Sylvia is a city of 195 people in Kansas. At a median age of 59.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 97% of homes are owner-occupied. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $58,600. Households here earn about 40% less than in Kansas as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $44,271, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 59.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Sylvia
What changed most since 1990
Median age37.4 → 59.1(+21.7 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Homes owned by their occupants79.0% → 97.0%(+17.9 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Population320 → 195(−39%)US over the same years: +35%
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)21.4%(6)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.6%(8)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War46.4%(13)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 28 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
Over time
Sylvia, decade by decade
Sylvia population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
320
$55,802
$35,999
8.1%
0.0
2000
297
$53,132
$44,631
6.6%
9.8
2010
218
$58,570
$32,943
18.6%
15.2
2020
215
$58,329
–
6.3%
31.2
2024
195
$44,271
$58,600
11.3%
16.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
