The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-23
In Kansas $40 Per Cent Lives
in Cities More Than $500.
OF Total Population 1,76s,257
Only Ss1 900 Reside on Farms.
LIVING IN VILLAGES, $50, 203
Increase Also Shown In These
Smaller Communities.


The movement of the population OF
the United States from the farm
toward the towns and cities has had
a pronounced effect on Kansas, ac-
cording to the full report OF the four
teenth census of the state, taken dur
ing 1920, which has just been received
in Topeka
The population of the United States
Increased 14.9 per cent during the ten
year period between the thirteenth
and fourteenth censuses. The popu-
lation of Kansas, which is preemf-
nently farming state, increased only
4-e per cent during the same period.
The total population of the state was
given IN the census return for 1910,
as 1,690,949 and for 1920, 1,I69,2
an increase of 7SSpS
The shifting of population to the
towns and cities of the state is also
revealed in the census return.
In 1900, twenty years ago, 22.5 per
cent of the population of the state
lived in cities of 2,500 population or
more. This percentage Increased un-
til in 1910, the percentage of the
population in such cities was 29.2 per
cent, a gain in numbers of 152, 7SS.
BY 1920 there were 617,964 of the
. residents Of Kansas living in cities OF
1000 or more population, or 34.s per
cent.
In the meantime there had also
been q considerable movement toward
the smaller cities of the state, those
of less than $500 population.
In 1900. there were 216,234 people
in the smaller cities of the state, OF
LAT per cent of the entire population
In 1910, there were 27S,574 or 1875
per cent of the entire population, and
/ in 1920. there were 2s0,263, or 1874
per cent of the entire population.
The population in the strictly rural
sections OF the state-on farms and in
| towns of less than $500 population
has been decreasing steadily.
In 1900, the rural population, in
| Guiding such people as lived on farms
or in towns of less than $500 amount
ed to s23r35s. or 62.S per cent of the
total population In 1910 the rural
population was 91S.5s5, or SAB pei
cent, and in 1920, SS1, 09e, or only
| 4s.7 per cent. These figures show
| that not only is the percentage OF
| population in the rural districts de-
creasing, but the actual number of
/ persons living in those districts il
smaller than it was twenty years ago
and that Kansas is more thfniy set
| tied, outside of the cities and towns
| than in 1900.
/ The proportion of people living In
| the towns which are not listed in tht
| census reports as towns-smau vii
1 Hayes of a few hundred or a Thousand
| people. is also said, by soeiologists Of
| the state, to have increased, SO tina
! the real decrease of people living or
the farms is greater than is indicated
| by the census.
The density of population in this
state has been increased in the las
twenty years. There were, on ar
average, IS persons to each of the
S1,7z5 square miles in the land area
| OF the state, in 1900. In 1910 there
were 20.7 persons to the square mile
and in 1920 there were 21.s persons.
Kansas has 525 cities. Of which
Kansas City. with a population OF
1e1-171. is the largest, and Wichita
with z.217. is the second in size. To-
peka is third with 50,o22
The greatest increase in the popu-
lation OF the state. according to q
chart issued with the report of the
census occurred during the decade
between 1860 and 1870, when the in
crease amounted to 23S9 per cent; the
period of least growth in population
occurred in the decade between 1896
and 1900, when the increase was only
3 per cent.
The increase in the decade between
1909 and 1910 amounted to 220,454 or
Is per cent while the increase in the
last decade was only 7s.3os- or 40
per cent next to the lowest figure on
the chart