Marquette, Kansas and Lincoln, Kansas are two prominent towns in Central Kansas promoting the free land initiative. Marquette offers various lot sizes ranging from 11,000 to 25,000 square feet, with the specification that construction must be completed within one year.

Lecompton emerged in 1854 as the leading proslavery settlement in Kansas and as a counterpart to the various Free-State towns in Kansas.

The more isolated a community, the harder it is to access specialized health care, education and international airports, the article said. Kansas had four towns on the list — Colby, population 5,400; Oakley, 2,000; Scott City, 3,800; and Holcomb, 2,100.

According to the Kansas Historical Society, there are more than 6,000 ghost towns in existence in the state. Each town has faded with time, becoming remnants of its past populations, size, access to railroads, industries and more.