Arkansas City, KS

City in Cowley County, KS, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

11,884

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

37.1

years ∙ half population younger than 37.1, half older

Diversity Index

51.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

7.6%

foreign-born population

92.4%Native

7.6% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Arkansas City is a city within Cowley County, Kansas, United States.

Location

City in Cowley County, KS, US

Co-ordinates

DEC37.072499° N, 97.038436° W

DMS37° 04′ 21.00″ N, 97° 02′ 18.37″ W

Population Density & area

1,275/sq mi (492.5/km²)

Total Area

9.36 sq mi (24.24 km²)

Land Area

9.32 sq mi (24.13 km²) · 99.57%

Water Area

0.04 sq mi (0.11 km²) · 0.43%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

48.1% male

Male 48.1%

Female 51.9%

males per 100 females

Arkansas City 92.7

Cowley County 102.5

Kansas 100.7

Nativity

7.6%

foreign-born population

92.4%Native

7.6% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Arkansas City 7.6%

Cowley County 4.6%

Kansas 7.4%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

37.1

years ∙ half population younger than 37.1, half older

Arkansas City

37.1

Cowley County

39.2

Kansas

37.4

Dependency ratio

66.7

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Arkansas City 66.7

Cowley County 74

Kansas 68.7

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	23.7%	23.6%	23.8%
Working age (18-64)	60%	57.5%	59.2%
Senior (65+)	16.3%	18.9%	17%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	66.7	74	68.7
Child dependency ratio	39.6	41	40.1
Old-age dependency ratio	27.1	32.9	28.6

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

66.3%

Black

3.7%

Asian

0.5%

Hispanic

20.8%

Other

8.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

51.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Arkansas City 51.1%

Cowley County 39%

Kansas 44.7%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Arkansas City population

Racial and ethnic composition — Arkansas City vs Cowley County vs Kansas. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates.
	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Hispanic or Latino	20.8%	12.2%	13.6%
Mexican	13.9%	9.2%	10.4%
Puerto Rican	0.8%	0.4%	0.6%
Cuban	0%	0%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	6.1%	2.5%	2.3%
Not Hispanic or Latino	79.2%	87.8%	86.4%
One race	72.5%	82.5%	81.6%
White	66.3%	76.9%	72.7%
Black or African American	3.7%	2.4%	5.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native	2%	1.2%	0.4%
Asian	0.5%	1.5%	2.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.3%	0.1%
Some Other Race	0%	0.2%	0.4%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	6.7%	5.3%	4.8%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

57.4% family

Family 57.4%

Non family 42.6%

% family households

Arkansas City 57.4%

Cowley County 61.3%

Kansas 63.4%

Average household size

2.34

persons per household

Arkansas City

2.34

Cowley County

2.4

Kansas

2.44

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Arkansas City population

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Total households	4,799	13,387	1,174,060
Average houshold size	2.34	2.4	2.44
Family households	2,756	8,212	744,502
Average family size	3.1	3.08	3.05
Married couple family	1,904	6,047	576,382
Other families	852	2,165	168,120
Male householder	144	564	52,856
Female householder	708	1,601	115,264
Non-family households	2,043	5,175	429,558
One-person households	1,889	4,621	352,785
Male householder	934	2,318	167,881
Senior (65+) living alone	312	774	49,284
Female householder	955	2,303	184,904
Senior (65+) living alone	427	1,320	95,985
Other living arrangements	154	554	76,773

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

5,510

housing units

Arkansas City 5,510

Cowley County 15,682

Kansas 1,293,635

Occupancy status

87.1% occupied

Occupied 87.1%

Vacant 12.9%

vacancy rate

Arkansas City 12.9%

Cowley County 14.6%

Kansas 9.2%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

72.3%

Single family houses

72.3%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

24.1%

Mobile homes

3.5%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1953

Half of houses were built before 1953, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

35.8%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

34.8%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

23.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

6.4%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.4	5.8	6
1–3 rooms	10.9%	9.3%	11.9%
4–6 rooms	59.6%	53%	46.3%
7+ rooms	29.5%	37.8%	41.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	2.4%	1.7%	2.5%
1 bedroom	12.1%	8.9%	9.4%
2 bedrooms	40.3%	30.3%	24.9%
3 bedrooms	30.4%	39.7%	35.7%
4+ bedrooms	14.9%	19.4%	27.5%
At a glance
Median year built	1953	1962	1977
Total housing units	5,510	15,682	1,293,635

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

56.5% owners

Renter-occupied 43.5%

Owner-occupied 56.5%

homeownership rate

Arkansas City 56.5%

Cowley County 68.1%

Kansas 67.2%

Average household size

2.58

Owner-occupied

2.03

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Arkansas City 2.58

Cowley County 2.56

Kansas 2.59

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Total occupied units	4,799	13,387	1,174,060
Year moved in
2020 or later	31.5%	25.2%	26.8%
2010 to 2019	36.9%	36.2%	38.4%
2000 to 2009	12.3%	17.3%	16.3%
1999 or earlier	19.3%	21.3%	18.6%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.6%	98.5%	97.9%
1.01 to 1.50	0.9%	1.4%	1.4%
1.51 or more	0.4%	0.2%	0.7%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	8.1%	7%	5.1%
1 vehicle	39.1%	30.7%	30%
2 vehicles	33.7%	32.5%	38.2%
3 or more vehicles	19.1%	29.8%	26.7%
House heating fuel used
Gas	67.3%	70.4%	70.9%
Electricity	31%	26.9%	26.9%
Solar	0%	0%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.3%	0.1%	0.2%
All other fuels	0.5%	2.2%	1.7%
No fuel used	0.9%	0.4%	0.3%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	1.1%	0.5%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	2.1%	1.2%	0.9%
No telephone service available	3.5%	1.7%	0.8%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$86,800

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Arkansas City

$86,800

Cowley County

$120,900

Kansas

$217,200

Housing Cost Burden

20.6%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

20.6%

Owners without a mortgage

9.5%

Renters

55.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Property value
Median Value	$86,800	$120,900	$217,200
Under $100,000	59.8%	41.3%	20.9%
$100,000 - $200,000	30.3%	32.3%	24.9%
$200,000 - $300,000	6.7%	14.7%	21%
$300,000 - $500,000	1.8%	8.9%	22.4%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1%	1.8%	9.3%
$1,000,000 and more	0.3%	1%	1.5%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	51.3%	51.7%	57.4%
Without a mortgage	48.7%	48.3%	42.6%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,149	$1,295	$1,689
Without a mortgage	$465	$576	$641
Gross rent
Median rent	$781	$809	$1,060

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

20.6%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Arkansas City 20.6%

Cowley County 24.5%

Kansas 35.6%

Adults without a high school diploma

11%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Arkansas City 11%

Cowley County 9.4%

Kansas 8.1%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

3,250

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

K–12

64.3%

College / Undergraduate

28.6%

Graduate / Professional

3.1%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

51.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Arkansas City

51.1%

Cowley County

42.1%

Kansas

39.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Total enrolled (age 3+)	3,250	8,829	753,280
Nursery / preschool	4%	4.6%	6%
K–12	64.3%	71.7%	68.1%
Kindergarten	1.7%	3.5%	4.8%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	18.1%	18.8%	20.1%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	27.1%	27.7%	21.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	17.4%	21.7%	21.6%
College or graduate school	31.7%	23.8%	25.8%
College, undergraduate	28.6%	21.2%	20.1%
Graduate, professional school	3.1%	2.5%	5.7%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	51.1%	42.1%	39.9%
School type
Public school	83.6%	82.4%	85.2%
Private school	16.4%	17.6%	14.8%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

7,660

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

HS graduate

35.3%

Some college no degree

20.5%

Associates degree

12.6%

Bachelors degree

12.6%

Graduate or professional degree

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

52.2% · 47.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

50.8% · 49.2%

HS graduate

49.2% · 50.8%

Some college no degree

50.3% · 49.7%

Associates degree

48.7% · 51.3%

Bachelors degree

41.3% · 58.7%

Graduate or professional degree

38.5% · 61.5%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Population (25+)	7,660	22,708	1,946,678
Less than 9th grade	3%	2.8%	3.5%
9th–12th, no diploma	8%	6.6%	4.6%
High school diploma or GED	35.3%	31.3%	25.4%
Some college, no degree	20.5%	22.6%	21.8%
Associate's degree	12.6%	12.2%	9.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	20.6%	24.5%	35.6%
Bachelor's degree	12.6%	16.2%	22.2%
Graduate or professional	8%	8.4%	13.4%
High School or higher	89%	90.6%	92%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$38,586

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$41,619

HS graduate

$34,741

Some college or associates

$39,333

Bachelors degree

$51,773

Graduate or professional degree

$—

Poverty Rate

11.6%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

15%

HS graduate

13.6%

Some college or associates

15.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

11.6%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Arkansas City	Cowley County	Kansas
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$38,586	$40,621	$50,504
Less than high school graduate	$41,619	$31,010	$35,231
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$34,741	$33,262	$39,282
Some college or associate's degree	$39,333	$39,131	$45,261
Bachelor's degree	$51,773	$52,302	$63,396
Graduate or professional degree	$—	$65,483	$75,635
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	15%	22%	22.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	13.6%	15.9%	12.9%
Some college or associate's degree	15.2%	9.9%	8.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.6%	7.1%	3.8%

Insights for Arkansas City, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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