{"id":3694,"date":"2023-05-26T10:59:43","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T10:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/?p=3694"},"modified":"2026-08-22T01:45:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T01:45:41","slug":"labette-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/labette-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Labette County, Kansas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Labette County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the southeastern corner of the state along the Oklahoma line. It had a population of 20,184 at the 2020 census and covers 653 square miles (1,690 km2) centred near 37&deg;12&prime;N 95&deg;17&prime;W.<\/p>\n<p>Oswego is the county seat, and its postal code is 67356. The county has 8 incorporated cities and about 15 unincorporated communities and townsite remnants, spread across 16 civil townships. Labette County sits in the Central time zone.<\/p>\n<h2>Towns &amp; Villages in Labette County<\/h2>\n<p>Labette County has 8 incorporated cities &mdash; ranging from the county&#8217;s largest city, Parsons, down to small townships seats like Labette &mdash; plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, former townsites and rural subdivisions. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tv-table-scroll\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Place<\/th>\n<th>Type<\/th>\n<th>Township<\/th>\n<th>Pop.<\/th>\n<th>ZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Parsons<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Labette \/ Neosho<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67357<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oswego<\/td>\n<td>City &middot; seat<\/td>\n<td>Oswego<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67356<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Altamont<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Richland<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67330<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chetopa<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Howard<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67336<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Edna<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Mount Pleasant<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67342<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mound Valley<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Mound Valley<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67354<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Labette<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>Labette<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bartlett<\/td>\n<td>City<\/td>\n<td>North<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67332<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dennis<\/td>\n<td>CDP<\/td>\n<td>Fairview<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>67341<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Angola<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>Osage<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Montana<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>Montana<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Valeda<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>Elm Grove<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Brownstone<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fern<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Garvin<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Grove<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hillside MH Park<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Laneville<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lawndale Estates MH Park<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Orchard Park<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Penfield<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Stover<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Strauss<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Winway<\/td>\n<td>Unincorp.<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dennis is an unincorporated census-designated place rather than a city; it has no independent municipal government but is tracked separately by the Census Bureau. Several of the smaller entries &mdash; Hillside MH Park and Lawndale Estates MH Park &mdash; are mobile-home communities rather than traditional townsites, and a handful of the rural names (Brownstone, Fern, Garvin, Grove, Laneville, Orchard Park, Penfield, Stover, Strauss, Winway) are former post-office stops or rural neighborhoods that never incorporated.<\/p>\n<h2>Townships<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tv-table-scroll\">\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Township<\/th>\n<th>Pop. (2020)<\/th>\n<th>Main settlements<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Labette<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Parsons (part), Labette<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Neosho<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Parsons (part)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oswego<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Oswego<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Richland<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Altamont<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Howard<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Chetopa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mount Pleasant<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Edna<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mound Valley<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Mound Valley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>North<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Bartlett<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fairview<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Dennis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Osage<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Angola<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Montana<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Montana<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Elm Grove<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>Valeda<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Canada<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hackberry<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Liberty<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Walton<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2>ZIP Codes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>67357 &mdash; Parsons<\/li>\n<li>67356 &mdash; Oswego<\/li>\n<li>67330 &mdash; Altamont<\/li>\n<li>67336 &mdash; Chetopa<\/li>\n<li>67342 &mdash; Edna<\/li>\n<li>67354 &mdash; Mound Valley<\/li>\n<li>67341 &mdash; Dennis<\/li>\n<li>67332 &mdash; Bartlett<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Labette, the county&#8217;s smallest incorporated city, and the county&#8217;s rural unincorporated communities have no dedicated ZIP code and are served by the postal route of the nearest town above.<\/p>\n<h2>Geography<\/h2>\n<p>Labette County lies in the rolling Osage Cuestas of southeastern Kansas, where low limestone ridges alternate with broad river bottoms. The Neosho River crosses the western part of the county and Labette Creek &mdash; the county&#8217;s namesake &mdash; runs from near Parsons to Chetopa in a roughly north-northwest to south-southeast line before joining the Neosho. Most of the county is farmland and pasture, with the towns strung along the two waterways and the rail and highway corridors that follow them.<\/p>\n<p>Labette County borders <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/crawford-county-kansas\/\">Crawford County<\/a> to the northeast, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/cherokee-county-kansas\/\">Cherokee County<\/a> to the east, Craig County and Nowata County, Oklahoma to the south, <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/montgomery-county-kansas\/\">Montgomery County<\/a> to the west, and Neosho County to the north.<\/p>\n<h2>Demographics<\/h2>\n<p>Labette County had 20,184 residents at the 2020 census, down from earlier decades as the county&#8217;s rural population has gradually declined. Parsons is by far the largest community, followed by Oswego, the county seat. The county&#8217;s median household income runs well below the Kansas median of $70,333, reflecting an economy still anchored in agriculture and light manufacturing rather than higher-wage metro-area work. Population density is roughly 31 people per square mile, well below the state average.<\/p>\n<h2>Economy &amp; Local Life<\/h2>\n<p>Agriculture &mdash; wheat, soybeans, corn, and cattle grazing on the county&#8217;s cuesta pastureland &mdash; remains the backbone of the rural economy. Parsons is the county&#8217;s commercial and institutional center, home to Labette Community College and a regional hospital, and has a long history as a railroad town where the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway (the &#8220;Katy&#8221;) once maintained shops. Oswego, the seat, hosts county government and a smaller mix of local retail and services.<\/p>\n<h2>History<\/h2>\n<p>Labette County was organized on February 26, 1867, and takes its name from Labette Creek, itself named for Pierre LaBette, a French-Canadian fur trader who settled along the Neosho River in the 1830s and 1840s and married into the Osage Nation. The county&#8217;s most notorious chapter unfolded near the hamlet of Cherryvale on the Labette-Montgomery line in the early 1870s, when the Bender family ran a wayside inn later found to be the site of multiple unsolved killings &mdash; a case that remains one of the best-known unsolved crime stories of the Kansas frontier.<\/p>\n<h2>Getting There<\/h2>\n<p>U.S. Route 160 crosses the county east-west through Parsons and Oswego, while U.S. Route 59 runs north-south connecting Altamont and Chetopa. Kansas Highway 47 links Oswego to Mound Valley.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Parsons &mdash; 45 miles west of Joplin, Missouri<\/li>\n<li>Chetopa &mdash; 12 miles north of the Oklahoma state line<\/li>\n<li>Independence, Kansas &mdash; about 20 miles west of Altamont<\/li>\n<li>Pittsburg, Kansas &mdash; about 30 miles northeast of Parsons<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The nearest commercial airport is Joplin Regional Airport in Missouri, roughly 45 miles east of Parsons.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Where is Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>It is in southeastern Kansas, along the Oklahoma state line, between Cherokee and Montgomery counties.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the population of Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>20,184 people at the 2020 census.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How big is Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>653 square miles (1,690 km2), of which 645 square miles is land.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the county seat of Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>Oswego.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How many towns are in Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>Eight incorporated cities &mdash; Parsons, Oswego, Altamont, Chetopa, Edna, Mound Valley, Labette, and Bartlett &mdash; plus the Dennis CDP and several smaller unincorporated communities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What ZIP codes are in Labette County?<\/strong><br \/>67357 (Parsons), 67356 (Oswego), 67330 (Altamont), 67336 (Chetopa), 67342 (Edna), 67354 (Mound Valley), 67341 (Dennis) and 67332 (Bartlett).<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is Labette County named after?<\/strong><br \/>Labette Creek, which was itself named for Pierre LaBette, a French-Canadian fur trader who settled in the area in the 1830s.<\/p>\n<p>More counties in this state: <a href=\"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/category\/kansas\/\">Towns and villages in Kansas<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Labette County is a county in Kansas, United States, in the southeastern corner of the state along the Oklahoma line. It had a population of 20,184 at the 2020 census and covers 653 square miles (1,690 km2) centred near 37&deg;12&prime;N 95&deg;17&prime;W. Oswego is the county seat, and its postal code is 67356. The county has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Towns & Villages in Labette County, Kansas","_seopress_titles_desc":"Labette County, Kansas: Oswego, Parsons, Chetopa & Altamont. 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