1st Advantage MortgageIn Ness County, Kansas, the typical household earns $68,616 a year and the typical rent is $538. 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
- A quick profile of Ness County
- How much Ness County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Ness County
- Ness County housing compared with Kansas
- Ness County next to its neighbors
- Ness County towns compared
- More Ness County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Ness County
- Debt-to-income at Ness County's medians
- Checklist for Ness County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Ness County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Ness County
Ness County is home to about 2,653 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 88th most populous of 105 county-level areas in Kansas. Spread over 1,075 square miles, that works out to roughly 2.5 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 5 Census places inside Ness County, Ness City leads by population with about 1,162; 5 of the 5 are incorporated. Because Ness County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
How much Ness County households make
The median household income in Ness County is $68,616; statewide it is $74,275, so Ness County runs 8% below Kansas as a whole.
| Income band | Share in Ness County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.6% | -0.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.7% | +3.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.4% | -2.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.4% | -1.2 pts |
About 22% of households earn under $35,000, while 33% clear $100,000. 11.2% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.3%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.465 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Ness County
The biggest employer of Ness County residents, by industry, is agriculture, forestry and mining at 28% of workers, followed by education and health care (22%). Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 28% of workers here, versus 3% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Ness County averages 0.8% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.9%). Long commutes are the exception here: 8% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 2.2% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Ness County workers | vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 28.2% | +25.1 pts |
| Education and health care | 22.5% | -2.5 pts |
| Other services | 6.7% | +2.3 pts |
| Public administration | 6.1% | +1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 5.2% | -5.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 5.1% | -7.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Ness County housing compared with Kansas
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $538 in Ness County versus $1,060 statewide. 19% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 11% spend half or more. Home values center on $89,700, or 1.3 years of median income. Owners occupy 82% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1959.
| Housing | Ness County | Kansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $538/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $89,700 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 82% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 19% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 22% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Ness 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.
Ness County next to its neighbors
Six nearby counties, 27 to 43 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Trego County leads the group on income ($81,528), Lane County trails ($54,526), and Ness County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ness County | - | $68,616 | $538/mo | 82% |
| Hodgeman County, KS | 27 mi | $59,955 | $941/mo | 79% |
| Lane County, KS | 30 mi | $54,526 | $590/mo | 89% |
| Trego County, KS | 31 mi | $81,528 | $720/mo | 82% |
| Rush County, KS | 33 mi | $59,970 | $711/mo | 78% |
| Pawnee County, KS | 42 mi | $63,517 | $795/mo | 66% |
| Gove County, KS | 43 mi | $66,029 | $705/mo | 79% |
Ness County towns compared
The table lists the 5 largest of 5 Census places in Ness County, by population. Together all 5 hold about 1,996 people, so roughly 25% of residents live outside any named place. Live in one of these Ness County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ness City | city | 1,162 | $64,583 | $663 | 2 mi |
| Bazine | city | 406 | $57,167 | $529 | 12 mi |
| Ransom | city | 279 | $44,000 | $492 | 11 mi |
| Utica | city | 135 | $66,875 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Brownell | city | 14 | n/a | n/a | 14 mi |
More Ness County figures
College graduates make up 25% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 8.0%, against 8.8% for Kansas.
| Ness County | Kansas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.0% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.6% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.0% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.2% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 0.8% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 59.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 5.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.0% |
| 60+ min | 4.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Ness County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Ness County borrowers.
- Older households. A 45.1 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Debt-to-income at Ness County's medians
Here is the Ness County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $5,718 gross per month ($68,616 / 12)
- Less median rent of $538, which is 9% of it
- Under a 35% cap, $2,001 total minus rent leaves $1,463
- With a 45% ceiling, about $2,035 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $538, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Checklist for Ness County applicants
A short checklist for Ness County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Licensing and complaints for Ness County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Ness 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. Statewide data and rules: Kansas guide.
Related local guides
The Kansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Ness County household make?
About $68,616 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 8% below the Kansas median.
How much is rent in Ness County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $538 a month; 19% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Ness County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 82% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Ness County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Ness City, Bazine, Ransom, Utica, Brownell.
Does living in Ness County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Ness County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.