Dorrance is a city in Russell County, Kansas, United States.

[3] The Kansas Pacific Railway reached the site of Dorrance in June 1867.

German, English, and Irish settlers followed shortly thereafter, forming a small community by 1870.

[5] A prairie fire destroyed much of the community's business district in March 1879.

[8] Dorrance was incorporated in April 1910 and became a center of goods and services for eastern Russell County.

[12] Dorrance lies in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the Smoky Hill River and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wilson Lake.

[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.34 square miles (0.88 km2), all land.

[13] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[14] The 2020 United States census counted 146 people, 75 households, and 42 families in Dorrance.

The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 2.7% American Indian, and 0.5% Asian.

The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (27.9%); educational services, and health care and social assistance (26.5%); and manufacturing (14.7%).

[29] The community is served by Central Plains USD 112 public school district.

The Dorrance Cardinals[31] won the Kansas State High School boys class BB basketball championship in 1956.

[32] Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40 run concurrently east–west less than a mile north of the city.

H & B Communications provides landline telephone service and offers cable television and internet access.

[35] Most residents use natural gas for heating fuel; service is provided by Midwest Energy, Inc.[28][35] Dorrance is in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market.

[36] The Dorrance Historical Society Museum, located downtown, exhibits artifacts from the community's history.