HPPR News

The Smallest Town in the U.S. with a Daily Newspaper? Council Grove, Kansas.

Kansas Public Radio

Published February 5, 2026 at 3:50 PM CST

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The staff of the Council Grove Republican: Kay Roberts, Jan Sciacca, and Christy Jimerson (left to right).

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The Council Grove Republican office on Main Street in Council Grove, Kansas.

Matthew Algeo/KPR

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Jan Sciacca photographs newly-inaugurated members of the Council Grove city council for the Council Grove Republican.

Matthew Algeo/KPR

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Kay Roberts affixes mailing labels to issues of the Council Grove Republican that will be mailed to subscribers.

Matthew Algeo/KPR

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A news rack selling copies of the Council Grove Republican in front of the newspaper's office.

Matthew Algeo/KPR

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Christy Jimerson laying out an edition of the Council Grove Republican.

Matthew Algeo/KPR

Council Grove, Kansas, is a small town with a rich history and a unique distinction: With a population of about 2,200, it is the smallest town in the United States with a daily newspaper: the Council Grove Republican.

Council Grove, Kansas, is a small town with a rich history and a unique distinction: With a population of about 2,200, it is the smallest town in the United States with a daily newspaper, according to the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. The Council Grove Republican still publishes every Monday through Thursday, filling its pages with local news and satisfying hundreds of loyal subscribers. KPR's Matthew Algeo reports on a small-town paper with a rich history that's also focused on the future.