1st Advantage MortgageRussell County households have a median income of $62,392 and median rent of $805 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
- Russell County by the numbers
- Russell County housing compared with Kansas
- Paychecks and income spread in Russell County
- Work, industries and travel time in Russell County
- The counties around Russell County
- Russell County towns compared
- Room for a loan payment in Russell County
- Russell County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Russell County
- A Russell County borrower's checklist
- Licensing and complaints for Russell County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Russell County by the numbers
Russell County is home to about 6,679 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 54th most populous of 105 county-level areas in Kansas. It covers 886 square miles of land, or about 8 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Russell County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 8 places in the county (8 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Russell, with about 4,217 residents, or 63% of the county. Because Russell County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Russell County housing compared with Kansas
Renters in Russell County pay a median of $805 a month, 24% below the Kansas figure of $1,060. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 29% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,000, about 1.9 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 75%. The median home was built in 1957, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Cost | Russell County | Kansas figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $805/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $119,000 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 75% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 29% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 38% | 22% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 16% | 9% | 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).
Paychecks and income spread in Russell County
The median household income in Russell County is $62,392; statewide it is $74,275, so Russell County runs 16% below Kansas as a whole.
| Income band | Share in Russell County | Difference from Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.3% | +6.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 50.2% | +7.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 15.3% | -11.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.2% | -3.4 pts |
About 28% of households earn under $35,000, while 21% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 14.7%, 3 points higher than the state's 11.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.445 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $62,392 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Russell County
The biggest employer of Russell County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). Compared with Kansas, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (9% against 3%). Averaged over the five survey years, 1.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 4% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 8% work from home. Only 2.9% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Russell County | Compared with Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% | -0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.0% | +2.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.5% | +6.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.3% | +3.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.6% | -3.8 pts |
| Construction | 5.7% | -0.7 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Russell County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
The counties around Russell County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Russell County's, from 29 to 40 miles away. Income ranges from $57,500 in Lincoln County to $65,560 in Ellsworth County; 3 of these neighbors top Russell County's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County | - | $62,392 | $805/mo | 75% |
| Ellis County, KS | 29 mi | $63,084 | $943/mo | 63% |
| Osborne County, KS | 30 mi | $63,011 | $595/mo | 77% |
| Barton County, KS | 30 mi | $58,851 | $761/mo | 65% |
| Lincoln County, KS | 31 mi | $57,500 | $634/mo | 80% |
| Ellsworth County, KS | 34 mi | $65,560 | $708/mo | 80% |
| Rush County, KS | 40 mi | $59,970 | $711/mo | 78% |
Russell County towns compared
8 Census places fall mainly inside Russell County; the 8 biggest are below. They account for 5,465 residents, leaving about 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell | city | 4,217 | $56,832 | $824 | 5 mi |
| Gorham | city | 416 | $68,200 | $788 | 14 mi |
| Lucas | city | 405 | $43,125 | $494 | 16 mi |
| Dorrance | city | 156 | $82,639 | $575 | 11 mi |
| Luray | city | 121 | $52,500 | $275 | 14 mi |
| Bunker Hill | city | 108 | $70,625 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Paradise | city | 25 | $66,071 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Waldo | city | 17 | $65,833 | n/a | 14 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Russell County
Here is the Russell County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $5,199 a month: gross income for a household at the Russell County median
- Median rent: $805, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 43% cap, $2,236 total minus rent leaves $1,431
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Russell County's.
Russell County residents: age, schooling, coverage
20% of Russell County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 6.9%, against 8.8% for Kansas.
| People and households | Russell County | Kansas | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.7% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.9% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.8% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 67.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 16.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.7% |
| 60+ min | 2.2% |
Before borrowing in Russell County
Based on the Russell County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Russell County borrower sees (free reports).
- 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).
A Russell County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Russell County borrowers:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Russell County.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Kansas.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Licensing and complaints for Russell County
Russell County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by 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
The Kansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Russell County?
$62,392 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $74,275 for Kansas. It ranks 64th of 105 in the state.
How does Russell County rent compare with Kansas?
$805 locally versus $1,060 for the state, 24% below.
Should Russell County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 75% of Russell County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Russell?
Yes, along with the other 7 Census places in Russell County, such as Gorham, Lucas, Dorrance.
Are Russell County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.