CensusEasy
MICROPOLITAN AREA

Liberal Micro

Liberal, KS · 1 counties · 21,073 residents (2025 est.) · 639.653 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
Notable rankings
#11Most foreign-born residentsof 92529.3%#16Shortest commutesof 92514.7#26Youngest by median ageof 92531.0
The short version

Liberal has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $63,827. Population has declined 5% since 2000. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $136,500. At a median age of 31.0, residents skew younger than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% 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

Total population
21,486
−5%since 2000
from 22,510 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
34 / sq mi
−5%since 2000
from 35 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
31.0
+7%since 2000
from 29.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:21,073 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
18K20K21K22K24K1990201020202024Liberal
202421K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,827
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,752 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,152
+100%since 2000
from $15,059 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.7%
+23.1 ptssince 2009
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.2%
−4.7 ptssince 2000
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.401
−3%since 2010
from 0.412 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade27.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Wholesale trade5.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Construction4.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing0.9%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.1%
US avg: 0.9%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$136,500
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$905
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $467 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
61.8%
−2.3 ptssince 2000
from 64.1% in 2000
38.2% rent
Vacancy rate
12.7%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.9%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
31.4%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 36.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.1
+25%since 2000
from 1.7 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Gentrification Score
34
RELATED:See current rent listings in Liberal on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.4%(11,126)
Black3.6%(806)
Hispanic / Latino42.1%(9,486)
Asian2.8%(638)
Other0%
Diversity Score69.8%(15,712)
Segregation Score0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic25.1%(5,392)
Black2.9%(624)
Hispanic / Latino67.4%(14,486)
Asian2.4%(513)
Other2.2%(471)
Diversity Score60.1%(12,907)
Segregation Score22.9%(4,915)
Diversity Score
60
−14%since 2000
from 70 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
23
−27%since 2020
from 31 in 2020
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
71.9%
+8.2 ptssince 2000
from 63.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
3.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.7 min
+28%since 2000
from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.7%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 77.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
3.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.6%
+4.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
68.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 70.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
23.3%
−30.8 ptssince 2009
from 54.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Female
47.5%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Foreign born
29.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
2.0%
−49.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.2%
+2.9 ptssince 2012
from 8.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.5%
−63.2 ptssince 2013
from 75.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.9%
+14.6 ptssince 2017
from 72.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
38.6%
−2.6 ptssince 2016
from 41.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
56.8%
+3.0 ptssince 2016
from 53.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
In this metro

Principal cities

LiberalCENTRAL19,010
What's inside

1 component county

Seward CountyCENTRAL21,073
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Liberal

Jamestown
Pop 21,414
Othello
Pop 21,488
Dumas
Pop 21,891
Brookings
Pop 22,621
Places similar to Liberal
Head to head

Compare Liberal side by side

LIBERAL VS
Jamestown
Income$61,856−3%
Home value$208,400+53%
Population21,414+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LIBERAL VS
Othello
Income$66,136+4%
Home value$273,300+100%
Population21,488+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LIBERAL VS
Dumas
Income$61,762−3%
Home value$152,600+12%
Population21,891+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LIBERAL VS
Brookings
Income$62,244−2%
Home value$381,300+179%
Population22,621+7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Liberal, KS?

Liberal, KS has about 21,486 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Liberal, KS?

The typical household in Liberal, KS earns about $63,827 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Liberal, KS expensive?

In Liberal, KS, the median home is worth about $136,500, and the typical rent is about $905 a month.

How educated are people in Liberal, KS?

About 11.4% of adults age 25 and over in Liberal, KS hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Liberal, KS?

About 12.2% of people in Liberal, KS live below the federal poverty line.

Has Liberal, KS grown since 1990?

Yes, Liberal, KS has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,743 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Metro rankings
Largest US metrosHighest income metrosFastest growing metros
Compare
Compare Liberal with another metro

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →