Morton County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the southwest corner of the state at the 8 Mile Corner tripoint where Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma meet. It had a population of 2,701 at the 2020 census and covers 730 square miles (1,900 km2) centred near 37°12′N 101°48′W.
Elkhart is the county seat, and its postal code is 67950. The county has three incorporated cities, one unincorporated community, and six townships. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Morton County
Morton County has three incorporated cities and one unincorporated community. Elkhart is the largest and the county seat; Richfield, the original county seat until 1961, is now the smallest.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | City · seat | Cimarron | — | 67950 |
| Rolla | City | Rolla | — | 67954 |
| Richfield | City | Richfield | — | 67953 |
| Wilburton | Unincorp. | Taloga | — | — |
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Cimarron | — | Elkhart |
| Rolla | — | Rolla |
| Richfield | — | Richfield |
| Taloga | — | Wilburton |
| Jones | — | Rural, no incorporated place |
| Westola | — | Rural, no incorporated place |
ZIP Codes
- 67950 — Elkhart
- 67954 — Rolla
- 67953 — Richfield (also serves Wilburton)
Wilburton has no ZIP code of its own and is served by the Richfield post office.
Geography
Morton County sits on the shortgrass High Plains of the far southwest corner of Kansas, its terrain nearly level and dominated by sandsage prairie. The Cimarron River crosses the southern part of the county, and a large section of the federally managed Cimarron National Grassland lies within its borders. The county is almost entirely land, with only about 0.2 square miles of water.
Morton County borders Stanton County to the north, Stevens County to the east, Texas County and Cimarron County, Oklahoma to the south, and Baca County, Colorado to the west.
Demographics
Morton County had 2,701 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 3.7 people per square mile. Elkhart is the largest community, followed by Rolla; Richfield’s population has fallen to a small fraction of its early-20th-century size. Kansas’s median household income was $70,333 in the 2023 American Community Survey; incomes in this rural agricultural county typically run below the state figure.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, milo and cattle ranching anchor the county’s economy, alongside oil and natural gas production from the Hugoton gas field, which underlies much of southwest Kansas. Elkhart USD 218 and Rolla USD 217 are the county’s two school districts. Morton County is one of a minority of Kansas counties that allow liquor sales by individual drink.
History
Morton County was organized on February 20, 1886, carved from Seward County, and named for Oliver P. Morton, a U.S. senator from Indiana. Richfield served as county seat until 1961, when the title moved to Elkhart. The county is remembered as one of the hardest-hit places in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when severe drought and dust storms drove away nearly half its population.
Getting There
US Route 56 and Kansas Highways 27 and 51 are the main routes through the county.
- Liberal, Kansas — 45 miles east
- Guymon, Oklahoma — 45 miles south
- Lamar, Colorado — 75 miles northwest
The nearest commercial air service is Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport, east of the county in Seward County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morton County, Kansas?
It is in the far southwest corner of the state, at the point where Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma meet.
What is the population of Morton County?
It had a population of 2,701 at the 2020 census.
How big is Morton County?
It covers 730 square miles (1,900 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Morton County?
Elkhart is the county seat.
How many towns are in Morton County?
Three incorporated cities — Elkhart, Rolla and Richfield — plus the unincorporated community of Wilburton.
What ZIP codes are in Morton County?
67950 (Elkhart), 67954 (Rolla) and 67953 (Richfield).
What was the county seat before Elkhart?
Richfield was the original county seat until the seat moved to Elkhart in 1961.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.