McPherson County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the Smoky Hills region between Wichita and Salina. It had a population of 30,223 at the 2020 census and covers 900 square miles (2,332 km2), of which 898 square miles (2,326 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) is water, centred near 38°24′N 97°40′W.
McPherson is the county seat; its postal code is 67460. The county has 8 incorporated cities, 2 census-designated places and several unincorporated communities, spread across 25 civil townships. McPherson County is in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in McPherson County
McPherson County has 8 incorporated cities plus a handful of smaller census-designated places and unincorporated crossroads communities. Type key: “City · seat” is the county seat; “CDP” is a Census Bureau-recognized place with no city government; “Unincorp.” has neither.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson | City · seat | — | 67460 |
| Lindsborg | City | — | 67456 |
| Moundridge | City | — | 67107 |
| Inman | City | — | 67546 |
| Galva | City | — | 67443 |
| Canton | City | — | 67428 |
| Marquette | City | — | 67464 |
| Windom | City | — | 67491 |
| Elyria | CDP | — | 67460 (McPherson) |
| Roxbury | CDP | — | 67476 |
| Conway | Unincorp. | — | 67460 (McPherson) |
| Groveland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Johnstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Gottland | Unincorp. | — | 67456 (Lindsborg) |
Three names on older lists of the county could not be verified against current Census Bureau or postal records — Freemount, Hilton and Mustang Mobile Park — and are omitted here as unconfirmed. A duplicate “Elyria” entry has been merged into one line, and “Jenkins” and “Mackie” are dropped for the same reason.
Townships
McPherson County is divided into 25 civil townships, several named for the towns that anchor them. Population and boundary detail beyond the town anchor were not independently verified for every township, so unconfirmed cells are left blank.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| McPherson | — | McPherson |
| Canton | — | Canton |
| Groveland | — | Groveland |
| Marquette | — | Marquette |
| New Gottland | — | New Gottland |
| Battle Hill | — | — |
| Bonaville | — | — |
| Castle | — | — |
| Delmore | — | — |
| Empire | — | — |
| Gypsum Creek | — | — |
| Harper | — | — |
| Hayes | — | — |
| Jackson | — | — |
| King City | — | — |
| Little Valley | — | — |
| Lone Tree | — | — |
| Meridian | — | — |
| Mound | — | — |
| Smoky Hill | — | — |
| South Sharps Creek | — | — |
| Spring Valley | — | — |
| Superior | — | — |
| Turkey Creek | — | — |
| Union | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 67460 — McPherson (also serves Conway and Elyria)
- 67456 — Lindsborg (also serves New Gottland)
- 67107 — Moundridge
- 67546 — Inman
- 67443 — Galva
- 67428 — Canton
- 67464 — Marquette
- 67491 — Windom
- 67476 — Roxbury (PO Box delivery only)
Groveland and Johnstown have no dedicated ZIP code and are served by the nearest incorporated city’s post office.
Geography
McPherson County sits in the Smoky Hills physiographic region of central Kansas, a landscape of gently rolling prairie cut by the Smoky Hill River basin’s tributary creeks, including Gypsum Creek and Turkey Creek. Nearly all of the county’s 898 square miles is farmland; the small remainder of water covers stock ponds and creek channels.
McPherson County borders Saline County to the north, Dickinson County to the northeast, Marion County to the east, Harvey County to the southeast, Reno County to the southwest, Rice County to the west and Ellsworth County to the northwest.
Demographics
McPherson County had 30,223 residents at the 2020 census. Its two largest communities are McPherson, the county seat, and Lindsborg, home to Bethany College and known for its Swedish heritage. Census figures for individual towns were not confirmed for this profile. County-level median household income is not separately verified here; the statewide Kansas median is $70,333 (2023 ACS), used for comparison since no verified county figure is available. Countywide density works out to roughly 34 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — wheat, corn, soybeans and cattle — anchors the county’s economy alongside food processing and light manufacturing centered on the city of McPherson. McPherson is home to Central Christian College and McPherson College, and the CoreLube/former National Cooperative Refinery Association refinery has long been one of the county’s largest employers. Lindsborg, founded by Swedish settlers, is known locally as “Little Sweden, U.S.A.” and holds the biennial Svensk Hyllningsfest heritage festival.
History
McPherson County was organized in 1870 and named for Union Civil War general James B. McPherson, who was killed in action outside Atlanta in 1864. Swedish immigrants settled the Lindsborg area beginning in the late 1860s, and Bethany College was founded there in 1881, shaping the town’s continuing Swedish-American identity. McPherson developed as a rail and agricultural trade center and later became a hub for oil refining and manufacturing in central Kansas.
Getting There
Interstate 135 crosses the eastern part of the county, with US-56 and US-81 also running through it; K-4 and K-61 serve the smaller towns.
- McPherson — 55 miles north of Wichita
- McPherson — 30 miles south of Salina
- Lindsborg — 15 miles east of McPherson
- Moundridge — 15 miles southeast of McPherson
The nearest commercial airport is Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, roughly an hour’s drive south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is McPherson County?
It is in central Kansas, between Wichita and Salina, in the Smoky Hills region.
What is the population of McPherson County?
30,223 at the 2020 census.
How big is McPherson County?
898 square miles (2,326 km2) of land plus 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) of water.
What is the McPherson County seat?
McPherson, Kansas.
How many towns are in McPherson County?
8 incorporated cities, 2 census-designated places and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in McPherson County?
67460, 67456, 67107, 67546, 67443, 67428, 67464, 67491 and 67476.
Why is McPherson County named that?
It honors Union general James B. McPherson, killed near Atlanta in 1864 during the Civil War.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.