1st Advantage MortgageOttawa County households have a median income of $74,018 and median rent of $809 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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 Ottawa County
- How Ottawa County residents earn a living
- What Ottawa County households earn
- Renting and owning in Ottawa County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Places inside Ottawa County
- Room for a loan payment in Ottawa County
- Reading the Ottawa County data as a borrower
- Ottawa County households compared
- Four steps for Ottawa County borrowers
- Kansas rules that apply in Ottawa County
- More guides for Ottawa County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Ottawa County
Ottawa County is home to about 5,819 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 59th most populous of 105 county-level areas in Kansas. It covers 721 square miles of land, or about 8 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Ottawa County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 8 Census places inside Ottawa County, Minneapolis leads by population with about 2,043; 5 of the 8 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Ottawa County figure on this page as a rough guide.
How Ottawa County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Ottawa County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by finance, insurance and real estate (12%). Compared with Kansas, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (10% against 3%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 80% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 3.3% of the total (5.1% statewide).
| Where residents work | Ottawa County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.7% | +2.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 11.8% | +5.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% | -1.2 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 10.0% | +6.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.3% | -2.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.3% | +0.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What Ottawa County households earn
The median household income in Ottawa County is $74,018, close to the statewide $74,275. That places it 22nd among Kansas's 105 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Ottawa County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.9% | +1.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.6% | +0.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.1% | +1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.4% | -3.2 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 34% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 10.4%, 1 point lower than the state's 11.3%. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Ottawa County median.
Renting and owning in Ottawa County
Renters in Ottawa County pay a median of $809 a month, 24% below the Kansas figure of $1,060. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 44% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $166,000, about 2.2 times the median household income. 77% of Ottawa County households own their home and 23% rent.
| Home costs | Ottawa County | Kansas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $809/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $166,000 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.5% | 4.0% | n/a |
Because most Ottawa 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.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Saline County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Mitchell County, is 34 miles off. None of the six report a higher median household income than Ottawa County; Dickinson County is highest at $68,417 and Lincoln County lowest at $57,500.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | - | $74,018 | $809/mo | 77% |
| Saline County, KS | 24 mi | $65,422 | $961/mo | 67% |
| Cloud County, KS | 24 mi | $58,770 | $769/mo | 74% |
| Clay County, KS | 30 mi | $66,176 | $937/mo | 78% |
| Lincoln County, KS | 31 mi | $57,500 | $634/mo | 80% |
| Dickinson County, KS | 33 mi | $68,417 | $901/mo | 79% |
| Mitchell County, KS | 34 mi | $64,246 | $604/mo | 69% |
Places inside Ottawa County
8 Census places fall mainly inside Ottawa County; the 8 biggest are below. They account for 3,493 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. None of the 8 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | city | 2,043 | $57,702 | $690 | 3 mi |
| Bennington | city | 651 | $74,375 | $971 | 8 mi |
| Delphos | city | 320 | $58,824 | $641 | 11 mi |
| Tescott | city | 235 | $68,250 | $700 | 15 mi |
| Niles | CDP | 84 | n/a | n/a | 16 mi |
| Culver | city | 83 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
| Ada | CDP | 67 | $105,208 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Wells | CDP | 10 | n/a | n/a | 6 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Room for a loan payment in Ottawa County
How much room does a median Ottawa County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $6,168 gross per month ($74,018 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $809 uses 13%
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $1,412 left for all other debt payments
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,843 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Reading the Ottawa County data as a borrower
Based on the Ottawa County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- 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).
Ottawa County households compared
28% of Ottawa County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Ottawa County | Kansas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.7% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.1% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.3% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.6% |
| 60+ min | 6.1% |
Four steps for Ottawa County borrowers
Steps that save money for Ottawa County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Kansas rules that apply in Ottawa County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Ottawa County, check the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Kansas state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Ottawa County
For statewide rules and data, see the Kansas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Ottawa County household make?
About $74,018 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24).
How much is rent in Ottawa County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $809 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Ottawa County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 77% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Ottawa County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Minneapolis, Bennington, Delphos, Tescott, Niles and 3 more.
Does living in Ottawa 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 Ottawa County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.