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CITY · 2010 ACS

Liberal

Kansas · 20,525 residents · 12.0 sq mi
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The short version

Liberal is home to 20,525 people in Kansas. This skews young, with a median age of 28.4. 31% of locals were born outside the United States. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The typical home is worth $82,400. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 28.4
US median: 37.2
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

20,525
+4%since 2000
from 19,666 in 2000
1990 – 2025
28.4
−2%since 2000
from 28.9 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
12.0 sq mi
Population, 19902024
16K17K19K20K21K19902000201020202024Liberal
202419K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 510.2%(2,095)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 99.1%(1,868)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 147.9%(1,622)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 198.8%(1,808)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.5%(1,748)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3414.7%(3,023)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413%(2,675)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5411.6%(2,383)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 647.8%(1,599)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 744.3%(881)
US avg: 7%
75 to 842.8%(571)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.2%(252)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$40,247
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,482 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$17,668
+17%since 2000
from $15,108 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
17.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
17.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 17.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.415
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade20%
US avg: 10.9%
Information15.4%
US avg: 11.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing12.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing6.5%
US avg: 0.5%
Construction5.7%
US avg: 1.4%
Wholesale trade5.3%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4%
US avg: 7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.5%
US avg: 2.4%
Public administration2.1%
US avg: 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$82,400
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,400 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$623
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $466 in 2000
US average: $853
63.0%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 63.0% in 2000
37.0% rent
6.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.93 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.87 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
22.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
40.9%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 38.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
2.0
+3%since 2009
from 2.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic47.6%(9,353)
Black4%(782)
Hispanic / Latino43.3%(8,513)
Asian3.2%(634)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic33.3%(6,834)
Black3.3%(675)
Hispanic / Latino58.7%(12,044)
Asian2.8%(578)
Other1.6%(329)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican50.8%(10,325)
Guatemalan1.8%(358)
Puerto Rican0.8%(160)
Spaniard0.2%(39)
Salvadoran0.1%(29)
Peruvian0.1%(18)
Nicaraguan0.1%(13)
Chilean0%(10)
Cuban0%(7)
Ancestry
German11.4%(2,315)
Irish5.3%(1,069)
English5.1%(1,036)
American3.5%(706)
French1.4%(291)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(232)
Dutch1%(196)
Swedish0.8%(155)
Scottish0.7%(139)
Italian0.5%(107)
Portuguese0.4%(80)
Czech0.3%(62)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(50)
Russian0.2%(50)
Brazilian0.2%(45)
Canadian0.2%(44)
British0.2%(39)
Austrian0.2%(31)
Danish0.1%(28)
Arab0.1%(22)
Swiss0.1%(18)
Polish0.1%(17)
Turkish0.1%(17)
Welsh0.1%(11)
Lebanese0%(10)
Slovak0%(8)
Section 05

Education

12.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
67.1%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 63.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
4.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.7 min
+22%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
78.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.8% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
13.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
2.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
3.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
5.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

11.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
19.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

50.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
49.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
31.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
6.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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).

12.7%
−11.3 ptssince 2013
from 24.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
10.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Liberal, Kansas?

Liberal, Kansas has about 20,525 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Liberal, Kansas?

The typical household in Liberal, Kansas earns about $40,247 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Liberal, Kansas expensive?

In Liberal, Kansas, the median home is worth about $82,400, and the typical rent is about $623 a month.

How educated are people in Liberal, Kansas?

About 12.5% of adults age 25 and over in Liberal, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Liberal, Kansas?

About 17.8% of people in Liberal, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Liberal, Kansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Liberal, Kansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,952 residents, a change of about 24 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →