Hutchinson, Kansas Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools
Hutchinson, Kansas is situated in the heart of the Great Plains and is known for its hot and dry summers. The city is located in the county of Reno and has a population of 42,080 people as of 2019. The city is bordered by two rivers, the Arkansas River and Little Arkansas River.
The climate of Hutchinson is semi-arid with hot summers and cold winters. Summers are usually dry but can be humid at times due to its location on the Great Plains. Winters are cold with occasional snowfall but temperatures rarely dip below zero Celsius.
Hutchinson has a rich history that dates back to 1871 when it was first settled by pioneers seeking land for their homesteads. The city was officially incorporated in 1872 and quickly grew due to its potential for agriculture as well as its proximity to other major cities such as Wichita and Kansas City.
Politics in Hutchinson are dominated by Republicans, who hold a majority on both the city council and county commission boards. The city also has an active Chamber of Commerce that serves to promote local businesses, tourism, economic development, etc.
The economy of Hutchinson is largely based on agricultural production, manufacturing, retail trade, healthcare services, etc., with some local businesses specializing in oil production or wind energy production as well. The largest employers include hospitals such as Hutchinson Medical Center and Dillons Grocery Stores among others.
Hutchinson has several schools within its borders including two public high schools (Hutchinson High School and Buhler High School), one public middle school (McCandless Middle School), seven public elementary schools (Lincoln Elementary School through Washington Elementary School) along with several private schools such as Trinity Catholic School and Central Christian Academy among others.
Some notable landmarks found in Hutchinson include Strataca – Underground Salt Museum which takes visitors 650 feet underground into a former salt mine; Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center which features interactive exhibits about space exploration; Dillon Nature Center which offers hiking trails; Sand Hills State Park which features camping sites; Big Pool – also known as “Big Pool” – which offers swimming activities; Carey Park which features picnic spots; Historic Fox Theatre – built in 1924 – which still operates today; Carey Park Golf Course – an 18-hole golf course; Hutchinson Zoo which houses exotic animals from all over the world; Strataca – Underground Salt Museum which takes visitors 650 feet underground into a former salt mine; Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center which features interactive exhibits about space exploration; Dillon Nature Center which offers hiking trails; Sand Hills State Park which features camping sites; Big Pool – also known as “Big Pool” – which offers swimming activities; Carey Park which features picnic spots; Historic Fox Theatre – built in 1924 –which still operates today providing entertainment to locals from concerts to theatre performances.; Carey Park Golf Course -an 18-hole golf course offering challenging courses for golfers at all levels.; And lastly Hutch Town Square -a revitalized downtown area full of restaurants, shops, galleries & more that have made it into a popular destination spot for locals & tourists alike.
Hutchinson is located at 84km northwest of Wichita. This town in the central part of the state is known for its annual softball tournament. It also hosts another big sporting event, the National Junior College Basketball Championships, as well as the State Fair. One of the city’s main attractions is the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. It’s a huge complex that contains the Apollo 13 command module, replicas of a space shuttle and an SR-71 Blackbird jet, interactive exhibits, a large-screen theater and a planetarium.
Population: 40,787. Estimated population in July 2024: 40,961 (+0.4% change)
Males: 20,570 (50.4%), Females: 20,217 (49.6%)
Reno County
Zip codes: 67501, 67502.
Demographics
Median resident age: 37.1 years
Median household income: $32,645
Median house value: $64,300
Population by Race
Races in Hutchinson:
- White Non-Hispanic (85.4%)
- Hispanic (7.7%)
- Black (4.3%)
- Other race (3.7%)
- Two or more races (2.2%)
- American Indian (1.4%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
Ancestries: German (26.5%), English (12.7%), Irish (9.7%), United States (8.9%), French (3.0%), Swedish (2.6%).
Elevation: 1538 feet
Land area: 21.1 square miles
Population by Education
The city of Hutchinson, Kansas is located in the central part of the state and is the largest city in Reno County. As of the 2020 census, Hutchinson had a population of 40,787. The median age in Hutchinson is 36.8 years old, with a gender ratio of 48.6% male to 51.4% female. The racial makeup of Hutchinson consists of 84.2% White, 8.5% Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% African American, 2.1% Asian, 0.7% Native American and Pacific Islander, and 0.2% from other races. The average household size in Hutchinson is 2.43 people and the median household income is $45,398 per year with 24 percent of households living below the poverty line as measured by the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).
The education level in Hutchinson is above average for Kansas with 88 percent having at least a high school diploma or equivalent and 27 percent having a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 83 percent and 22 percent respectively for all of Kansas according to ACS data from 2016-2020 5-year estimates by age groupings for educational attainment levels 25 years and older.. Furthermore, there are 3 colleges within 30 miles of Hutchinson – Southwestern College at Winfield (17 miles), Sterling College at Sterling (27 miles), and Cowley College at Arkansas City (29 miles).
Hutchinson has many opportunities for employment ranging from manufacturing to healthcare to retail trade among many other industries as well as being home to several large employers such as Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation which employs over 1,500 people locally making it one of Reno County’s top employers according to the Reno County Economic Development Council’s website.. Additionally, health care provider Via Christi Health employs over 1,000 people locally making it another one of Reno County’s top employers according to their website.. These large employers help contribute significantly to Hutchinson’s economy helping make it a vibrant community that continues to grow each year with new businesses popping up throughout town such as restaurants and entertainment venues.
For population 25 years and over in Hutchinson
- High school or higher: 82.3%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.2%
- Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%
- Unemployed: 5.8%
- Mean travel time to work: 15.6 minutes
For population 15 years and over in Hutchinson city
- Never married: 22.2%
- Now married: 54.3%
- Separated: 1.1%
- Widowed: 7.9%
- Divorced: 14.5%
2.4% Foreign born (1.6% Latin America, 0.5% Asia).
Population change in the 1990s: +1,475 (+3.8%).
Hospitals
Hospital/medical center in Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON HOSPITAL CORPORATION (1701 E 23RD ST)
Other hospitals/medical centers near Hutchinson:
- MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 27 miles; MCPHERSON, KS)
- HOSPITAL DISTRICT #1 OF RICE COUNTY (about 28 miles; LYONS, KS)
- HERTLER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 29 miles; HALSTEAD, KS)
Airports
Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON MUNI (about 6 miles; HUTCHINSON, KS; Abbreviation: HUT)
- WICHITA MID-CONTINENT (about 46 miles; WICHITA, KS; Abbreviation: ICT)
- SALINA MUNI (about 53 miles; SALINA, KS; Abbreviation: SLN)
Other public-use airports nearest to Hutchinson:
- MC PHERSON (about 26 miles; MC PHERSON, KS; Abbreviation: MPR)
- LYONS-RICE COUNTY MUNI (about 28 miles; LYONS, KS; Abbreviation: LYO)
- KINGMAN AIRPORT – CLYDE CESSNA FIELD (about 31 miles; KINGMAN, KS; Abbreviation: 9K8)
Amtrak station:
HUTCHINSON (3RD & WALNUT STS.). Services: fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for taxi service.
Colleges and Universities
Colleges/Universities in Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 2,268; Location: 1300 N PLUM ST; Public; Website: www.hutchcc.edu)
- SIDNEYS HAIR DRESSING COLLEGE (Location: 916 E FOURTH ST; Private, for-profit)
Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Hutchinson:
- WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 40 miles; WICHITA, KS; Full-time enrollment: 10,403)
- FRIENDS UNIVERSITY (about 48 miles; WICHITA, KS; Full-time enrollment: 2,983)
- BARTON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 63 miles; GREAT BEND, KS; Full-time enrollment: 2,268)
- BUTLER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 77 miles; EL DORADO, KS; Full-time enrollment: 4,250)
- COWLEY COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 93 miles; ARKANSAS CITY, KS; Full-time enrollment: 2,392)
- FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 112 miles; HAYS, KS; Full-time enrollment: 4,572)
- KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 122 miles; MANHATTAN, KS; Full-time enrollment: 19,210)
Schools
Public high school in Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON HIGH (Students: 1,612; Location: 1401 N SEVERANCE; Grades: 09 – 12)
Private high schools in Hutchinson:
- TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 237; Location: 1400 E 17TH ST; Grades: 7 – 12)
- VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 22; Location: PO BOX 2068; Grades: 2 – 12)
Biggest public primary/middle schools in Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 705; Location: 200 W 14; Grades: 07 – 08)
- UNION VALLEY ELEM (Students: 516; Location: 2501 E 30TH; Grades: PK – 04)
- MCCANDLESS ELEM (Students: 486; Location: 700 N BAKER; Grades: PK – 06)
- MORGAN ELEM (Students: 427; Location: 100 W 27TH; Grades: KG – 06)
- PRAIRIE HILLS MIDDLE (Students: 372; Location: 3200 LUCILLE DR; Grades: 07 – 08)
- GRABER ELEM (Students: 368; Location: 1600 N CLEVELAND; Grades: KG – 06)
- WILEY ELEM (Students: 329; Location: 900 W 21ST; Grades: KG – 06)
- FARIS ELEM (Students: 312; Location: 300 E 9TH; Grades: PK – 06)
- HUTCHINSON ELEM MAGNET SCHOOL AT ALLEN (Students: 293; Location: 403 W 10TH; Grades: KG – 06)
- AVENUE A ELEM (Students: 248; Location: 111 S MADISON; Grades: KG – 06)
Private primary/middle schools in Hutchinson:
- HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Students: 266; Location: 2633 INDEPENDENCE RD; Grades: PK – 6)
- ST TERESA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 194; Location: 215 EAST FIFTH; Grades: PK – 6)
Libraries
Library in Hutchinson:
- HUTCHINSON PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,705,751; Location: 901 N MAIN; 269,421 books; 7,361 audio materials; 2,332 video materials; 400 serial subscriptions)