Washington County, Kansas Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Washington County, Kansas, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Washington County, Kansas. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Washington County, Kansas. The estimated population of Washington County, Kansas is 5,531 people, with a median age of 45.1.

We can look at the total population in Washington County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
5,531
+1.04%
-0.74%
2020
5,474
 -0.35% -
2019
5,493
 -0.58% -
2018
5,525
 -0.84% -
2017
5,572
 - -

Population of Washington County, Kansas by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
93.3%
94.3%
 -1.06%
Black/African American
0.2%
0.3%
 -33.33%
Native
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%
Hispanic
4.1%
3.3%
 +24.24%
Asian
0.7%
0.1%
 +600.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.4%
1.8%
 -22.22%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Washington County, Kansas by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 45.1 -1.53% 43.5 -1.14% 47 -1.47%
2020 45.8 +0.88% 44 +0.23% 47.7 +0.42%
2019 45.4 -2.37% 43.9 -0.45% 47.5 -2.06%
2018 46.5 +0.65% 44.1 -0.45% 48.5 +1.04%
2017 46.2 - 44.3 - 48 -

The median age of Washington County, Kansas gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 350 +3.56% 313 +18.22% 361 366
10 to 19 400 -12.7% 332 -16.9% 349 275
20 to 29 263 +28.56% 230 +14.42% 341 261
30 to 39 291 -10.28% 265 +2.02% 258 270
40 to 49 324 1% 287 -14.62% 323 246
50 to 59 391 +7.8% 407 -11.05% 421 362
60 to 69 411 -15.75% 330 +16.36% 344 387
70+ 416 +12.71% 562 -11.73% 470 497

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Washington County, Kansas is $53,491.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Washington County.

  • Under 25
    $44,868.00
  • 25 to 44
    $63,510.00
  • 45 to 64
    $58,700.00
  • 65 and over
    $39,375.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Washington County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Washington County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Washington County, Kansas is currently $67,470.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.90% of households in Washington County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Washington County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    17.46%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    28.10%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    25.68%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.27%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.72%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.87%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.90%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Washington County is $29,421.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Washington County by the total population of Washington County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Washington County, Kansas, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Washington County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    6.58%
  • Bachelor's degree
    22.08%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.53%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    56.89%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.92%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Washington County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Washington County over the age of 16 is 4,442.

Of those people, a total of 58.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Washington County is 57.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 262 22.50% 1.70%
20 to 24 years 322 66.10% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 280 95.40% 0.40%
30 to 34 years 261 92.30% 4.60%
35 to 44 years 548 88.10% 2.70%
45 to 54 years 623 77.50% 1.90%
55 to 59 years 448 85.30% 1.80%
60 to 64 years 382 58.40% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 665 26.30% 6.90%
75 years and over 651 11.70% 7.90%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Washington County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 4,250 57.90% 2.20%
Black or African American 12 66.70% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 14 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 31 83.90% 11.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 34 55.90% 0.00%
Two or more races 101 86.10% 2.30%
Hispanic or Latino 130 66.20% 9.30%
Not Hispanic or Latino 4,182 57.90% 1.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Washington County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Washington County is 2,542, with median earnings of $37,018.00.

Women in Washington County, Kansas earning approximately 59.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,542 $37,018.00
Male 1,435 $43,490.00
Female 1,107 $25,709.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 344 $52,206.00
Business and Financial 83 $34,375.00
Computer and Mathematical 18 $54,167.00
Architecture and Engineering 41 $73,750.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 23 $41,250.00
Community and Social Service 51 $46,250.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 196 $33,750.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 39 $21,845.00
Healthcare Practitioners 102 $52,500.00
Healthcare Support 93 $20,938.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 6 $3,750.00
Law Enforcement 1 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 88 $12,188.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 97 $11,696.00
Personal Care and Service 139 $40,188.00
Sales 163 $28,990.00
Office and Administrative Support 245 $24,293.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 114 $27,396.00
Construction and Extraction 152 $41,111.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 80 $50,156.00
Production 198 $40,417.00
Transportation and Material Moving 175 $54,271.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 278 $50,735.00 66 $65,893.00
Business and Financial 27 $39,375.00 56 $32,500.00
Computer and Mathematical 11 $54,792.00 7 $33,750.00
Architecture and Engineering 41 $73,750.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 12 $48,750.00 11 $0.00
Community and Social Service 20 $53,333.00 31 $34,375.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 19 $38,125.00 177 $32,298.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 25 $21,250.00 14 $23,636.00
Healthcare Practitioners 16 $60,000.00 86 $51,389.00
Healthcare Support 26 $37,885.00 67 $17,250.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 4 $0.00 2 $0.00
Law Enforcement 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 11 $12,292.00 77 $12,125.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 50 $20,417.00 47 $6,688.00
Personal Care and Service 50 $50,000.00 89 $21,420.00
Sales 98 $34,107.00 65 $15,417.00
Office and Administrative Support 31 $40,893.00 214 $23,152.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 103 $32,583.00 11 $25,208.00
Construction and Extraction 147 $41,806.00 5 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 80 $50,156.00 0 $0.00
Production 154 $44,167.00 44 $25,625.00
Transportation and Material Moving 157 $57,750.00 18 $28,125.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 2,274 households in Washington County, with an average household size of 2.38 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,338 families in Washington County with an average family size of 3.23 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,169 69 100 936
Average Household Size 3.2 3.36 4.02 1.11
Total Families 1,169 69 100 0
Average Household Size 3.2 3.01 3.66 0

Poverty

Of the 1,338 families in Washington County, 6.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Washington County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,742 housing units in Washington County, Kansas.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,274 82.93%
Vacant 468 17.07%

13.71% of the total 2,742 housing units in Washington County are rental units. This is approximately 376 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,781 are occupied by the owner - or 64.95% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Washington County is $526.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Washington County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    117
  • Less than $500
    174
  • $500 to $999
    171
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    31
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Washington County is $87,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Washington County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    462
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    570
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    233
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    186
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    143
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    118
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    34
  • $1,000,000 or more
    35

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Washington County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Washington County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,125
  • 1940 to 1949
    204
  • 1950 to 1959
    359
  • 1960 to 1969
    316
  • 1970 to 1979
    270
  • 1980 to 1989
    135
  • 1990 to 1999
    92
  • 2000 to 2009
    165
  • 2010 to 2013
    76
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Washington County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    72
  • 1 vehicle available
    635
  • 2 vehicles available
    812
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    755

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Washington County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Washington County that commute to work in a particular way.

20 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Washington County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    297
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    348
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    375
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    305
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    323
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    160
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    375
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    23
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    39
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    66
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    42
  • 90 or more minutes
    47

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Washington County, Kansas in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Washington County, Kansas

We have data for 29 places in Washington County, Kansas. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.