Ness County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 2,687 at the 2020 census and covers 1,075 square miles (2,780 km2) centred near 38°28′N 99°55′W.
Ness City is the county seat, and its postal code is 67560. The county has five incorporated cities, two unincorporated communities, and one ghost town, and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Ness County
Seven places carry a name and a ZIP code in Ness County: five incorporated cities (Bazine, Brownell, Ness City, Ransom, and Utica) and two unincorporated communities (Arnold and Beeler). A former community, Nonchalanta, is now a ghost town with no remaining population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ness City | City · seat | — | 67560 |
| Bazine | City | — | 67516 |
| Ransom | City | — | 67572 |
| Utica | City | — | 67584 |
| Brownell | City | — | 67521 |
| Arnold | Unincorp. | — | 67515 |
| Beeler | Unincorp. | — | 67518 |
Kansas does not report per-place 2020 census counts for several of these small communities, so populations are omitted rather than guessed; the county-wide total of 2,687 covers all of them.
ZIP Codes
- 67560 — Ness City
- 67516 — Bazine
- 67572 — Ransom
- 67584 — Utica
- 67521 — Brownell
- 67515 — Arnold
- 67518 — Beeler
Every incorporated city and unincorporated community in the county has its own ZIP code and post office.
Geography
Ness County lies on the High Plains of western Kansas, a mostly flat to gently rolling landscape drained by Walnut Creek and the Smoky Hill River’s tributaries. Of its 1,075 square miles, about 0.3 square miles is water. The county borders Trego County to the north, Ellis County to the northeast, Rush County to the east, Pawnee County to the southeast, Hodgeman County to the south, Finney County to the southwest, Lane County to the west, and Gove County to the northwest.
Live links are available for the neighbors with their own Towns & Villages page: Trego County, Rush County, Pawnee County, Hodgeman County, Finney County, and Gove County. Ellis County and Lane County are named here without a link, since the bare slugs on this site currently point to their Texas and Oregon namesakes instead.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 2,687 residents, down 13.5% from 2010 — the third-largest percentage population drop of any Kansas county that decade. Ness City, the seat, is by far the largest place in the county, followed by Bazine. Median household income runs below the Kansas median of $70,333, typical of the state’s sparsely populated western counties. Population density is about 2.5 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, cattle, and other dryland farming anchor the local economy, along with oil and gas production that has run through the county for decades. Ness City serves as the retail and services hub for the surrounding farm trade area. Two public school districts, Western Plains USD 106 and Ness City USD 303, serve county students.
History
Ness County was established February 26, 1867, and named for Noah V. Ness, a corporal in the 7th Kansas Cavalry who was killed in 1864. An initial 1873 organization was abandoned in 1874; the county was reorganized on April 14, 1880. Its population peaked at 8,358 in the 1930 census and has declined in most decades since, following the broader depopulation pattern across rural western Kansas. In 1867, the area around Pawnee Fork in the region was the site of a tense standoff between Cheyenne and Sioux bands and U.S. Army General Winfield Scott Hancock, part of the wider conflicts on the central Plains that year.
Getting There
U.S. Route 283 runs north–south through the county and U.S. Route 96 runs east–west, meeting near Ness City.
- Great Bend — about 40 miles east
- Dodge City — about 45 miles south
- Hays — about 45 miles north
- Garden City — about 65 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport service is at Dodge City Regional Airport and Hays Regional Airport, both roughly an hour’s drive from Ness City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ness County, Kansas?
It sits in the west-central part of Kansas, on the High Plains, roughly halfway between Dodge City and Hays.
What is the population of Ness County?
2,687 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Ness County?
1,075 square miles (2,780 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Ness County?
Ness City is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Ness County?
Five incorporated cities and two unincorporated communities carry their own ZIP codes.
What ZIP codes are in Ness County?
67560 (Ness City), 67516 (Bazine), 67572 (Ransom), 67584 (Utica), 67521 (Brownell), 67515 (Arnold), and 67518 (Beeler).
Who was the county named after?
Noah V. Ness, a corporal in the 7th Kansas Cavalry killed in 1864.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.