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COUNTY

Jefferson County

Kansas · 18,296 residents (2025 est.) · 532.626 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#87Lowest poverty rateof 3,1445.6%#92Highest homeownership rateof 3,14485.7%
The short version

Jefferson County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $81,278. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $216,900. With a median age of 44.2, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Poverty is rare here, at 5.6% of residents. It ranks in the top 5% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
18,349
Unchangedsince 2000
from 18,426 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
34 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 35 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.2
+16%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:18,296 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
16K17K18K18K19K1990201020202024Jefferson County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(941)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(1,126)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.2%(1,131)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(1,178)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(876)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.9%(2,001)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(2,211)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(2,225)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.3%(2,994)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412%(2,200)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.8%(1,063)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(403)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$81,278
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,535 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,568
+115%since 2000
from $19,373 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
56.6%
+26.1 ptssince 2009
from 30.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.396
+8%since 2010
from 0.368 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade14.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance7.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration4.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services2.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$216,900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$835
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $447 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
85.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 84.8% in 2000
14.3% rent
Vacancy rate
7.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.0%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.0%
+9.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
+16%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
23
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Jefferson County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96%(17,683)
Black0.4%(65)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(236)
Asian0.2%(30)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.1%(16,710)
Black0.4%(82)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(648)
Asian0.2%(45)
Other4.7%(864)
Diversity Score
21
+66%since 2009
from 13 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
7
+14%since 2020
from 7 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
Mexican3.2%(586)
Puerto Rican0.1%(13)
Asian origin
Cambodian0.1%(21)
Filipino0.1%(13)
Chinese0%(7)
Laotian0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Guamanian0.1%(24)
Ancestry
German29.3%(5,369)
English14.3%(2,629)
Irish13.6%(2,491)
American7.2%(1,320)
Scottish2.5%(451)
Italian2.3%(414)
Swedish2%(371)
Polish1.7%(307)
Dutch1.4%(266)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(265)
French1.4%(258)
Norwegian0.9%(171)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.7%(132)
Danish0.5%(92)
Welsh0.4%(76)
Croatian0.3%(58)
Swiss0.3%(55)
Russian0.3%(53)
British0.2%(40)
Iranian0.2%(38)
Greek0.2%(28)
Austrian0.1%(22)
Canadian0.1%(22)
Slovene0.1%(17)
Lithuanian0.1%(13)
Arab0%(6)
Belgian0%(6)
Turkish0%(4)
Haitian0%(2)
Finnish0%(1)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.6%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 17.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.4%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 88.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.1%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.1 min
+43%since 2000
from 21.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.9%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 77.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.7%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 4.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.8%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 68.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
18.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.4%
−27.8 ptssince 2009
from 63.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Female
49.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Foreign born
1.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.8%
−42.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2012
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.4%
−85.7 ptssince 2013
from 91.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.2%
+15.1 ptssince 2017
from 74.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
98.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 97.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.0%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.2%(1,935)
Married60.6%(4,641)
Widowed2.7%(205)
Divorced11.5%(883)
Women 15+
Never married18.4%(1,376)
Married59.2%(4,433)
Widowed10.8%(811)
Divorced11.6%(867)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Jefferson County

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Pop 17,439
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Pop 19,880
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Pop 18,391
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Places similar to Jefferson County
Head to head

Compare Jefferson County to nearby counties

JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Leavenworth County
Income$89,218+10%
Home value$282,900+30%
Population84,590+362%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Atchison County
Income$61,112−25%
Home value$145,700−33%
Population16,172−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Douglas County
Income$69,746−14%
Home value$309,400+43%
Population120,920+561%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Shawnee County
Income$67,104−17%
Home value$180,900−17%
Population178,607+876%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Jefferson County, Kansas?

Jefferson County, Kansas has about 18,349 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Jefferson County, Kansas?

The typical household in Jefferson County, Kansas earns about $81,278 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Jefferson County, Kansas expensive?

In Jefferson County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $216,900, and the typical rent is about $835 a month.

How educated are people in Jefferson County, Kansas?

About 24.6% of adults age 25 and over in Jefferson County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County, Kansas?

About 5.6% of people in Jefferson County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Jefferson County, Kansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Jefferson County, Kansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,444 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

4 census tracts
Census Tract 201.01Census Tract 203Census Tract 202Census Tract 201.02
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 66512ZIP 66054ZIP 66088ZIP 66066ZIP 66073ZIP 66070ZIP 66060ZIP 66097ZIP 66429
Up the hierarchy
All counties in Kansas
Rankings
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Jefferson County, Kansas: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy