1st Advantage MortgageHarper County households have a median income of $53,488 and median rent of $690 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Harper County
- Household income in Harper County
- Employment and commuting in Harper County
- What it costs to live in Harper County
- The counties around Harper County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Harper County
- Debt-to-income at Harper County's medians
- Who lives in Harper County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Harper County borrowers
- Before you sign
- Lender oversight for Harper County
- More guides for Harper County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Harper County
With an estimated 5,400 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Harper County ranks 63rd of 105 in Kansas for population. It covers 801 square miles of land, or about 7 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Anthony is the biggest of its 6 Census places, at roughly 2,246 people (42% of the county total). Because Harper County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Household income in Harper County
The median household income in Harper County is $53,488; statewide it is $74,275, so Harper County runs 28% below Kansas as a whole. That places it 100th among Kansas's 105 county-level areas.
| Household income | Harper County | vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 33.1% | +11.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.5% | +4.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 15.0% | -11.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.3% | -4.3 pts |
The spread is wide: 20% of Harper County households make $100,000 or more, and 33% make less than $35,000. Census counts 17.3% of Harper County residents in poverty, against 11.3% across Kansas. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.451 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Harper County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Employment and commuting in Harper County
Education and health care employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 16%. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 14% locally and 3% for Kansas. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.0% in Harper County. 7% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home.
| Sector | Harper County | Compared with Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.4% | -1.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.9% | +3.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 13.9% | +10.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.1% | +1.5 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 5.9% | -0.6 pts |
| Other services | 5.7% | +1.3 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What it costs to live in Harper County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $690 in Harper County versus $1,060 statewide. 40% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. Home values center on $83,800, or 1.6 years of median income. 75% of Harper County households own their home and 25% rent. Median construction year: 1956.
| Housing | Harper County | Kansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $690/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $83,800 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 75% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.5% | 4.0% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Harper County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
The counties around Harper County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Harper County's, from 26 to 48 miles away. Sedgwick County leads the group on income ($69,365), Kingman County trails ($59,842), and Harper County out-earns 0 of the six. The list crosses into Oklahoma, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harper County | - | $53,488 | $690/mo | 75% |
| Kingman County, KS | 26 mi | $59,842 | $846/mo | 66% |
| Grant County, OK | 32 mi | $60,758 | $853/mo | 76% |
| Sumner County, KS | 32 mi | $63,951 | $825/mo | 75% |
| Barber County, KS | 34 mi | $61,926 | $830/mo | 81% |
| Alfalfa County, OK | 35 mi | $64,615 | $705/mo | 78% |
| Sedgwick County, KS | 48 mi | $69,365 | $998/mo | 63% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Harper County
The table lists the 6 largest of 6 Census places in Harper County, by population. Together all 6 hold about 3,994 people, so roughly 26% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $48,750 in Attica to $54,250 in Harper. Median rent ranges from $646 in Anthony to $805 in Harper. No Harper County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 6.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony | city | 2,246 | $50,598 | $646 | 2 mi |
| Harper | city | 1,136 | $54,250 | $805 | 7 mi |
| Attica | city | 543 | $48,750 | $667 | 10 mi |
| Bluff City | city | 36 | $62,500 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Danville | city | 28 | $69,063 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Waldron | city | 5 | n/a | n/a | 14 mi |
Debt-to-income at Harper County's medians
How much room does a median Harper County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $53,488 a year is $4,457 of gross monthly income
- Housing at the median rent of $690 uses 15%
- With a 35% ceiling, about $870 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- $1,316: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Harper County's.
Who lives in Harper County, in numbers
Degree holders: 23% of adults over 25. 8.5% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Harper County | Kansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.8% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.2% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.5% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.0% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Harper County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 56.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.0% |
What the numbers mean for Harper County borrowers
A few patterns in the Harper County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Harper County borrower sees (free reports).
Before you sign
A short checklist for Harper County borrowers:
- Price the Harper County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Kansas borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Lender oversight for Harper County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Harper County resident can confirm its license with the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Kansas: Kansas personal loans.
More guides for Harper County
For statewide rules and data, see the Kansas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Harper County household make?
About $53,488 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 28% below the Kansas median.
Is Harper County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $690 against $1,060 statewide, and 40% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Should Harper County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 75% of Harper County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Which towns does the Harper County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 6 Census places: Anthony, Harper, Attica, Bluff City, Danville.
Will a Harper County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Kansas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.