Jewell County is a county in Kansas, United States, on the Nebraska state line in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 2,932 at the 2020 census and covers 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 910 square miles (2,400 km2) is land, centred near 39°48′N 98°14′W.
Mankato is the county seat, and its postal code is 66956. The county has seven incorporated cities, one census-designated place, and several unincorporated communities. Jewell County is in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 20089.
Towns & Villages in Jewell County
Jewell County has seven incorporated cities, the census-designated place of Ionia, and a handful of unincorporated hamlets. “CDP” below marks a Census Bureau-defined place with no city government; “Unincorp.” marks a rural community with no formal boundary or population count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato | City · seat | 836 | 66956 |
| Burr Oak | City | — | 66936 |
| Esbon | City | — | 66941 |
| Formoso | City | — | 66942 |
| Jewell | City | — | 66949 |
| Randall | City | — | 66963 |
| Webber | City | — | 66970 |
| Ionia | CDP | — | — |
| Lovewell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montrose | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Branch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Otego | Unincorp. | — | — |
Dentonia, once a rail siding on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe branch, is now a ghost town with no remaining population. Ionia sits close to Lovewell Lake and is the smallest recognised place the Census Bureau tracks separately in the county.
ZIP Codes
- 66956 — Mankato (county seat)
- 66936 — Burr Oak
- 66941 — Esbon
- 66942 — Formoso
- 66949 — Jewell
- 66963 — Randall
- 66970 — Webber
Unincorporated places such as Ionia, Lovewell, Montrose, North Branch and Otego use the ZIP code of the nearest incorporated town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Jewell County sits on the rolling Smoky Hills upland of north-central Kansas, drained by the White Rock Creek and Buffalo Creek watersheds toward the Republican River. Lovewell Lake, a Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on White Rock Creek near the community of Lovewell, is the county’s main body of water and a state park.
Jewell County borders Nuckolls County, Nebraska to the northeast and Webster County, Nebraska to the northwest across the state line; within Kansas it borders Smith County to the west, Osborne County to the southwest, Mitchell County to the south, Cloud County to the southeast, and Republic County to the east.
Demographics
The county’s population was 2,932 at the 2020 census, spread across a land area of 910 square miles — a density of about 3.2 people per square mile, among the most sparsely settled counties in Kansas. Mankato (836) and Jewell are the largest communities. Jewell County’s rural, agricultural economy leaves median household income below the Kansas median of $70,333, typical for the state’s wheat belt counties.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, sorghum and cattle grazing anchor the county economy, with county government and the Rock Hills USD 107 school district among Mankato’s largest employers. Lovewell State Park, on Lovewell Lake, draws fishing and camping visitors from across north-central Kansas and southern Nebraska in summer.
History
Jewell County was organized on February 26, 1887, and named for Lewis Jewell, a lieutenant colonel of the 6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry killed at the Battle of Cane Hill, Arkansas, in 1862. The area lay on a historic route used by Pawnee travelers and crossed by the Pike Expedition in 1806. A branch of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway reached the county the same year it was organized, founding several of its towns as rail sidings.
Getting There
Kansas highways link Mankato to the surrounding towns; the nearest four-lane corridor is US-36, roughly 30 miles south of the county through Beloit.
- Superior, Nebraska — about 25 miles north
- Beloit, Kansas — about 40 miles south
- Concordia, Kansas — about 45 miles southeast
- Hastings, Nebraska — about 55 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Salina Regional Airport, roughly 90 miles south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jewell County, Kansas?
It is in north-central Kansas on the Nebraska state line, about 40 miles north of Beloit.
What is the population of Jewell County?
2,932 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Jewell County?
914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 910 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Jewell County?
Mankato is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Jewell County?
Seven incorporated cities — Mankato, Burr Oak, Esbon, Formoso, Jewell, Randall and Webber — plus the CDP of Ionia and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Jewell County?
66936, 66941, 66942, 66949, 66956, 66963 and 66970.
What lake is in Jewell County?
Lovewell Lake, a reservoir on White Rock Creek near the community of Lovewell, home to Lovewell State Park.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.