COUNTY
Riley County
Kansas · 72,598 residents (2025 est.) · 610 sq mi
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The short version
With 71,946 people, Riley County is a county in Kansas. The median age is 25.5, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. People stay put here: 77% were in the same home a year ago. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 25.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
71,946
+14%since 2000
from 62,843 in 2000
72,598 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
610 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202472K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.8%(3,425)
5 to 94.5%(3,214)
10 to 144.5%(3,205)
15 to 1910.1%(7,298)
20 to 2424.9%(17,893)
25 to 3416.3%(11,741)
35 to 4410.6%(7,643)
45 to 547.1%(5,092)
55 to 647.3%(5,232)
65 to 746.1%(4,396)
75 to 842.7%(1,947)
85 and over1.2%(860)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$61,098
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
40.5%
+19.0 ptssince 2009
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.3%
Wholesale trade5.6%
Other services5.1%
Retail trade4.6%
Public administration3.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
Finance & insurance2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
Construction1.9%
Professional, scientific, technical1.8%
Transportation & warehousing1%
Education & health services0.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$237,100
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.9
−3%since 2009
from 4.0 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.
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic82.7%(51,954)
Black6.7%(4,221)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(2,872)
Asian3.2%(2,001)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic73.6%(52,983)
Black6.4%(4,569)
Hispanic / Latino10%(7,205)
Asian4.1%(2,951)
Other5.9%(4,238)
55
+38%since 2009
from 40 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
22
+21%since 2020
from 18 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
Mexican6.6%(4,755)
Central American1.2%(873)
Puerto Rican0.8%(556)
South American0.7%(521)
Nicaraguan0.4%(323)
Salvadoran0.3%(217)
Panamanian0.3%(216)
Bolivian0.2%(153)
Spaniard0.2%(149)
Cuban0.2%(111)
Argentine0.2%(109)
Peruvian0.1%(104)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Guatemalan0.1%(66)
Ecuadorian0.1%(63)
Colombian0.1%(59)
Dominican0.1%(53)
Honduran0.1%(51)
Chilean0%(18)
Venezuelan0%(15)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.9%(629)
Korean0.8%(540)
Chinese0.7%(490)
Filipino0.6%(401)
Bangladeshi0.4%(268)
Vietnamese0.3%(237)
Nepalese0.2%(140)
Japanese0.1%(103)
Thai0.1%(84)
Taiwanese0.1%(58)
Pakistani0%(7)
Ancestry
German26.6%(19,151)
Irish10.7%(7,711)
English10.4%(7,482)
American9.9%(7,153)
Swedish2.9%(2,073)
Scottish2.7%(1,913)
Italian2.5%(1,781)
French2%(1,443)
Polish1.5%(1,096)
Subsaharan African1.4%(1,014)
Norwegian1.2%(876)
Welsh0.9%(652)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.8%(562)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(533)
Czech0.7%(507)
Arab0.6%(455)
Danish0.5%(389)
British0.5%(359)
Ethiopian0.5%(338)
Russian0.4%(304)
West Indian0.3%(247)
Jamaican0.3%(238)
Greek0.3%(189)
Swiss0.2%(177)
French Canadian0.2%(173)
Belgian0.2%(161)
Hungarian0.2%(159)
Nigerian0.2%(147)
Ukrainian0.2%(122)
Iraqi0.2%(117)
Iranian0.1%(99)
Lebanese0.1%(83)
Lithuanian0.1%(83)
Canadian0.1%(80)
Slovak0.1%(79)
Egyptian0.1%(72)
Finnish0.1%(67)
Austrian0.1%(44)
Kenyan0.1%(41)
Jordanian0.1%(39)
Brazilian0%(35)
Portuguese0%(28)
Serbian0%(12)
Slovene0%(8)
Romanian0%(7)
Croatian0%(3)
Macedonian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
97.0%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 93.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
97.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 96.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married53.5%(17,776)
Married39.7%(13,183)
Widowed1.6%(522)
Divorced5.2%(1,738)
Women 15+
Never married44.7%(12,918)
Married42.6%(12,306)
Widowed4.5%(1,292)
Divorced8.2%(2,367)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
18.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
83.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 83.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
21.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 21.6% 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)55.3%(2,268)
Gulf War (1990s)28.4%(1,166)
Vietnam era25.7%(1,052)
Korean War3.1%(126)
World War II0.3%(13)
Share of the 4,099 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Riley County
Liberty County
Pop 70,313
Spalding County
Pop 70,775
Columbia County
Pop 74,094
Lake County
Pop 67,772
Places similar to Riley CountyHead to head
Compare Riley County to nearby counties
RILEY COUNTY VS
Geary County
Income$59,317−3%
Home value$172,700−27%
Population36,338−50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RILEY COUNTY VS
Pottawatomie County
Income$92,325+51%
Home value$245,900+4%
Population27,186−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RILEY COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$66,176+8%
Home value$155,900−34%
Population7,990−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RILEY COUNTY VS
Marshall County
Income$68,419+12%
Home value$127,700−46%
Population9,852−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Riley County, Kansas?
Riley County, Kansas has about 71,946 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Riley County, Kansas?
The typical household in Riley County, Kansas earns about $61,098 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Riley County, Kansas expensive?
In Riley County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $237,100, and the typical rent is about $1,046 a month.
How educated are people in Riley County, Kansas?
About 48.9% of adults age 25 and over in Riley County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Riley County, Kansas?
About 19.9% of people in Riley County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Riley County, Kansas grown since 1990?
Yes, Riley County, Kansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,807 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.
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17 census tracts
Census Tract 10.02Census Tract 6.02Census Tract 2.02Census Tract 3.04Census Tract 9Census Tract 13.02Census Tract 13.01Census Tract 5Census Tract 11.01Census Tract 8.01Census Tract 7Census Tract 6.01Census Tract 3.03Census Tract 11.02Census Tract 2.01Census Tract 8.02Census Tract 9800Up the hierarchy
All counties in KansasDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024