In Kansas, the median household income is $74,275 and 67% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Kansas by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Kansas borrowers
- Largest places in Kansas
- The next 20 places in Kansas
- Counties with the most residents
- How Kansas earns a living
- More context for Kansas budgets
- Checking a lender in Kansas
- Can Kansas residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Kansas
- Frequently asked questions
Kansas by the numbers
Sixteen lines of Census data describe the budget backdrop in Kansas; a rank of 1 means the highest value of any state or DC.
| Indicator | Kansas | U.S. | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,275 | $80,734 | 35th |
| Homes owner-occupied | 67% | 65% | 29th |
| Mortgaged owners paying 30%+ on housing | 22% | 28% | 45th |
| Home value to income ratio | 2.9x | 4.1x | 49th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 7% | 17% | 49th |
| Working from home | 12% | 15% | 35th |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36% | 36% | 22nd |
| Age, median | 37.4 | 38.9 | 43rd |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.457 | 0.483 | 34th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 22% | 21% | 22nd |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 36% | 41% | 34th |
| People below the poverty line | 11.3% | 12.5% | 29th |
| Unemployment rate (ACS) | 3.9% | 5.2% | 39th |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,060 | $1,413 | 39th |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 43% | 51% | 48th |
| Home value, median | $217,200 | $332,700 | 42nd |
What the numbers mean for Kansas borrowers
12% of the Kansas workforce works from home, while 7% face a one-way trip of 45 minutes or longer. Working from home cuts commuting costs but can make income harder to document if you are a contractor.
Kansas posts an ACS unemployment rate of 3.9% and a poverty rate of 11.3%, compared with 5.2% and 12.5% for the country. If you were recently out of work, wait until you have a few steady paychecks before you apply.
A Kansas renter pays $1,060 a month at the median, and 43% of renters carry a rent burden of 30 percent or more, below the 51% U.S. rate. A moving or deposit loan is common among renters; compare it with a payment plan from the landlord or utility first.
Kansas's median household income is $74,275, 35th of 51 and 8% below the U.S. figure of $80,734. A lender never sees the state median, only your own documented income, but the median tells you what a typical payment has to fit inside.
Largest places in Kansas
These 12 places hold the biggest populations in Kansas. Income, rent and home values come from the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
| Place | County | People | Median household income | Rent (median) | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita | Sedgwick County | 397,945 | $64,620 | $975 | $190,800 |
| Overland Park | Johnson County | 200,306 | $104,834 | $1,515 | $413,600 |
| Kansas City | Wyandotte County | 155,135 | $62,401 | $1,123 | $167,400 |
| Olathe | Johnson County | 145,057 | $114,009 | $1,314 | $364,700 |
| Topeka | Shawnee County | 125,786 | $56,956 | $979 | $144,200 |
| Lawrence | Douglas County | 96,051 | $65,009 | $1,091 | $292,700 |
| Shawnee | Johnson County | 68,542 | $109,940 | $1,322 | $359,700 |
| Lenexa | Johnson County | 58,384 | $103,239 | $1,454 | $394,900 |
| Manhattan | Riley County, Pottawatomie County | 54,239 | $60,172 | $1,003 | $246,700 |
| Salina | Saline County | 46,307 | $61,783 | $959 | $173,200 |
| Hutchinson | Reno County | 39,709 | $58,687 | $881 | $125,000 |
| Leavenworth | Leavenworth County | 37,195 | $72,987 | $1,229 | $193,000 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Kansas tops out at $185,625 in Leawood and bottoms out at $43,419 in Pittsburg. The state has 9 places over 50,000 and 35 over 10,000. Rents differ just as much, from a median $815 a month in Emporia to $1,983 in Leawood.
The next 20 places in Kansas
20 more Kansas places, largest first.
| Community | Residents | Median household income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leawood | 33,809 | $185,625 | $1,983 |
| Garden City | 27,819 | $72,865 | $1,052 |
| Dodge City | 27,613 | $68,721 | $1,045 |
| Derby | 26,062 | $84,112 | $1,136 |
| Gardner | 24,526 | $96,818 | $1,306 |
| Emporia | 24,131 | $52,704 | $815 |
| Prairie Village | 22,874 | $113,530 | $1,794 |
| Junction City | 22,331 | $61,181 | $1,024 |
| Hays | 21,143 | $58,459 | $922 |
| Pittsburg | 20,637 | $43,419 | $854 |
| Liberal | 19,316 | $63,706 | $900 |
| Newton | 18,397 | $68,885 | $903 |
| Andover | 15,965 | $104,787 | $1,450 |
| Great Bend | 14,479 | $54,139 | $759 |
| McPherson | 13,995 | $77,529 | $925 |
| El Dorado | 12,769 | $59,180 | $844 |
| Ottawa | 12,678 | $71,699 | $1,032 |
| Arkansas City | 11,884 | $49,629 | $781 |
| Winfield | 11,711 | $56,656 | $786 |
| Lansing | 11,246 | $102,786 | $1,406 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Pittsburg (24%) and least in Leawood (13%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
The largest 16 of Kansas's 105 counties, by population.
| County | Residents | Median income | Median rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 620,631 | $109,208 | $1,434 | $391,200 |
| Sedgwick County | 528,226 | $69,365 | $998 | $203,300 |
| Shawnee County | 178,025 | $67,104 | $1,000 | $180,900 |
| Wyandotte County | 167,654 | $63,631 | $1,122 | $172,300 |
| Douglas County | 120,302 | $69,746 | $1,099 | $309,400 |
| Leavenworth County | 83,123 | $89,218 | $1,219 | $282,900 |
| Riley County | 71,946 | $61,098 | $1,046 | $237,100 |
| Butler County | 68,287 | $81,610 | $956 | $217,600 |
| Reno County | 61,553 | $60,645 | $863 | $132,500 |
| Saline County | 53,668 | $65,422 | $961 | $179,600 |
| Crawford County | 39,008 | $52,844 | $849 | $132,600 |
| Finney County | 38,084 | $73,009 | $1,048 | $201,400 |
| Geary County | 35,815 | $59,317 | $1,104 | $172,700 |
| Miami County | 34,938 | $89,000 | $1,107 | $287,700 |
| Cowley County | 34,411 | $57,878 | $809 | $120,900 |
| Ford County | 34,074 | $70,781 | $1,010 | $151,100 |
Johnson County posts the highest county median income in Kansas at $109,208, while Woodson County posts the lowest at $50,326. Check the row for your own county before you decide what payment is comfortable.
How Kansas earns a living
Four industries employ the largest shares of working Kansas residents; the national shares are shown for comparison.
| Sector | Share of Kansas workers | U.S. share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 25% | 24% | +1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12% | 10% | +2.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | -0.3 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 10% | 13% | -2.6 pts |
Kansas's signature sector, measured against the U.S., is manufacturing at 12% of employed residents. Industry matters to a borrower because it decides how easy income is to document: salaried and public jobs verify quickly, while tips, commission, seasonal and contract pay need more records.
More context for Kansas budgets
Education and age round out the picture: 36% of Kansas adults have at least a bachelor's degree (U.S.: 36%), the median age is 37.4, and the Gini index is 0.457.
The typical Kansas home is valued at $217,200 (2.9 times median income), and 67% of households own the place they live in. Among owners with a mortgage, 22% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%). An unsecured loan keeps the house out of the deal, which is worth something even when a home-equity line is cheaper.
Roughly one in 3 Kansas households earns six figures (36%), and 10% clear $200,000, while 22% live on less than $35,000. Households at the lower end often do better with a smaller loan, or with a hardship plan from the creditor they already owe.
Checking a lender in Kansas
License checks come first. Kansas's banking agency, per the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner, and many consumer lenders also show their state licenses on NMLS Consumer Access.
- If a lender stops answering, the CFPB complaint form usually gets a response within weeks.
- Confirm the license on NMLS Consumer Access before you upload documents.
- Legitimate lenders take fees out of the loan or bill them later, never by gift card or wire first (FTC).
Can Kansas residents use the questionnaire?
Not every state has a lending partner yet. Choose Kansas on the location step and the questionnaire will tell you right away whether matching is open; if it is not, you can leave an email for the waitlist.
Local guides in Kansas
Open a local guide for a closer look at your own city (6 in Kansas):
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates personal lenders in Kansas?
In Kansas, the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner is the banking agency named by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. You can also search a lender on NMLS Consumer Access and file complaints with the CFPB.
What is the median household income in Kansas?
About $74,275. Half of Kansas households earn more and half less; nationally the midpoint is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Kansas?
Median gross rent is $1,060 a month, and 43% of renter households spend 30 percent or more of income on rent (ACS 2020 to 2024). Nationally the figures are $1,413 and 51%.
What share of Kansas households earn $100,000 or more?
36% of households, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, while 22% earn under $35,000. Lenders look at your own documented income, not these shares.