United States › Liberal MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Liberal Micro Liberal, KS · 1 counties · 21,964 residents · 640 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
With 21,964 people, Liberal is a metro area. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. This skews young, with a median age of 30.8. The foreign-born share is 30%. The typical home is worth $111,200, having risen by half since 2000. The average commute runs 15 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 30.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 29.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 20K 21K 22K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Liberal Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $49,395
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,752 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,059 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Public administration 3.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Education & health services 0.8%
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$111,200
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$769
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $467 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 64.1% in 2000
37.4% rent
from 2.89 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 1.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 49.4%(11,126)
Hispanic / Latino 42.1%(9,486)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 27%(5,928)
Hispanic / Latino 65.6%(14,406)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 63.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 77.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 70.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 24.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 39.4%(3,345)
Women 15+
Never married 30.9%(2,340)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.8%(70)
Share of the 506 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
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Liberal Head to head
Compare Liberal side by side LIBERAL VS
Jamestown
Income $61,856 +25%
Home value $208,400 +87%
Population 21,414 +2%
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LIBERAL VS
Othello
Income $66,136 +34%
Home value $273,300 +146%
Population 21,488 +2%
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LIBERAL VS
Dumas
Income $61,762 +25%
Home value $152,600 +37%
Population 21,891 +4%
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LIBERAL VS
Brookings
Income $62,244 +26%
Home value $381,300 +243%
Population 22,621 +7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Liberal, KS? Liberal, KS has about 21,964 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Liberal, KS? The typical household in Liberal, KS earns about $49,395 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 $111,200, and the typical rent is about $769 a month.
How educated are people in Liberal, KS? About 11.2% 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 14.0% 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 3,221 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
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