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Cowley County
countyCowley County, Kansas
Overview
- Classification
- County
- FIPS Code
- 20035
- Country
- United States
- County
- Cowley County
Geography
- Region
- South Central Kansas
- Total Area
- 1,132 sq mi
- Land Area
- 1,126 sq mi
- Water Area
- 6.7 sq mi
- Latitude
- 37.16
- Longitude
- -97.04
- Climate
- Subject to abrupt weather changes; four seasons with hot summers and mild winters
- Notable Features
- Arkansas River · Walnut River · Cowley County Fishing Lake · Cowley County Waterfall (seasonal)
- Neighboring Areas
- Butler County (north) · Elk and Chautauqua Counties (east) · Kay and Osage Counties, Oklahoma (south) · Sumner County (west)
Demographics
- Population (2020)
- 34,549
- Est. Population (2024)
- 34,186
- Median Age
- 38.1
- Median Income
- $58,263
- Poverty Rate
- 13.9%
- Owner-Occupied
- 70.5%
- Racial & Ethnic Composition
- White (Non-Hispanic) 77.2%, White (Hispanic) 5.38%, Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) 4.37%, Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) 3.02%, and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) 2.21%
Economy
- Unemployment Rate
- 3.5% (Dec 2025)
- Economic Profile
- Plastics manufacturing · Aviation · Food processing
- Employment Sectors
- Manufacturing · Health Care & Social Assistance · Educational Services
- Major Employers
- Creekstone Farms Premium Beef · GE Engine Services · Winfield USD 465 · Galaxy Technologies · Southwestern College
Education
- School Districts
- Arkansas City USD 470 · Central USD 462 · Dexter USD 471 · Udall USD 463 · Winfield USD 465
- Colleges & Universities
- Cowley County Community College · Southwestern College
Infrastructure
- Transportation
- U.S. Highways 77 and 160 · Rail service
- Utilities
- Municipal water · Fiber/broadband
- Major Facilities
- William Newton Hospital · Courthouse in Winfield
Recreation
- Outdoor Access
- Yes
- Major Recreation Areas
- Cowley County State Fishing Lake · Chaplin Nature Center · Winfield City Lake
- Parks & Trails
- Island Park (Winfield) · Timber Creek Nature Trail · Broadway Recreation Complex
History
- Founded
- 1867
- Incorporated
- 1870
- Named After
- Matthew Cowley, First Lieutenant in Company I, 9th Kansas Cavalry
- Historical Significance
- Once land of the Osage and Cherokee tribes; early county seat disputes; discovery of helium
- Key Events
- Organized in 1870 · County seat dispute between Winfield and Cresswell (Arkansas City) · Helium discovered in Dexter in 1903 · Strother Army Airfield active during World War II