Merriam is a city in the northeastern part of Johnson County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The population was 11,008 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated to be 10,773 in the year 2006.[3] As a suburb of Kansas City, it is included in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by the cities of Overland Park to the east and south, Shawnee to the west, and Kansas City, Kansas to the north (in Wyandotte County); the city of Lenexa is less than a mile to the southwest. Merriam is included in the Shawnee Mission postal designation. The city was named in honor of Charles Merriam, a one-time secretary/treasurer of the then Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf railroad which ran through the area.
History
Merriam was incorporated as a third class city on October 28, 1950, and established second class city status on January 18, 1957.[4]
Geography
Merriam is located at 39°1′15″N 94°41′38″W / 39.02083, -94.69389 (39.020888, -94.693784).[5] The city straddles approximately three miles of Interstate 35 from less than a mile southwest of its junction with Interstate 635 south to 75th Street. Shawnee Mission Parkway, an east-west road, nearly bisects the city. U.S. Routes 59 and 69 follow the Interstate to the south of the city and follow Shawnee Mission Parkway to the east from its junction with the Interstate. Turkey Creek, following a roughly parallel path to the Interstate, flows through the city.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.2 km²), all of it land.[1]
Demographics
Merriam's population was estimated to be 10,773 in the year 2006, a decrease of 230, or -2.1%, over the previous six years.[3]
As of the U.S. Census in 2000,[1] there were 11,008 people, 4,839 households, and 2,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,550.9 people per square mile (983.8/km²). There were 5,042 housing units at an average density of 1,168.4/sq mi (450.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.24% White, 4.02% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.95% from other races, and 2.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% of the population. The ancestral makeup was 21.9% German, 12.9% English, 11.5% Irish and 7.7% American.
There were 4,839 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,455, and the median income for a family was $54,639. Males had a median income of $37,358 versus $29,815 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,988. About 4.3% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Libraries
The Johnson County Library serves residents of Merriam. The library's Antioch branch is in Merriam. The Antioch Library also was at one time the central resource library for the Johnson Couty.
See also
Information on this and other cities in Kansas
Other information for Kansas
References
- ^ a b c "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b "Population Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php. Annual estimates of the population to 2006-07-01. Released 2007-06-28. Population change is from 2000-07-01 to 2006-07-01.
- ^ "Our City". City of Merriam. http://www.merriam.org/city/index.htm. Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
External links
Official sites
Additional information
City Information 
