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COUNTY

Shawnee County

Kansas · 178,607 residents (2025 est.) · 544 sq mi
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The short version

With 178,025 people, Shawnee County is a county in Kansas. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $180,900. The foreign-born share is 4%. The average commute runs 18 minutes. Median rent is $1,000 a month. Households take in $67,104 at the median, 18% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,104, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Shawnee County

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$132,724 → $180,900 (+36%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree22.3% → 32.2% (+9.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts

Among the 105 counties in Kansas

  • 39th in household income$67,104
  • 10th in share with a bachelor's degree32.2%
  • 18th in home value$180,900
  • 14th in diversity score58.4
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
178,025
+5%since 2000
from 169,871 in 2000
178,607 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
327 / sq mi
+5%since 2000
from 312 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.4
+6%since 2000
from 37.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
544 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
159K165K170K175K181K19902000201020202024Shawnee County
2024178K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(10,133)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(10,662)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(12,727)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.8%(12,091)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(10,828)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(21,445)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(22,489)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.2%(20,014)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.9%(23,018)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.6%(20,712)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.6%(9,911)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(3,995)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,104
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,988 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,908
+81%since 2000
from $20,904 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
45.9%
+18.7 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.7%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.440
+1%since 2010
from 0.435 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade9.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration6.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$180,900
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,000
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $494 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
66.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 67.4% in 2000
33.2% rent
Vacancy rate
6.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.29 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.3%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.9%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
+13%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79.9%(135,752)
Black8.8%(14,917)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(12,330)
Asian0.9%(1,575)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic71%(126,385)
Black6.6%(11,731)
Hispanic / Latino13.8%(24,637)
Asian1.3%(2,355)
Other7.3%(12,917)
Diversity Score
58
+23%since 2009
from 48 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
32
−10%since 2020
from 35 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
Mexican11.2%(19,971)
Puerto Rican1.2%(2,058)
Nicaraguan0.2%(413)
Spaniard0.2%(337)
Cuban0.1%(203)
Guatemalan0.1%(153)
Argentine0.1%(153)
Colombian0.1%(120)
Dominican0.1%(105)
Venezuelan0.1%(100)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.5%(817)
Filipino0.2%(434)
Chinese0.2%(349)
Korean0.2%(327)
Japanese0.2%(288)
Vietnamese0.1%(148)
Uzbek0%(40)
Thai0%(28)
Laotian0%(7)
Burmese0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(89)
Samoan0%(54)
Tongan0%(17)
Ancestry
German22.1%(39,289)
English18%(31,960)
Irish11.2%(19,934)
American4.6%(8,113)
Italian1.9%(3,366)
Scottish1.8%(3,253)
French1.7%(3,098)
Swedish1.7%(3,053)
Polish1%(1,850)
Dutch1%(1,701)
Norwegian0.8%(1,487)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,414)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.7%(1,326)
Czech0.5%(813)
British0.3%(603)
Danish0.3%(579)
Swiss0.3%(509)
Russian0.3%(492)
Ukrainian0.2%(365)
Arab0.2%(278)
Lithuanian0.1%(259)
Hungarian0.1%(238)
West Indian0.1%(215)
Canadian0.1%(181)
Portuguese0.1%(164)
Nigerian0.1%(162)
Austrian0.1%(155)
Jamaican0.1%(152)
Greek0.1%(140)
Lebanese0.1%(135)
Croatian0.1%(125)
Belgian0.1%(114)
Finnish0.1%(91)
Romanian0%(83)
Slovak0%(83)
Ghanaian0%(53)
Brazilian0%(49)
Armenian0%(32)
Haitian0%(32)
Somali0%(24)
Israeli0%(19)
Latvian0%(16)
Syrian0%(14)
Iranian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 26.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.3%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 88.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.4%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.9 min
+59%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.1%
−6.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.2%
+8.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.1%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.6%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 67.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
18.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.8%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 35.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
4.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2012
from 14.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 13.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.4%
+16.7 ptssince 2017
from 72.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.4%
+5.2 ptssince 2020
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
92.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 91.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 6.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.9%(23,575)
Married51.4%(35,681)
Widowed3.4%(2,332)
Divorced11.3%(7,879)
Women 15+
Never married27.7%(20,822)
Married47%(35,266)
Widowed9.6%(7,166)
Divorced15.7%(11,782)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 13.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
59.9%
−3.0 ptssince 2020
from 62.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.0%
−3.6 ptssince 2020
from 76.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 32.8% 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)27.4%(2,978)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.7%(2,682)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.4%(4,179)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(568)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(61)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 10,878 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

Shawnee County, decade by decade

Shawnee County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990160,976$71,712$132,72422.3%32.3
2000169,871$74,666$145,00426.0%43.4
2010177,934$68,280$165,86728.9%51.0
2020178,909$71,089$163,74631.3%59.9
2024178,025$67,104$180,90032.2%58.4

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.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Shawnee County

Peoria County
Pop 178,553
Muskegon County
Pop 177,901
Lee County
Pop 189,881
Jackson County
Pop 159,552
Places similar to Shawnee County
Head to head

Compare Shawnee County to nearby counties

SHAWNEE COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income$81,278+21%
Home value$216,900+20%
Population18,296−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHAWNEE COUNTY VS
Wabaunsee County
Income$76,908+15%
Home value$177,300−2%
Population7,018−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHAWNEE COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income$75,215+12%
Home value$207,300+15%
Population13,438−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SHAWNEE COUNTY VS
Douglas County
Income$69,746+4%
Home value$309,400+71%
Population120,920−32%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Shawnee County, Kansas?

Shawnee County, Kansas has about 178,025 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Shawnee County, Kansas earns about $67,104 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Shawnee County, Kansas expensive?

In Shawnee County, Kansas, the median home is worth about $180,900, and the typical rent is about $1,000 a month.

How educated are people in Shawnee County, Kansas?

About 32.2% of adults age 25 and over in Shawnee County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Shawnee County, Kansas?

About 12.7% of people in Shawnee County, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Shawnee County, Kansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Shawnee County, Kansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,049 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →