The Early History of Lakin
by Frank W. Blackmar (1912)
Lakin, the judicial seat of Kearny county, is located south of the central part of the county on the Arkansas river and on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. It has 2 banks, with a combined capital of $20,000 and $160,000 deposits, a newspaper (the Kearny County Advocate), telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with one rural route. The population in 1910 was 337. Lakin was founded in the '70s but did not attain much of a growth until 1885. At that time it experienced a boom. A newspaper was started that year and the population increased very rapidly for a time. It was made the temporary county seat in 1888. Two years later the county records were removed to Hartland, but were brought back in 1894.

Geography
Lakin is located at 37°56'25N, 101°15'31W (37.940202, -101.258728). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²), all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,316 people, 823 households, and 604 families residing in the city. The population density was 961.5/km² (2,480.0/mi²). There were 883 housing units at an average density of 366.6/km² (945.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.56% White, 0.82% African American, 1.34% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 14.16% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.96% of the population.

There were 823 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city the population was spread out with 34.2% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,875, and the median income for a family was $44,688. Males had a median income of $31,086 versus $20,433 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,531. About 6.9% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.