COUNTY
Cowley County
Kansas · 34,382 residents (2025 est.) · 1,125.738 sq mi
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Part of the Arkansas City micropolitan area
The short version
Cowley County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $57,878. Population has declined 5% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $120,900.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
PEP 2025 EST:34,382 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)
Population, 1990 – 2024
202434K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.4%(1,860)
5 to 95.4%(1,854)
10 to 148.5%(2,909)
15 to 198.3%(2,847)
20 to 246.5%(2,233)
25 to 3410.4%(3,585)
35 to 4412.8%(4,402)
45 to 5411.3%(3,884)
55 to 6412.6%(4,319)
65 to 7410.8%(3,731)
75 to 845.4%(1,848)
85 and over2.7%(939)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$57,878
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,406 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
37.7%
+15.6 ptssince 2009
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.7%
Information9.3%
Finance & insurance6.6%
Wholesale trade5.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.2%
Construction4.3%
Other services4.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
Public administration3%
Education & health services2.5%
Manufacturing0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
Transportation & warehousing0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$120,900
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.1
+11%since 2009
from 1.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
31
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Cowley County on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic88.4%(32,091)
Black2.7%(971)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(1,304)
Asian1.5%(550)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic76.9%(26,447)
Black2.4%(820)
Hispanic / Latino12.2%(4,184)
Asian1.5%(532)
Other7.1%(2,428)
49
+48%since 2009
from 33 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
20
−13%since 2020
from 23 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican9.2%(3,174)
Central American1%(341)
South American0.5%(187)
Salvadoran0.5%(173)
Puerto Rican0.4%(154)
Colombian0.4%(135)
Guatemalan0.3%(115)
Dominican0.2%(68)
Honduran0.1%(48)
Ecuadorian0.1%(21)
Bolivian0%(16)
Argentine0%(11)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Laotian0.8%(271)
Vietnamese0.4%(129)
Chinese0.1%(49)
Thai0.1%(37)
Japanese0.1%(29)
Filipino0%(15)
Asian Indian0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Chuukese0.3%(97)
Ancestry
German17.4%(5,973)
Irish11.9%(4,102)
American11.7%(4,015)
English11.4%(3,937)
French2%(677)
Scottish1.8%(604)
Italian1.5%(529)
Dutch1.4%(490)
Swedish1%(335)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(255)
Czech0.7%(249)
Polish0.7%(245)
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data
British0.6%(201)
Welsh0.6%(193)
West Indian0.5%(159)
Subsaharan African0.5%(158)
Norwegian0.3%(111)
Russian0.3%(101)
Haitian0.3%(87)
Swiss0.2%(86)
Nigerian0.2%(85)
Jamaican0.2%(72)
Danish0.2%(63)
Austrian0.2%(60)
Brazilian0.1%(40)
French Canadian0.1%(34)
Australian0%(11)
Hungarian0%(11)
Belgian0%(10)
Portuguese0%(10)
Canadian0%(9)
Greek0%(7)
Arab0%(5)
Egyptian0%(3)
Finnish0%(3)
Lithuanian0%(3)
Macedonian0%(2)
Somali0%(1)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
90.6%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 85.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Section 08
People & community
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.6%(4,548)
Married48.9%(6,825)
Widowed4.4%(618)
Divorced14%(1,952)
Women 15+
Never married24.2%(3,356)
Married48.1%(6,661)
Widowed10.2%(1,416)
Divorced17.4%(2,412)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper
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Compare Cowley County to nearby counties
COWLEY COUNTY VS
Chautauqua County
Income$56,438−2%
Home value$65,500−46%
Population3,321−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLEY COUNTY VS
Kay County
Income$58,423+1%
Home value$124,700+3%
Population43,490+26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLEY COUNTY VS
Elk County
Income$64,609+12%
Home value$68,500−43%
Population2,458−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLEY COUNTY VS
Sumner County
Income$63,951+10%
Home value$135,100+12%
Population22,312−35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cowley County, Kansas?
Cowley County, Kansas has about 34,411 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cowley County, Kansas?
The typical household in Cowley County, Kansas earns about $57,878 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cowley County, Kansas expensive?
In Cowley County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $120,900, and the typical rent is about $809 a month.
How educated are people in Cowley County, Kansas?
About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Cowley County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cowley County, Kansas?
About 14.3% of people in Cowley County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cowley County, Kansas grown since 1990?
Yes, Cowley County, Kansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,504 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024