CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Liberal

Kansas · 16,573 residents · 12.0 sq mi

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The short version

With 16,573 people, Liberal is a city in Kansas. The average commute runs 10 minutes. The typical home is worth $48,200. This skews young, with a median age of 29.2. About 12% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has fallen 16% since 2000.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 29.2

US median: 33.0

Less educated

12% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

16,573

−16%vs 2000

vs 19,666 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

29.2

+1%vs 2000

vs 28.9 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

12.0 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202419K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 58.9%(1,467)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 99.1%(1,514)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.7%(1,441)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.6%(1,255)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 248.1%(1,337)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3419.5%(3,224)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412.1%(2,011)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.7%(1,434)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 647.6%(1,257)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 745.7%(943)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.1%(514)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.1%(176)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$26,554

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $36,482 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,481

−24%vs 2000

vs $15,108 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

14.6%

−3.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 17.7% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$48,200

−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $65,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$364

+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $466 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

63.9%

+0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.0% in 2000

36.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic47.6%(9,353)

Black4%(782)

Hispanic / Latino43.3%(8,513)

Asian3.2%(634)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic76%(12,588)

Black6.2%(1,021)

Hispanic / Latino21%(3,480)

Asian2.6%(431)

Other15.3%(2,533)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican57.2%(11,052)

Central American10.5%(2,023)

Guatemalan10.1%(1,951)

Dominican0.2%(47)

Cuban0.2%(43)

Puerto Rican0.2%(38)

Honduran0.2%(36)

Salvadoran0.2%(36)

Spaniard0.1%(19)

South American0.1%(16)

Bolivian0.1%(10)

Asian origin

Vietnamese1.2%(231)

Laotian0.8%(160)

Cambodian0.2%(45)

Asian Indian0.2%(31)

Filipino0.1%(15)

Japanese0.1%(14)

Korean0%(7)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0%(7)

Ancestry

German6.5%(1,253)

American4.5%(861)

English3.1%(590)

Irish2.5%(484)

Subsaharan African1.2%(226)

Italian0.5%(91)

Dutch0.4%(74)

Scottish0.4%(70)

Australian0.4%(68)

French0.3%(67)

French Canadian0.3%(67)

British0.3%(52)

+ 14 more ancestry groups with data

Norwegian0.2%(48)

Swedish0.2%(41)

Czech0.2%(33)

Scotch-Irish0.1%(21)

Polish0.1%(20)

Austrian0.1%(19)

Swiss0.1%(16)

Bulgarian0.1%(15)

Russian0.1%(12)

Canadian0%(7)

Danish0%(6)

Portuguese0%(6)

Brazilian0%(1)

Ethiopian0%(1)

RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest Central American population · Largest Guatemalan population · Largest German population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.9%

−2.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

71.8%

+8.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.2% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.9%

−0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.5% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

10.0 min

−11%vs 2000

vs 11.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married41.8%(3,168)

Married46.2%(3,497)

Widowed2.3%(176)

Divorced9.7%(736)

Women 15+

Never married30%(2,013)

Married49.2%(3,299)

Widowed8.8%(588)

Divorced12.1%(810)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

12.7%

−11.3 ptssince 2013

from 24.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

53.3%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 54.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

13.8%

+2.7 ptssince 2020

from 11.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

10.7%

+1.3 ptssince 2020

from 9.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

20.0%

+2.4 ptssince 2020

from 17.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

0.9%

−0.4 ptssince 2020

from 1.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

66.5%

+2.5 ptssince 2020

from 64.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

29.8%

+3.4 ptssince 2020

from 26.4% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024

Gulf War (2001 or later)19.7%(49)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.1%(55)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era55.4%(138)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War4.4%(11)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 249 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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