United States › Kansas › Harper County COUNTY
Harper County Kansas · 5,370 residents (2025 est.) · 801 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 5,400 people, Harper County is a county in Kansas. The typical home is worth $83,800, having more than doubled since 2000. Density works out to 7 people per square mile. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. Renters pay $690 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% 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 from 6,536 in 2000
5,370 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 7 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 42.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 6K 6K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Harper County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,488
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,776 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,368 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.437 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 13.9%
Public administration 5.2%
Transportation & warehousing 4.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.3%
Education & health services 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$83,800
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$690
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $356 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.3% in 2000
24.9% rent
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.36 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.11 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.7%(6,322)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(70)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.1%(4,647)
Hispanic / Latino 8.1%(436)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 15 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 Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.5% 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) 36.4%(104)
Share of the 286 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Harper County Head to head
Compare Harper County to nearby counties HARPER COUNTY VS
Kingman County
Income $59,842 +12%
Home value $111,100 +33%
Population 7,029 +31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARPER COUNTY VS
Grant County
Income $60,758 +14%
Home value $105,700 +26%
Population 4,067 −24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARPER COUNTY VS
Sumner County
Income $63,951 +20%
Home value $135,100 +61%
Population 22,312 +315%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARPER COUNTY VS
Barber County
Income $61,926 +16%
Home value $97,000 +16%
Population 4,083 −24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Harper County, Kansas? Harper County, Kansas has about 5,400 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Harper County, Kansas? The typical household in Harper County, Kansas earns about $53,488 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Harper County, Kansas expensive? In Harper County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $83,800, and the typical rent is about $690 a month.
How educated are people in Harper County, Kansas? About 22.8% of adults age 25 and over in Harper County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Harper County, Kansas? About 17.3% of people in Harper County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Harper County, Kansas grown since 1990? Yes, Harper County, Kansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,724 residents, a change of about -24 percent over that period.
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