SUMNER COUNTY, KANSAS
THE WHEAT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
EXPLORE OUR TOWNS
OXFORD
ARGONIA
MULVANE
WELLINGTON
CONWAY
SPRINGS
SOUTH
HAVEN
BELLE
PLAINE
MAYFIELD
CALDWELL
Sumner County is located in south-central Kansas (Central Time Zone) twenty-three miles south of Wichita and abutting the Oklahoma border. Sumner County is part of the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area. The County encompasses 1,185 square miles and the population in 2010 was 24,132. The County seat is the City of Wellington with a population of 8,172 (2010). The County is home to eleven incorporated communities, they are Argonia, Belle Plaine, Caldwell, Conway Springs, Gueda Springs, Hunnewell, Mayfield, Milan, Oxford, South Haven, and Wellington. A portion of the City of Mulvane also lies in Sumner County. There are a number of smaller communities located within the county that are not incorporated.
Sumner County Businesses
To access business listings serving the communities of Sumner County, please check the chamber sites listed on our Resources Page or use Yellowbook.
Housing Programs
Neighborhood Revitalization Program
This plan is intended to promote the revitalization of Sumner County through the rehabilitation, conservation or redevelopment of the area in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the County. A tax rebate incentive is available for qualifying rehabilitation, improvement and new construction projects within the county.
For information on this program please contact Wilma Cullum at the Sumner County Appraiser Office - 620-326-8986
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Weatherization Grant
The Kansas Weatherization Assistance Program provides housing improvements that increase energy efficiency in income-eligible, single- or multi-family dwellings, including manufactured homes. Weatherization services may include:
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Weather-stripping and/or caulking around windows and doors.
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Cleaning, testing, repairs or replacement of heating and/or cooling systems.
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Refrigerator testing and possible replacement.
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Adding insulation to walls, ceilings or foundation areas.
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Infiltration reduction.
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Addressing indoor air quality issues
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation - First Time Home Buyer Program
If down payment and closing costs are keeping you from purchasing a home of your own, the First Time Homebuyer Program may be able to help. Eligible borrowers can use the forgivable loan to greatly reduce the out-of-pocket expenses associated with buying a home. Income-eligible households that have not owned a home in the past three years may apply for the First Time Homebuyer Program (FTHB)
Sumner County is located in south central Kansas, twenty-five miles south of Wichita and abutting the Oklahoma border. The County has a total area of 1,185 miles at an elevation of approximately 1,230 feet. It is easily accessible by land, air, and rail as it is serviced by Interstate 35, State Highways 81, 160 and 166; Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport, Wellington Airport and several smaller airports; two Class I railroads – UP and BNSF and two shortlines - the K&O - https://www.watcocompanies.com and Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad -http://www.blackwellrr.com.
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Sumner County, with Wellington as its county seat, is well situated in the middle of the United States just a short distance to many major cities.
Distances to Major Cities
Oklahoma City - 135 miles/2 hrs 11 mins
Tulsa - 150 miles/2 hrs 23 mins
Kansas City - 224 miles/3 hrs 31 mins
Dallas - 337 miles/5 hrs 27 mins
Denver - 551 miles/8 hrs 22 mins
Memphis - 551 miles/8 hrs 24 mins
Chicago - 753 miles/11 hrs 48 mins
Tourism & Recreation
Sumner County is abundant with community parks offering picnic areas, skateboarding, playground equipment, band stages, tennis and basketball courts, walking/biking paths, RV facilities and scenic views of rivers and lake areas. Several aquatic centers and swimming pools are located throughout the County.
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Numerous festivals occur throughout the year and include an International Rocket launch, Christmas in the Country (businesses and homes decorated for Christmas), Chisholm Trail Festival (ghost riders and talking tombstones), Tulip Fesitval (crafts, tulips, entertainment, and food), Wheat Festival (celebrating the wheat harvest), and the County Fair (contests, entertainment, and food). You will also find the Watermelon Feed and Fall Festivals offering numerous craft and food booths and entertainment.
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Many communities offer rodeo/shodeo (equestrian only) arenas and sports complexes for baseball, soccer, football and playground areas. The local communities offer baseball, (the Wellington Heat), basketball, and football (youth league), programs outside of the school system.
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The Bartlett Arboretum, www.bartlettarboretum.com, is available for nature walks, outdoor events and weddings. The area is home to both 9-hole and 18-hole golf courses; a lake for camping, boating and fishing; a go-cart track, a winery, and unique restaurants and shops. The Kansas Start Casino, www.kansasstarcasino.com, located in the northern section of the county, provides Vegas style gambling in the scenic Kansas setting. You will also find the Kansas Tourism Center on I-35 at the Belle Plaine Service Center, where you can buy Kansas souveniers and gather literature about many attractions in Kansas and Sumner County.
Education
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS:
Argonia - USD 359
Belle Plaine - USD 357
Caldwell - USD 360
Conway Springs - USD 356
Mulvane - USD 263
Oxford - USD 358
South Haven - USD 509
Wellington - USD 353
PRIVATE SCHOOLS:
Conway Springs - St. Joseph Catholic School
Wellington - Wellington Christian Academy
POST SECONDAY EDUCATION:
Wichita State University - Wichita
Friends University - Wichita
Newman University - Wichita
Southwestern College - Winfield
Baker University - Wichita
Bethel College - Newton
Webster University - McConnell Air Force Base - Wichita
University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOLS:
Cowley County Community College-Sumner Campus
Cowley County Community College & Area Vocational-Technical School- Winfield
(Satellite campus in Mulvane)
WSU Tech - Wichita
Butler County Community College - El Dorado
Hutchinson Community College & Area Vocational-Technical School - Hutchinson
Wichita Technical Institute - Wichita
Labor & Demographics
Facts Sumner County Wichita MSA
Population 24,132 623,061
Median Age 40.5 34.2
Bilingual 3.4% 9.8%
Avg Commute 23.0 min 18.0 min
Median Income. $48,105 $51,273
Education - H.S.>. 90.7% 85.3%
Commuting Patterns, Outflow 4876
Commuting Patterns, Inflow 1624
Central Time Zone
All information above provided by the 2010 Census and the Kansas Department of Labor
Sumner County Profile (PDF Format)
This report contains 12 categories of information: Population, Vital Statistics and Health, Housing, Education, Social Environment, Business, Employment, Income, Banking, Government, Crime, and Agriculture.
Profile of General Demographic Characteristics : 2010 Census
2010-2012 Population Estimates by Age, Race, Gender, and Hispanic Origin
STATS America Profile - County Profile
Labor Market Information for Sumner County
Kansas Department of Labor
For assistance, e-mail laborstats@dol.ks.gov or contact:
Kansas Department of Labor
Labor Market Information Services
401 SW Topeka Boulevard
Topeka, Kansas 66603-3182
785.296.5058
Fax: 785.296.5286
Quality of Life
Sumner County, located in the South Central part of Kansas, enjoys all four seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer). Daily average temperatures vary from 30.4 degrees in January to 80.5 degrees in July. Annual precipitation averages at 28.66".
Average home value is $82,400. The median gross rent is $357.00.
Approximately 4,100 children are enrolled in the elementary and secondary education facilities with a average graduation rate of 90.5%. Sumner County is also served locally by several higher education institutions (both technical and degreed) with 12 others within 20-30 miles.
Recreational opportunities include area parks, golf courses, aquatic centers, hunting areas, and lakes and rivers for boating, camping and fishing. Sumner County is host to numerous local festivals.
Sumner County is proud of the excellent care at Sumner County Hospital District 1 and benefits from approximately 10 physicians and 8 dentists.
There are more than 50 churches in Sumner County for all denominations.
Sumner County Weather Statistics
Yearly
Average
January
Average
July
Average
Average
Temperature
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Average
Precipitation
56.0 F
30.4 F
80.5 F
28.66 in
.76 in
3.37 in
Sumner County also offers many historic buildings including the Oxford Mill and the Caldwell Opera House, homes, museums - Salter House, home to the first woman mayor in the United State, Panhandle Railroad Museum, the NDGA Glass Museum, and historic cemeteries available to visit at your pleasure.
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Please visit the Community Profiles section of this website for information on each city's individual tourism and recreation opportunities.
Transportation
MAJOR ROAD SYSTEMS:
INTERSTATE 35:
Interstate 35, a corridor connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, runs through the eastern part of Sumner County. I-35 connects with major east-west interstates I-70 and I-40 about 120 miles to the north and 130 miles to the south respectively.
U.S. HIGHWAYS:
Sumner County is also served by three U.S. Highways – Hwy. 81 which runs north and south, Hwys 160 and 166 which run east and west.
KDOT Official Transportation Map
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Click here for a Kansas Department of Transportation map of Kansas.
FREIGHT
DELIVERY:
RAIL SERVICE:
CLASS I RAILROADS :
Sumner County is served by two Class I railroads – Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP). Wellington, the county seat, is the site of the BNSF switching yard.
CLASS III RAILROADS:
Sumner County is also served by two Class III railroads – Kansas & Oklahoma (K&O) and South Kansas & Oklahoma (SK&O)
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SHORT LINE RAILROAD:
The Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad (BNG)runs from Blackwell Oklahoma to Wellington, Kansas where it connects to both the BNSF and UP. The BNG offers transloading opportunities through Transload Partners USA.
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PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE:
Amtrak passenger service in available in Newton, Kansas, approximately 60 miles north of Sumner County.
Click here for Kansas Department of Transportation Rail Map
AIR SERVICE:
WICHITA MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT:
Approximately 35 miles North from Wellington, the county seat, the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport provides service to 15 destinations, all of which are international gateways, via 6 carriers.
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WELLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT:
Located two miles north of Wellington on Hwy. 81, the Wellington Municipal Airport is one of the finest general aviation airports in Kansas. The Airport completed a runway expansion project. Runways 17/35 are now 4,200’ in length and 100’ wide. The gross weight is 70,000 lbs. There are many manufacturing and aviation related businesses located in the Airport Industrial Park adjacent to airport.
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OTHER AIRPORTS:
The City of Argonia, City of Oxford, and the City of Caldwell also have airports.