Russell County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 6,691 at the 2020 census and covers 899 square miles (2,330 km2) centred near 38°55′N 98°46′W.
Russell is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 67665. The county has eight incorporated cities and several unincorporated communities spread across twelve civil townships. It observes Central Time (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving). The county’s FIPS code is 20167.
Towns & Villages in Russell County
Russell County has 15 named places on record: eight incorporated cities and seven unincorporated communities, most of them former rail sidings or crossroads settlements. The table below lists the civil township each incorporated city sits in and the ZIP code that serves it; Type is abbreviated City · seat for the county seat, City for other incorporated municipalities, and Unincorp. for unincorporated communities.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell | City · seat | Russell | 4,401 | 67665 |
| Gorham | City | Big Creek | 376 | 67640 |
| Bunker Hill | City | Center | — | 67626 |
| Dorrance | City | Plymouth | — | 67634 |
| Lucas | City | Fairview | — | 67648 |
| Luray | City | Luray | — | 67649 |
| Paradise | City | Paradise | — | 67658 |
| Waldo | City | Waldo | — | 67673 |
| Milberger | Unincorp. | Lincoln | — | — |
| Balta | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dubuque | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Fairport | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Homer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dumler MH Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lipprand Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
Russell County is divided into twelve civil townships. The Census Bureau does not publish separate 2020 population totals for Kansas townships, so populations are omitted below; each township’s main settlement, where it has one, is listed instead.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Russell | — | Russell (city) |
| Big Creek | — | Gorham |
| Fairview | — | Lucas |
| Plymouth | — | Dorrance |
| Center | — | Bunker Hill |
| Luray | — | Luray |
| Paradise | — | Paradise |
| Lincoln | — | Milberger |
| Waldo | — | Waldo |
| Fairfield | — | rural, no incorporated town |
| Grant | — | rural, no incorporated town |
| Winterset | — | rural, no incorporated town |
ZIP Codes
- 67665 — Russell
- 67640 — Gorham
- 67626 — Bunker Hill
- 67634 — Dorrance
- 67648 — Lucas
- 67649 — Luray
- 67658 — Paradise
- 67673 — Waldo
Russell County’s eight ZIP codes each cover one incorporated city and its surrounding rural delivery area. Unincorporated communities such as Balta, Dubuque, Fairport, Homer and Milberger have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest post-office town’s code.
Geography
Russell County lies in the Smoky Hills region of central Kansas, a landscape of low rolling hills, native mixed-grass prairie and cropland. The county covers 899 square miles, of which 886 square miles are land and 13 square miles (1.5%) are water. Wilson Lake, a reservoir on the Saline River built for flood control and recreation, sits along the county’s northeastern edge near the Lincoln County line. The Saline River itself crosses the northeastern part of the county before continuing east.
Russell County borders six other Kansas counties: Osborne County to the north, Lincoln County to the east, Ellsworth County to the southeast, Barton County to the south, Rush County to the southwest, and Ellis County to the west.
Demographics
Russell County had 6,691 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 7.6 people per square mile of land. Russell (4,401) and Gorham (376) are the two largest communities, together holding roughly 71% of the county’s population. Median household income in the county runs below the Kansas median of $70,333, reflecting the area’s agriculture- and energy-based economy and its declining rural population base.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, sorghum and cattle ranching anchor Russell County’s rural economy, and oil and natural gas production has been a major employer since deposits were discovered in the county in the 1920s, touching off a regional oil boom that brought rapid growth to Russell and Fairport. Russell Regional Hospital and the Russell public school system are among the county’s largest employers today. Wilson Lake draws boaters, campers and anglers from across central Kansas each summer, and Lucas is known locally as the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas” for its collection of folk-art environments, including the Garden of Eden.
History
Russell County was organized on February 26, 1867, and named for Avra P. Russell, a Union Army captain killed during the Civil War. Early settlement followed the Kansas Pacific Railway line through the county in the late 1860s and 1870s. The 1920s oil boom transformed Russell from a small rail town into a regional commercial center. Statesman Bob Dole, U.S. Senator and the Republican Party’s 1996 presidential nominee, grew up in the city of Russell and worked for years at a downtown drugstore soda fountain after recovering from wartime injuries; Russell County was his strongest county nationwide in the 1996 election.
Getting There
Interstate 70 crosses Russell County east–west and meets U.S. Route 281 at the city of Russell, the county’s main highway junction.
- Hays — 25 miles west
- Great Bend — 45 miles south
- Salina — 65 miles east
- Wichita — 140 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Hays Regional Airport, about 25 miles west of Russell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Russell County, Kansas?
It is in north-central Kansas, along Interstate 70 between Hays and Salina.
What is the population of Russell County?
6,691 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Russell County?
899 square miles (2,330 km2), of which 886 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Russell County?
Russell is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Russell County?
Eight incorporated cities — Russell, Bunker Hill, Dorrance, Gorham, Lucas, Luray, Paradise and Waldo — plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Russell County?
67665 (Russell), 67626 (Bunker Hill), 67634 (Dorrance), 67640 (Gorham), 67648 (Lucas), 67649 (Luray), 67658 (Paradise) and 67673 (Waldo).
Why is Russell, Kansas known nationally?
It is the hometown of Bob Dole, the longtime U.S. Senator and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, and Wilson Lake nearby is a major regional recreation destination.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.