Big Brutus · National Register of Historic Places
West Mineral’s story
127 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1899West Mineral is settled
West MineralKS
Home to 149 people, the town was settled in 1899.
Photo: Anry skyhead · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
149
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Median home value
$43K
Census ACS
Household income
$35K
median
Median age
37.3
years
Jobs based here
4
A commuter town
Is West Mineral a good place to live?
1.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in West Mineral, against 29% in Kansas’ towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Of the 152 Kansas towns we compare, none has a lower middle household income than West Mineral. West Mineral has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Big Brutus and Soffietti-Boccia Grocery Store. West Mineral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
149 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Mineral: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Mineral, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of West Mineral water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers11% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have West Mineral’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCherokee County ClerkCherokee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6678266782 99%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in West Mineral.
Work & commute
Most of West Mineral’s workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them
Half the trips to work are shorter than 22 miles. The top destinations are Columbus (19%), Joplin (11%) and Baxter Springs (10%). The share of residents in West Mineral who live below the poverty line: 7.8%.
0%work in town
| West Mineral | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In West Mineral0%
Columbus19%
Joplin11%
Baxter Springs10%
Coffeyville6%
22 mi
median commute distance
4
jobs based in West Mineral
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in West Mineral, with inland flooding at the top
Households in West Mineral have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2009. Compared with just over two thirds of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 41% come from inland flooding and 26% from drought.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in West Mineral
The typical July afternoon high in the town is 90°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–47°
Spring46–68°
Summer68–89°
Fall48–70°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy West Mineral is
Among adults in West Mineral, 42% have obesity. Against the Kansas average, West Mineral comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 7. 15% of adults in West Mineral report frequent physical distress; 17% smoke cigarettes.
| West Mineral | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
2 better23 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | West Mineral | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.6% | 11.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 77.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.7% |
Mercy Hospital Columbus
9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 4.8% of West Mineral
Across 1 park or preserve: 0.2 miles of trail. West Mineral’s trail network density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
4.8%conserved
| West Mineral | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.8% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
4.8%
conserved · 10 of 214 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mined Land Wildlife Area - West Mineral Units | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
A home in West Mineral sells for about $70K at the median
For households in West Mineral, the share who own their home is 76%.
$70Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Mineral
16pages on West Mineral
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of West Mineral
About 3 of every 100 West Mineral residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave West Mineral for work
Where West Mineral’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4jobs based in West Mineral
0%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About West Mineral
City in Cherokee County, Kansas
West Mineral is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 154. It is the home of Big Brutus, the second largest electric shovel in the world.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 902 ft
- ZIP code
- 66782
Questions about West Mineral
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Mineral, KS a good place to live?
West Mineral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.