Cunningham is a city in Kingman County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 444. The city was named in honor of J.D. Cunningham, a pioneer settler.

History

The history of Cunningham starts with the town of Ninnescah, which was located near and named after the

Ninnescah River The Ninnescah River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America. Its entire length lies within the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a tributary of the Arkansas River.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flo ...

. The Ninnescah Post Office opened August 20, 1885. Later the town of Cunningham was established a few miles to the west, on the north side of the railroad. There was a movement among the locals to move the town of Ninnescah to Cunningham. Some buildings were physically moved from Ninnescah to Cunningham in 1887 and 1888. A tornado destroyed most of Ninnescah on March 24, 1888, which sealed its fate. Cunningham was incorporated as a city in 1908.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 444 people, 180 households, and 111 families in Cunningham. The population density was 969.4 per square mile (374.3/km). There were 206 housing units at an average density of 449.8 per square mile (173.7/km). The racial makeup was 93.47% (415)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(91.44%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 0.68% (3)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.0% (0) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.45% (2) Asian, 0.23% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 2.25% (10) from other races, and 2.93% (13) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 4.28% (19) of the population. Of the 180 households, 21.7% had children under the age of 18; 51.7% were married couples living together; 22.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 33.3% of households consisted of individuals and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 20.3% of the population. 19.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 18.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 32.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 111.9 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $53,523 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,742) and the median family income was $65,000 (+/- $14,841). Males had a median income of $37,500 (+/- $8,099) versus $31,875 (+/- $8,837) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $35,227 (+/- $5,563). Approximately, 3.6% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.5% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 454 people, 183 households, and 114 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 213 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.4%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population. There were 183 households, of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.68. The median age in the city was 50.7 years. 18.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.4% were from 25 to 44; 29.3% were from 45 to 64; and 29.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 514 people, 189 households, and 130 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 218 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.05%

, 0.58%

, 0.19% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population. There were 189 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were

living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 30.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,438, and the median income for a family was $36,964. Males had a median income of $26,500 versus $21,406 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,248. About 9.8% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the

, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Cunningha
government
consists of a mayor and five council members.

Education

The community is served by

Cunningham–West Kingman County USD 332 Cunningham–West Kingman County USD 332 is a public unified school district headquartered in Cunningham, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Cunningham, Nashville, Penalosa, Zenda, Skellyville, St. Leo, Willo ...

public school district. * Cunningham High School * Cunningham Grade School The Cunningham Wildcats won the Kansas State High School boys class 1A Track & Field championship in 2008.

Library

* Cunningham Public Library

Transportation

U.S. Route 54 U.S. Route 54 (US 54) is an east–west United States Highway that runs northeast–southwest for from El Paso, Texas, to Griggsville, Illinois. The Union Pacific Railroad's Tucumcari Line (former Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific an ...

passes through Cunningham. The

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

formerly provided passenger rail service to Cunningham on a line between Wichita and Pratt. Dedicated passenger service was provided until at least 1926, while

mixed train A mixed train or mixed consist is a train that contains both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In some countries, the term refers to a freight train carrying various different types of freight rather a single commodity. Although common in the ...

s continued until at least 1961. As of 2025, the nearest passenger rail station is located in Hutchinson, where

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

Southwest Chief The ''Southwest Chief'' (formerly the ''Southwest Limited'' and ''Super Chief'') is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a route between Chicago and Los Angeles through the Midwest and American Southwest ...

stops once daily on a route from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Gallery

Image:Cunningham kansas high school 2009.jpg, Cunningham High School, 100 West Fourth St (2009) Image:Cunningham kansas clinic 2009.jpg, Cunningham Clinic, 120 North Main St (2009)

References

External links

;City
City of Cunningham

Cunningham - Directory of Public Officials
;Historical
A History of Cunningham

Historic Images of Cunningham
Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library. ;Maps
Cunningham city map
KDOT
USGS Topo Map of Cunningham / Skellyville area
USGS {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Kingman County, Kansas