1st Advantage MortgageAbout 69% of Reno County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $60,645. 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 Reno County
- What Reno County households earn
- Employment and commuting in Reno County
- Reno County housing compared with Kansas
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Towns and communities in Reno County
- Room for a loan payment in Reno County
- More Reno County figures
- Before borrowing in Reno County
- Checklist for Reno County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Reno County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Reno County
Roughly 61,553 residents live in Reno County, Kansas, 9th by population among the state's 105 counties and county equivalents. It covers 1,255 square miles of land, or about 49 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Reno County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 16 Census places inside Reno County, Hutchinson leads by population with about 39,709; 15 of the 16 are incorporated.
What Reno County households earn
Half of Reno County households take in less than $60,645 a year and half take in more, 18% below the Kansas median of $74,275.
| Income band | Share in Reno County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.5% | +5.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.7% | +5.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.9% | -6.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.9% | -4.6 pts |
About 27% of households earn under $35,000, while 25% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 12.5%, 1 point higher than the state's 11.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.427 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Employment and commuting in Reno County
Education and health care employs 25% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 16%. Manufacturing stands out: 16% of workers here, versus 12% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Reno County averages 3.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.9%). About 81% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 4.8% of the total (5.1% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Reno County | Gap to Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.7% | +3.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.4% | +1.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -2.4 pts |
| Construction | 6.3% | -0.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Reno County housing compared with Kansas
A typical Reno County rental runs $863 a month including utilities, which is 19% below Kansas. By the Census definition, 44% of Reno County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $132,500, a typical Reno County house costs 2.2 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 69% of homes. Median construction year: 1962.
| Measure | Reno County | Kansas | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $863/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $132,500 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 22% | n/a |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Kingman County is closest, 28 miles from center to center; the sixth, McPherson County, is 39 miles off. McPherson County leads the group on income ($78,851), Kingman County trails ($59,842), and Reno County out-earns 1 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno County | - | $60,645 | $863/mo | 69% |
| Kingman County, KS | 28 mi | $59,842 | $846/mo | 66% |
| Rice County, KS | 28 mi | $63,925 | $753/mo | 77% |
| Stafford County, KS | 35 mi | $64,226 | $710/mo | 82% |
| Harvey County, KS | 36 mi | $74,368 | $900/mo | 70% |
| Sedgwick County, KS | 38 mi | $69,365 | $998/mo | 63% |
| McPherson County, KS | 39 mi | $78,851 | $916/mo | 75% |
Towns and communities in Reno County
The table lists the 14 largest of 16 Census places in Reno County, by population. Together all 16 hold about 48,922 people, so roughly 21% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $49,167 in Nickerson to $72,929 in Buhler. Rent is cheapest in South Hutchinson ($602) and steepest in Buhler ($917). None of the 16 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson | city | 39,709 | $58,687 | $881 | 12 mi |
| South Hutchinson | city | 2,751 | $50,441 | $602 | 9 mi |
| Buhler | city | 1,525 | $72,929 | $917 | 21 mi |
| Haven | city | 1,313 | $59,091 | $876 | 16 mi |
| Nickerson | city | 1,001 | $49,167 | $798 | 14 mi |
| Pretty Prairie | city | 641 | $65,500 | $750 | 12 mi |
| The Highlands | city | 479 | $97,500 | $850 | 17 mi |
| Arlington | city | 407 | $33,750 | $856 | 7 mi |
| Turon | city | 334 | $51,500 | $725 | 21 mi |
| Partridge | city | 236 | $67,188 | $894 | 1 mi |
| Sylvia | city | 195 | $44,271 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Plevna | city | 90 | $49,375 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Abbyville | city | 87 | n/a | $775 | 7 mi |
| Willowbrook | city | 81 | $142,500 | n/a | 12 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Reno County
Reno County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $60,645 a year is $5,054 of gross monthly income
- 17% goes to median rent ($863)
- Under a 35% cap, $1,769 total minus rent leaves $906
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,411 a month
Two-income households and single earners in Reno County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
More Reno County figures
Degree holders: 20% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 9.3%, against 8.8% for Kansas.
| Reno County | Kansas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.4% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.3% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.8% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.9% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Reno County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 50.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.1% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
Before borrowing in Reno County
What the Reno County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Reno County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Checklist for Reno County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Reno County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- 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.
Licensing and complaints for Reno County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Reno County, check the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Kansas state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kansas guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Reno County earn?
The median is $60,645; 25% earn $100,000 or more and 27% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Reno County rent compare with Kansas?
$863 locally versus $1,060 for the state, 19% below.
Which towns does the Reno County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 16 Census places: Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Buhler, Haven, Nickerson.
Will a Reno County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Kansas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Reno County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Kansas it is the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner.