1st Advantage MortgageIn Labette County, Kansas, the typical household earns $56,325 a year and the typical rent is $746. 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 Labette County
- Income in Labette County compared with Kansas
- What it costs to live in Labette County
- Work, industries and travel time in Labette County
- Labette County towns compared
- The counties around Labette County
- People and households in Labette County
- Borrowing situations common in Labette County
- Room for a loan payment in Labette County
- Lender oversight for Labette County
- A Labette County borrower's checklist
- More guides for Labette County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Labette County
Labette County is home to about 19,869 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 27th most populous of 105 county-level areas in Kansas. Spread over 645 square miles, that works out to roughly 30.8 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Parsons is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 9,425 people (47% of the county total).
Income in Labette County compared with Kansas
Labette County households have a median income of $56,325 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 93rd of 105 in Kansas.
| Income band | Share in Labette County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 32.0% | +10.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +2.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.4% | -6.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.1% | -6.5 pts |
Some 32% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 23% have six-figure incomes. 16.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.3%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.431 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Labette 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.
What it costs to live in Labette County
Renters in Labette County pay a median of $746 a month, 30% below the Kansas figure of $1,060. By the Census definition, 39% of Labette County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $94,600, a typical Labette County house costs 1.7 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 74% of homes.
| Housing | Labette County | Kansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $746/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $94,600 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 39% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 22% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Work, industries and travel time in Labette County
The biggest employer of Labette County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 34% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). Education and health care stands out: 34% of workers here, versus 25% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Labette County averages 3.1% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.9%). Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Labette County | Compared with Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 34.3% | +9.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.7% | +3.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.1% | -3.9 pts |
| Construction | 5.9% | -0.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.1% | -0.5 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Labette County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Labette County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 72% of Labette County residents live in one of the 9. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $25,288 in Chetopa to $64,716 in Altamont. No Labette County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 9.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons | city | 9,425 | $52,428 | $774 | 10 mi |
| Oswego | city | 1,937 | $53,750 | $819 | 10 mi |
| Altamont | city | 993 | $64,716 | $967 | 1 mi |
| Chetopa | city | 977 | $25,288 | $540 | 16 mi |
| Mound Valley | city | 341 | $36,917 | $435 | 6 mi |
| Edna | city | 297 | $63,542 | $830 | 10 mi |
| Dennis | CDP | 198 | $92,818 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Bartlett | city | 58 | $55,417 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Labette | city | 17 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
The counties around Labette County
Six nearby counties, 24 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $51,922 in Craig County to $57,668 in Cherokee County; 2 of these neighbors top Labette County's median. Some neighbors are in Oklahoma. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Labette County resident follows Kansas rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labette County | - | $56,325 | $746/mo | 74% |
| Montgomery County, KS | 24 mi | $55,697 | $761/mo | 73% |
| Cherokee County, KS | 25 mi | $57,668 | $799/mo | 76% |
| Neosho County, KS | 26 mi | $56,618 | $681/mo | 77% |
| Craig County, OK | 30 mi | $51,922 | $810/mo | 74% |
| Crawford County, KS | 33 mi | $52,844 | $849/mo | 61% |
| Nowata County, OK | 33 mi | $54,333 | $811/mo | 74% |
People and households in Labette County
Degree holders: 20% of adults over 25. 9.5% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Labette County | All of Kansas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.2% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.3% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.5% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Labette County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 58.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.1% |
| 60+ min | 4.2% |
Borrowing situations common in Labette County
A few patterns in the Labette County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
Room for a loan payment in Labette County
How much room does a median Labette County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $4,694 gross per month ($56,325 / 12)
- 16% goes to median rent ($746)
- $944: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Lender oversight for Labette County
Labette County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Kansas state guide for the statewide picture.
A Labette County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Labette County:
- Price the Labette County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
More guides for Labette County
The Kansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Labette County?
$56,325 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $74,275 for Kansas. It ranks 93rd of 105 in the state.
Is Labette County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $746 against $1,060 statewide, and 39% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Labette County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 74% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Labette County?
By population: Parsons, Oswego, Altamont, Chetopa, Mound Valley. The county has 9 Census places in all.
Is the fit check different in Labette County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.