Wichita metropolitan statistical area (MSA). It is located in Harvey County which is an agricultural and small manufacturing county with 34,361 people. Harvey County Kansas is part of a 5 county Metro Area with 650,000 people, the largest anchored in the state of Kansas. The major city in this metro area is Wichita, Kansas, 20 miles (20 minutes) to the South via I-135.
The 2020 United States census counted 18,602 people, 7,501 households, and 4,798 families in Newton.[15] The population density was 1,276.4 per square mile (492.8/km). There were 8,256 housing units at an average density of 566.5 per square mile (218.7/km).[16] [17] The racial makeup was 78.79% (14,657) white or European American (73.12% non-Hispanic white), 2.53% (471) black or African-American, 1.01% (188) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.88% (164) Asian, 0.02% (4) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 6.72% (1,250) from other races, and 10.04% (1,868) from two or more races.[18] Hispanic or Latino of any race was 17.77% (3,306) of the population.[19]
Of the 7,501 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18; 47.2% were married couples living together; 27.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 31.1% of households consisted of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.0.[20] The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 21.5% of the population.[21]
24.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 106.8 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $56,729 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,501) and the median family income was $66,806 (+/- $5,072).[22] Males had a median income of $41,413 (+/- $3,677) versus $29,782 (+/- $3,872) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $35,192 (+/- $2,644).[23] Approximately, 6.7% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under the age of 18 and 9.4% of those ages 65 or over.[24] [25]
As of the census[26] of 2010, there were 19,132 people, 7,584 households, and 5,045 families living in the city.[27] The population density was 1518.4PD/sqmi. There were 8,237 housing units at an average density of 653.7/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.4% White, 2.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 4.7% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.3% of the population.
There were 7,584 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.01.
The median age in the city was 36.8 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
As of the census[28] of 2000, there were 17,190 people, 6,851 households, and 4,610 families living in the city. The population density was 1794sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 7,277 housing units at an average density of 759.5sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 86.73% White, 2.30% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.84% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.73% of the population.
There were 6,851 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population had 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,236, and the median income for a family was $45,703. Males had a median income of $32,308 versus $21,906 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,529. About 5.1% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
The community is served by Newton USD 373 public school district. Newton public schools consist of:
The Newton Kansan (GateHouse Media) serves Newton and the surrounding area as the daily local newspaper. It is not published on Sundays or Mondays. The Wichita Eagle is the major newspaper for the region. Harvey County Now newspaper is also based in Newton and covers Harvey County.
Newton is served by over-the-air ATSC digital TV of the Wichita-Hutchinson viewing market area,[36] cable TV by Cox Communications, and satellite TV. See Media in Wichita, Kansas.
See also: Newton (Amtrak station). BNSF Railway passes through Newton for transportation and shipping. Amtrak's Southwest Chief stops in Newton twice each day and provides passenger rail service towards Los Angeles and Chicago.[37] The Amtrak station is located at 414 N Main St.[38]
Bus service is provided daily towards Wichita and Salina by BeeLine Express (subcontractor of Greyhound Lines).[39] [40] While there is no local fixed-route transit service, Harvey Interurban provides dial-a-ride transit service to the community.[41]
Major roads that pass through Newton are I-135, US-50, US-81, K-15.
Newton City/County Airport, FAA:EWK,[42] is located 2 miles east of Newton. Its 7002feet runway is one of only 11 runways in Kansas 7000feet or longer. It has ILS and GPS approach.[43] [44]
See also List of people from Harvey County, Kansas