1st Advantage MortgageIn Bourbon County, Kansas, the typical household earns $59,238 a year and the typical rent is $752. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Kansas license first.
On this page
- A quick profile of Bourbon County
- Bourbon County housing compared with Kansas
- How much Bourbon County households make
- The Bourbon County job picture
- Bourbon County towns compared
- Bourbon County next to its neighbors
- A Bourbon County household budget, worked through
- Reading the Bourbon County data as a borrower
- Who lives in Bourbon County, in numbers
- Kansas rules that apply in Bourbon County
- A Bourbon County borrower's checklist
- More guides for Bourbon County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Bourbon County
With an estimated 14,394 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Bourbon County ranks 34th of 105 in Kansas for population. Spread over 635 square miles, that works out to roughly 22.7 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Fort Scott is the biggest of its 8 Census places, at roughly 7,555 people (52% of the county total).
Bourbon County housing compared with Kansas
A typical Bourbon County rental runs $752 a month including utilities, which is 29% below Kansas. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 36% of renter households here. With a median value of $113,800, a typical Bourbon County house costs 1.9 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 74%. The median home was built in 1957, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Measure | Bourbon County | Kansas | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $752/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $113,800 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 36% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.2% | 4.0% | n/a |
Because most Bourbon County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
How much Bourbon County households make
At $59,238, the typical Bourbon County household income is 10% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 79 Kansas counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Bourbon County | Gap to Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.2% | +5.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.5% | +2.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.6% | -2.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.7% | -4.9 pts |
The spread is wide: 28% of Bourbon County households make $100,000 or more, and 27% make less than $35,000. Census counts 13.6% of Bourbon County residents in poverty, against 11.3% across Kansas. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.411 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Bourbon County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
The Bourbon County job picture
By the Census industry count, 25% of employed Bourbon County residents work in manufacturing and 20% in education and health care. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 25% locally and 12% for Kansas. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 69% drive to work alone and 12% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 4.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Bourbon County | Gap to Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24.7% | +12.3 pts |
| Education and health care | 20.5% | -4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.7% | +0.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.9% | +1.4 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 5.8% | +2.7 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.7% | +0.1 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Bourbon County towns compared
Here are the 8 most populous of the county's 8 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 63% of Bourbon County residents live in one of the 8. No Bourbon County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Scott | city | 7,555 | $52,159 | $755 | 8 mi |
| Bronson | city | 537 | $72,222 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Uniontown | city | 467 | $53,750 | $533 | 7 mi |
| Mapleton | city | 213 | $33,409 | $1,100 | 11 mi |
| Fulton | city | 93 | $48,750 | $650 | 13 mi |
| Devon | CDP | 73 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
| Redfield | city | 71 | $33,958 | n/a | 2 mi |
| Garland | CDP | 22 | n/a | n/a | 15 mi |
Bourbon County next to its neighbors
Crawford County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Anderson County, is 35 miles off. Income ranges from $52,230 in Vernon County to $70,614 in Anderson County; 2 of these neighbors top Bourbon County's median. The list crosses into Missouri, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourbon County | - | $59,238 | $752/mo | 74% |
| Crawford County, KS | 24 mi | $52,844 | $849/mo | 61% |
| Allen County, KS | 25 mi | $60,689 | $720/mo | 75% |
| Linn County, KS | 25 mi | $59,069 | $691/mo | 81% |
| Vernon County, MO | 28 mi | $52,230 | $734/mo | 71% |
| Neosho County, KS | 32 mi | $56,618 | $681/mo | 77% |
| Anderson County, KS | 35 mi | $70,614 | $853/mo | 79% |
A Bourbon County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Bourbon County's medians:
- $4,936 a month: gross income for a household at the Bourbon County median
- Less median rent of $752, which is 15% of it
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,371 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $752, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Reading the Bourbon County data as a borrower
Based on the Bourbon County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Who lives in Bourbon County, in numbers
24% of Bourbon County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 8.3%, against 8.8% for Kansas.
| People and households | Bourbon County | Kansas | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.9% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.2% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.3% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.2% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 53.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 20.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 13.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.1% |
| 60+ min | 7.2% |
Kansas rules that apply in Bourbon County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Bourbon County resident can confirm its license with the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Kansas state guide for the statewide picture.
A Bourbon County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Bourbon County:
- Price the Bourbon County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
More guides for Bourbon County
The Kansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bourbon County a high-income county?
Its $59,238 median ranks 80th of 105 Kansas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Bourbon County rent compare with Kansas?
$752 locally versus $1,060 for the state, 29% below.
Does this page cover Fort Scott?
Yes, along with the other 7 Census places in Bourbon County, such as Bronson, Uniontown, Mapleton.
Will a Bourbon County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Kansas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Bourbon County check a lender's license?
With the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.