MICROPOLITAN AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Liberal Micro

Liberal, KS · 1 counties · 18,743 residents · 640 sq mi

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The short version

Liberal is a metro area of 18,743 people. The average commute runs 11 minutes. This skews young, with a median age of 29.0. The typical home is worth $48,000. About 12% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has fallen 17% since 2000.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 29.0

US median: 33.0

Less educated

12% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

18,743

−17%vs 2000

vs 22,510 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Population density

29 / sq mi

−17%vs 2000

vs 35 / sq mi in 2000

Median age

29.0

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 29.0 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

640 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202421K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 59%(1,680)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 99.3%(1,735)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.7%(1,632)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.5%(1,408)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 247.9%(1,478)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3419.4%(3,633)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412.6%(2,368)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.7%(1,630)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 647.5%(1,399)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 745.6%(1,049)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 842.9%(546)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1%(185)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$26,055

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $36,752 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,341

−25%vs 2000

vs $15,059 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

14.8%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.9% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$48,000

Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $63,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$362

+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $467 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

64.6%

+0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 64.1% in 2000

35.4% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic49.4%(11,126)

Black3.6%(806)

Hispanic / Latino42.1%(9,486)

Asian2.8%(638)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic77.4%(14,505)

Black5.5%(1,030)

Hispanic / Latino20%(3,745)

Asian2.3%(439)

Other14.8%(2,769)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican56.7%(12,178)

Central American9.4%(2,030)

Guatemalan9.1%(1,951)

Dominican0.2%(47)

Cuban0.2%(43)

Puerto Rican0.2%(38)

Honduran0.2%(36)

Salvadoran0.2%(36)

Spaniard0.1%(26)

South American0.1%(16)

Bolivian0%(10)

Nicaraguan0%(7)

Asian origin

Vietnamese1.1%(231)

Laotian0.7%(160)

Cambodian0.2%(45)

Asian Indian0.1%(31)

Filipino0.1%(15)

Japanese0.1%(14)

Chinese0%(8)

Korean0%(7)

Burmese0%(2)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0%(7)

Ancestry

German7.2%(1,544)

American4.7%(1,003)

English3.1%(663)

Irish2.6%(558)

Dutch1.1%(233)

Subsaharan African1.1%(233)

Scottish0.5%(110)

Italian0.4%(91)

French0.3%(72)

Swedish0.3%(70)

Australian0.3%(68)

French Canadian0.3%(67)

+ 15 more ancestry groups with data

British0.2%(52)

Norwegian0.2%(48)

Czech0.2%(33)

Scotch-Irish0.1%(21)

Polish0.1%(20)

Austrian0.1%(19)

Danish0.1%(18)

Swiss0.1%(16)

Bulgarian0.1%(15)

Russian0.1%(12)

Welsh0.1%(12)

Canadian0%(7)

Portuguese0%(6)

Brazilian0%(1)

Ethiopian0%(1)

RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest Central American population · Largest Guatemalan population · Largest German population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.6%

−2.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

72.2%

+8.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.7% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.8%

−0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

10.9 min

−6%vs 2000

vs 11.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married39.4%(3,345)

Married48.6%(4,124)

Widowed2.2%(186)

Divorced9.8%(827)

Women 15+

Never married30.9%(2,340)

Married49.8%(3,767)

Widowed8.4%(634)

Divorced10.9%(825)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

12.5%

−11.8 ptssince 2013

from 24.3% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

54.5%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 53.5% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

14.0%

+2.1 ptssince 2020

from 11.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

11.2%

+0.9 ptssince 2020

from 10.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

18.5%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 17.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

0.8%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 1.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

67.5%

+3.4 ptssince 2020

from 64.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

28.8%

+1.6 ptssince 2020

from 27.2% 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)17.3%(52)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)21.6%(65)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era50.2%(151)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.6%(17)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 301 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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In this metro