[3] Mankato was originally called Jewell Center, and under the latter name laid out in 1872.

[4] The first post office in the town was established as Jewell Center in August 1872.

[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.01 square miles (2.62 km2), all land.

[8] The 2020 United States census counted 836 people, 404 households, and 217 families in Mankato.

There were 479 housing units at an average density of 491.3 per square mile (189.7/km2).

41.8% of households consisted of individuals and 24.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[19][20] At the 2010 census there were 869 people in 405 households, including 242 families, in the city.

The community is served by Rock Hills USD 107 public school district.

The Rock Hills High School mascot is Grizzlies.

The Mankato Cougars[24] won the Kansas State High School boys class B basketball championship in 1943.

[25] On November 3, 2019, YouTubers Yes Theory published a video titled "Throwing a Party in the Most Boring Town in America".

The video features the group visiting Mankato and their quest to throw a party in the town.