1st Advantage MortgageAbout 72% of Atchison County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $61,112. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Atchison County
- How Atchison County residents earn a living
- Household income in Atchison County
- Renting and owning in Atchison County
- Towns and communities in Atchison County
- Regional comparison for Atchison County
- People and households in Atchison County
- Before borrowing in Atchison County
- A Atchison County household budget, worked through
- Checklist for Atchison County applicants
- Lender oversight for Atchison County
- More guides for Atchison County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Atchison County
Atchison County is home to about 16,208 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 31st most populous of 105 county-level areas in Kansas. It covers 431 square miles of land, or about 38 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 5 Census places inside Atchison County, Atchison leads by population with about 10,785; 5 of the 5 are incorporated.
How Atchison County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Atchison County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). Education and health care stands out: 28% of workers here, versus 25% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.6% in Atchison County. Long commutes are common here: 16% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 7.7% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Atchison County share | +/- vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.4% | +3.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.1% | -2.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +2.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.2% | +0.8 pts |
| Public administration | 5.1% | +0.4 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Atchison County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Household income in Atchison County
Atchison County households have a median income of $61,112 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 69th of 105 in Kansas.
| Households earning | Atchison County | +/- vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.6% | +7.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.4% | -1.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.2% | -0.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.8% | -5.8 pts |
The spread is wide: 30% of Atchison County households make $100,000 or more, and 30% make less than $35,000. 13.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.3%). None of these numbers decides a Atchison County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Renting and owning in Atchison County
A typical Atchison County rental runs $765 a month including utilities, which is 28% below Kansas. By the Census definition, 45% of Atchison County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $145,700, a typical Atchison County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 72% of homes. Median construction year: 1968.
| Atchison County | Kansas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $765/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $145,700 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.9% | 4.0% | n/a |
Towns and communities in Atchison County
Here are the 5 most populous of the county's 5 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 75% of Atchison County residents live in one of the 5. No Atchison County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 5.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison | city | 10,785 | $54,474 | $737 | 10 mi |
| Effingham | city | 786 | $62,500 | $813 | 5 mi |
| Lancaster | city | 325 | $39,107 | $854 | 3 mi |
| Muscotah | city | 141 | $58,750 | $738 | 11 mi |
| Huron | city | 70 | $55,417 | n/a | 8 mi |
Regional comparison for Atchison County
Distances run center to center, from Doniphan County at 20 miles out to Buchanan County at 28. All of the six report a higher median household income than Atchison County; Leavenworth County is highest at $89,218 and Buchanan County lowest at $62,158. The list crosses into Missouri, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison County | - | $61,112 | $765/mo | 72% |
| Doniphan County, KS | 20 mi | $74,028 | $776/mo | 81% |
| Jefferson County, KS | 21 mi | $81,278 | $835/mo | 86% |
| Brown County, KS | 24 mi | $62,233 | $646/mo | 76% |
| Jackson County, KS | 27 mi | $75,215 | $814/mo | 77% |
| Leavenworth County, KS | 28 mi | $89,218 | $1,219/mo | 69% |
| Buchanan County, MO | 28 mi | $62,158 | $902/mo | 66% |
People and households in Atchison County
22% of Atchison County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 8.8%, against 8.8% for Kansas.
| Indicator | Atchison County | All of Kansas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.8% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.8% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.7% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 46.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.6% |
| 60+ min | 8.0% |
Before borrowing in Atchison County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Atchison County borrowers.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
A Atchison County household budget, worked through
Here is the Atchison County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $5,093 gross per month ($61,112 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $765, takes 15% of that
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,425 a month
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Checklist for Atchison County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Atchison County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A Kansas license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Lender oversight for Atchison County
Atchison County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Kansas state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Atchison County
The Kansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Atchison County earn?
The median is $61,112; 30% earn $100,000 or more and 30% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Atchison County rent compare with Kansas?
$765 locally versus $1,060 for the state, 28% below.
Should Atchison County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 72% of Atchison County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Atchison County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Atchison, Effingham, Lancaster, Muscotah, Huron.
Are Atchison County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.