Liberal, Kansas

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Liberal Township. It lies in ZIP code area 67901. The Survey maps it on the Liberal quadrangle. 19,825 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 2,835 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Liberal within Seward County

On record in Liberal

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

J E George Buildinglisted 2025

Population over time

2 figures

Liberal fell from 20,525 to 19,825 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2010	20,525
2020	19,825	-700 (-3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 10 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

1955 USGS Dodge City quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
1958 USGS Dodge City quadrangle1:250000
1959 USGS Dodge City quadrangle1:250000
1971 USGS Liberal quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
1985 USGS Liberal quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings

Fires near this place

99 since 2005

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 99 fires within 5 miles of Liberal between 2005 and 2020, burning about 202 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 16 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	36
Arson/incendiarism	16
Equipment and vehicle use	15
Debris and open burning	10
Smoking	8
Power generation/transmission/distribution	3
Other causes	3
Misuse of fire by a minor	2
Fireworks	2
Natural	2
Recreation and ceremony	1
Railroad operations and maintenance	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
5 September 2015	Other causes	under an acre	Kansas Forest Service	868
27 September 2007	Arson/incendiarism	under an acre	Seward County	not named
15 September 2017	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Seward County	916
6 August 2007	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Seward County	not named
4 August 2017	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Seward County	369
30 August 2015	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Kansas Forest Service	849
9 July 2007	Arson/incendiarism	1.0 acres	Seward County	not named
6 July 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.0 acres	Kansas Forest Service	not named

Every fire recorded in Seward County

Storms near this place

60 of 285 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Liberal in 285 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 186 hail, 72 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 9 flash flood. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
March 2000	Tornado (F1)	Liberal	2 hurt, $250,000	Tornado began at 3rd and Pennsylvania and traveled north-northwest to just past the Southwest Medical Center. The small circulation was evidently wrapped into the RFD as it traversed around the southeast section of the Meso. Several trees were uprooted, the awing at a gas station was damaged, signs were blown down. sheds destroyed, KDOT tower was blown down and 1/3 of the hospital roof was removed.
June 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$8,000,000	A tremendous storm rolled in from the east (HP supercell). The combination of the 80 to 100 mph wind and hail bigger than golf balls produced at least eight million dollars in damage. This occurred six weeks after another devastating storm that produced around $20 million in damage.
May 2003	Tornado (F2)	Liberal	$8,000,000	The second tornado stayed mainly in town. It destroyed several buildings and caused significant roof and tree damage.
May 2003	Tornado (F2)	Liberal	$6,000,000	The tornado began 1 mile west of town and first tore through the northwest part of Liberal destroying several mobile homes and throwing a pickup into the debris. Other homes in the area received heavy roof damage.
October 1998	Flash Flood	Liberal	$1,000,000	Heavy rain fell across the liberal area for 24 hours with the heaviest rain falling between 8 AM and 5 PM CDT. Five to eight inches were reported with one unofficial report indicating 10 inches! Streets were flooded that had never flooded before. A local disaster was declared.
May 1996	Tornado (F2)	Liberal	$200,000	no account filed
May 2003	Tornado (F2)	Liberal	$150,000	The tornado began 15 miles north and 1.5 miles west of the center of Liberal and ended 18 miles north and 2 miles east. One home received minor roof damage and broken windows. The second home was destroyed with debris from the home traveling 1/4 of a mile.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$150,000	Radio tower blown down.
May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$100,000	Several pivot irrigation sprinklers overturned; road signs blown down; power poles blown over.
June 1995	Hail	Liberal	$100,000	no account filed
October 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$50,000	A pivot irrigation sprinkler overturned.
August 2003	Lightning	Liberal	$50,000	Lightning struck the roof and caught the house of fire.
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$50,000	Five trailer houses blown off their foundation with one losing a roof.
June 1994	Hail	Liberal	$50,000	no account filed
March 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$45,000	Truck blown over, power poles blown down and bleachers at the football field heavily damaged.
May 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$15,000	Part of a wall was blown out at the Southwest Medical Center.
June 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$15,000	A roof was blown off a house and trees were damaged.
October 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$10,000	A semi truck was blown over on highway 83.
June 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$9,000	A carport was demolished by the high wind.
July 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$5,000	Ten power poles blown down.
July 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$5,000	no account filed
June 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$2,000	Power lines were blown down.
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	$1,000	Large tree uprooted.
June 2025	Hail	Liberal	-	A video was sent in through social media.
August 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	A heat burst winds Mesonet station UP352 2.7 SW Liberal (UPR) recorded a 57 mph wind gust.
June 2024	Flash Flood	Liberal	-	Water over the road. Road Blocked off.
February 2023	Hail	Liberal	-	Report received from social media. pictures were included.
February 2023	Tornado (EF0)	Liberal	-	Tornado confirmed with storm survey.
June 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	At least two flipped simis and power poles down in Liberal.
June 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Numerous structral damage to utility poles and a gas station awning.
June 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Reported as 65 to 70 mph.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Strong winds.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Strong winds.
June 2021	Hail	Liberal	-	Winds were at least 60 MPH along with the hail.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Three inch diameter tree branches were broken by the high wind.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	A roof was torn off a school.
March 2021	Heavy Rain	Liberal	-	Rainfall of 2.50 was observed.
August 2020	Flash Flood	Liberal	-	Streets and ditches were flooded from a quick heavy rain event.
July 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be around 65 MPH.
August 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Electrical lines were blown down.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	A grain bin was destroyed and rolled 100 yards.
August 2017	Heavy Rain	Liberal	-	Rainfall was 5.0 inches.
July 2017	Flood	Liberal	-	There was numerous street flooding reports.
June 2016	Hail	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH.
June 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	There was also quarter sized hail with the winds that were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH.
June 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	There was wind damage to a house including destroying a carport that ended up in the street. The roof was partially peeled off and an 8 inch diameter tree was snapped off.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Eight to 10 power poles were blown down by the wind.
November 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	A large tree was toppled by high wind.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
September 2012	Heavy Rain	Liberal	-	Rainfall of 3.50 was reported at a location 2 miles south of Liberal.
June 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Power lines were blown down in Liberal.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Numerous power poles were snapped. There were also several outbuildings damaged and at least one completely destroyed on the west side of Liberal.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	A Morton building was blown down in the vicinity of 7th street and Industrial Avenue.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be blowing at 70 mph.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Liberal	-	Winds were estimated to be 70 mph.
March 2009	Hail	Liberal	-	Dime to nickle sized hail covered the ground.
April 2009	Hail	Liberal	-	There was a lot of dime sized hail covering the ground with quarter sized hail mixed in.
August 2009	Hail	Liberal	-	The hail was nickel to quarter sized.

Every storm recorded in Seward County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Hayne	7.4 miles	8
Arkalon	9.2 miles	10
Kismet	16.1 miles	8

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Liberal	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1003630	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 470667. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.