Doniphan County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the state’s northeastern corner along the Missouri River. It had a population of 7,510 at the 2020 census and covers 398 square miles (1,030 km2), centred near 39°48′N 95°07′W.
Troy is the county seat, and its postal code is 66087. The county has 8 incorporated cities and about 10 recognized unincorporated communities, and no CDPs. Doniphan County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Doniphan County
Doniphan County’s 8 incorporated cities are small, mostly under a few hundred residents each; the remaining places on the list below are unincorporated communities and rural post-office settlements, marked Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy | City · seat | Center | — | 66087 |
| Wathena | City | Washington | — | 66090 |
| Elwood | City | Washington | — | 66024 |
| Highland | City | Iowa | — | 66035 |
| White Cloud | City | Wolf River | — | 66094 |
| Denton | City | Union | — | 66017 |
| Severance | City | Iowa | — | — |
| Leona | City | Marion | — | — |
| Bendena | Unincorp. | Wayne | — | 66008 |
| Blair | Unincorp. | Independence | — | — |
| Brenner | Unincorp. | Burr Oak | — | — |
| Doniphan | Unincorp. | Washington | — | — |
| Fanning | Unincorp. | Union | — | — |
| Iowa Point | Unincorp. | Iowa | — | — |
| Moray | Unincorp. | Center | — | — |
| Palermo | Unincorp. | Independence | — | — |
| Purcell | Unincorp. | Marion | — | — |
| Sparks | Unincorp. | Wolf River | — | — |
Townships
Kansas cities are not governmentally independent of their townships, so each township’s population figure below includes the cities within it. Washington, Center and Iowa townships, which run along US-36, hold most of the county’s people.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 3,066 | Wathena, Elwood, Doniphan |
| Center | 1,743 | Troy, Moray |
| Iowa | 1,694 | Highland, Severance, Iowa Point |
| Wolf River | 439 | White Cloud, Sparks |
| Union | 360 | Denton, Fanning |
| Independence | 342 | Blair, Palermo |
| Wayne | 226 | Bendena |
| Marion | 226 | Leona, Purcell |
| Burr Oak | 153 | Brenner |
ZIP Codes
- 66087 — Troy
- 66090 — Wathena
- 66035 — Highland (also serves Severance)
- 66094 — White Cloud
- 66017 — Denton
- 66008 — Bendena
- 66024 — Elwood (PO Box delivery only)
Leona and the county’s unincorporated communities do not have a dedicated ZIP code and are served by a neighboring town’s post office.
Geography
Doniphan County lies along the west bank of the Missouri River in Kansas’ northeastern corner, on rolling loess-hill farmland cut by Wolf River and its tributaries. Of the county’s 398 square miles, 393 square miles is land and 4.9 square miles is water.
The county borders Richardson County, Nebraska, to the north; Holt County and Andrew County, Missouri, to the northeast and east; Buchanan County, Missouri, to the east; Atchison County, Kansas, to the south; and Brown County, Kansas, to the west.
Demographics
Doniphan County’s population was 7,510 at the 2020 census, a density of about 19 people per square mile of land. Wathena and Troy are the two largest communities. Kansas’ 2023 median household income is $70,333; Doniphan County, a mostly agricultural county, has historically run below that figure, though a current county-level estimate is not confirmed here.
Economy & Local Life
Farming drives Doniphan County’s economy — row crops of corn and soybeans on the Missouri River bottomland, plus cattle grazing on the upland pasture. Highland Community College, founded in 1858 as Kansas’ oldest college, is based in Highland and remains one of the county’s largest employers. Troy, the seat, hosts the county courthouse and county fair.
History
Doniphan County was organized on August 25, 1855, one of the original 33 counties in Kansas Territory. It is named for Alexander W. Doniphan, a Missouri lawyer and militia colonel who led U.S. forces in the Mexican-American War. Iowa Point and White Cloud, both on the Missouri River, were early steamboat landing towns; White Cloud takes its name from a Iowa Tribe leader once resident nearby.
Getting There
US-36 runs east-west through the county’s populous northern townships; US-73 runs north-south along the Missouri River through Wathena and Elwood.
- St. Joseph, Missouri — 5 miles southeast (via Elwood)
- Hiawatha, Kansas — 20 miles west
- Atchison, Kansas — 25 miles south
- Falls City, Nebraska — 20 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri; Kansas City International Airport is about 75 miles south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Doniphan County, Kansas?
It is in Kansas’ northeastern corner, on the Missouri River bordering Nebraska and Missouri.
What is the population of Doniphan County?
7,510 at the 2020 census.
How big is Doniphan County?
398 square miles (1,030 km2), of which 393 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Doniphan County?
Troy is the county seat.
How many towns are in Doniphan County?
Eight incorporated cities — Troy, Wathena, Elwood, Highland, White Cloud, Denton, Severance and Leona — plus about ten unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Doniphan County?
66087 (Troy), 66090 (Wathena), 66035 (Highland), 66094 (White Cloud), 66017 (Denton) and 66008 (Bendena), plus PO Box-only 66024 (Elwood).
What college is in Doniphan County?
Highland Community College, founded in 1858, is Kansas’ oldest college and is based in Highland.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.