1st Advantage MortgageIn Saline County, Kansas, the typical household earns $65,422 a year and the typical rent is $961. 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 Saline County
- What Saline County households earn
- Housing costs in Saline County
- Work, industries and travel time in Saline County
- The counties around Saline County
- Saline County towns compared
- What a median Saline County budget can carry
- People and households in Saline County
- Local borrowing considerations for Saline County
- A Saline County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in Kansas
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Saline County
Roughly 53,668 residents live in Saline County, Kansas, 10th by population among the state's 105 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 720 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 75 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Saline County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Salina is the biggest of its 11 Census places, at roughly 46,307 people (86% of the county total).
What Saline County households earn
The median household income in Saline County is $65,422; statewide it is $74,275, so Saline County runs 12% below Kansas as a whole.
| Household income | Saline County | vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 26.5% | +4.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.7% | +2.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.4% | -3.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.4% | -4.2 pts |
Some 27% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 29% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 11.9%, 1 point higher than the state's 11.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.466 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $65,422 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Housing costs in Saline County
Renters in Saline County pay a median of $961 a month, 9% below the Kansas figure of $1,060. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 41% of renter households here. Home values center on $179,600, or 2.7 years of median income. 67% of Saline County households own their home and 33% rent. Median construction year: 1966.
| Housing | Saline County | Kansas statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $961/mo | $1,060/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $179,600 | $217,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 43% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.4% | 4.0% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Saline County
The biggest employer of Saline County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 31% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). Compared with Kansas, the county leans toward education and health care (31% against 25%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.8% in Saline County. 5% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home. 7.0% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Saline County workers | vs Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.8% | +5.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% | +2.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.4% | +0.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | +1.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.3% | -3.7 pts |
| Other services | 5.6% | +1.1 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
The counties around Saline County
Ottawa County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Marion County, is 42 miles off. McPherson County leads the group on income ($78,851), Lincoln County trails ($57,500), and Saline County out-earns 2 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saline County | - | $65,422 | $961/mo | 67% |
| Ottawa County, KS | 24 mi | $74,018 | $809/mo | 77% |
| Dickinson County, KS | 27 mi | $68,417 | $901/mo | 79% |
| McPherson County, KS | 27 mi | $78,851 | $916/mo | 75% |
| Ellsworth County, KS | 31 mi | $65,560 | $708/mo | 80% |
| Lincoln County, KS | 35 mi | $57,500 | $634/mo | 80% |
| Marion County, KS | 42 mi | $64,695 | $727/mo | 81% |
Saline County towns compared
The table lists the 11 largest of 11 Census places in Saline County, by population. Together all 11 hold about 48,170 people, so roughly 10% of residents live outside any named place. No Saline County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 11.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salina | city | 46,307 | $61,783 | $959 | 2 mi |
| Assaria | city | 521 | $69,500 | $969 | 8 mi |
| Gypsum | city | 443 | $50,000 | $918 | 13 mi |
| Brookville | city | 191 | $85,000 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Smolan | city | 148 | $64,375 | $1,028 | 4 mi |
| New Cambria | city | 144 | $90,930 | $1,105 | 10 mi |
| Kipp | CDP | 129 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Falun | CDP | 125 | $58,333 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Mentor | CDP | 83 | $90,677 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Bavaria | CDP | 50 | $54,688 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Bridgeport | CDP | 29 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
What a median Saline County budget can carry
Here is the Saline County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Monthly gross at the median, Saline County: $5,452
- Less median rent of $961, which is 18% of it
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,002 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- Under a 43% cap, $2,344 total minus rent leaves $1,383
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
People and households in Saline County
College graduates make up 29% of the adult population. 11.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Saline County | Kansas | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 37.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 29.1% | 35.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.6% | 8.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.2% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 11.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 11.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Saline County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 57.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.4% |
| 60+ min | 3.2% |
Local borrowing considerations for Saline County
What the Saline County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Uninsured care. 11% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
A Saline County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Checking a lender's license in Kansas
Consumer lenders serving Saline County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Kansas that is the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Kansas: Kansas personal loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kansas guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Saline County?
$65,422 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $74,275 for Kansas. It ranks 48th of 105 in the state.
How much is rent in Saline County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $961 a month; 41% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Which towns does the Saline County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 11 Census places: Salina, Assaria, Gypsum, Brookville, Smolan.
Does living in Saline 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 Saline County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Saline County?
Start with the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.