Shawnee County, Kansas

County in KS, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

178,025

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

Median Age

39.4

years ∙ half population younger than 39.4, half older

Diversity Index

46.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

4.1%

foreign-born population

95.9%Native

4.1% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Shawnee County is a county in Kansas, United States.

Location

County in KS, US

Co-ordinates

DEC39.041805° N, 95.755664° W

DMS39° 02′ 30.50″ N, 95° 45′ 20.39″ W

Population Density & area

327.3/sq mi (126.3/km²)

Total Area

555.7 sq mi (1,439.4 km²)

Land Area

544 sq mi (1,409 km²) · 97.9%

Water Area

11.7 sq mi (30.4 km²) · 2.1%

Demographics & Living

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

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

48.7% male

Male 48.7%

Female 51.3%

males per 100 females

Shawnee County 94.8

Kansas 100.7

United States 98

Nativity

4.1%

foreign-born population

95.9%Native

4.1% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Shawnee County 4.1%

Kansas 7.4%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

39.4

years ∙ half population younger than 39.4, half older

Shawnee County

39.4

Kansas

37.4

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Shawnee County 74

Kansas 68.7

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	23.1%	23.8%	22%
Working age (18-64)	57.5%	59.2%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	19.4%	17%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	74	68.7	64.4
Child dependency ratio	40.1	40.1	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	33.8	28.6	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

71%

Black

6.6%

Asian

1.3%

Hispanic

13.8%

Other

7.3%

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

46.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Shawnee County 46.8%

Kansas 44.7%

United States 61.4%

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 Shawnee County population

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Hispanic or Latino	13.8%	13.6%	19.3%
Mexican	11.2%	10.4%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	1.2%	0.6%	1.8%
Cuban	0.1%	0.2%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.4%	2.3%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	86.2%	86.4%	80.7%
One race	79.9%	81.6%	76.4%
White	71%	72.7%	57.4%
Black or African American	6.6%	5.2%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.4%	0.4%	0.5%
Asian	1.3%	2.9%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.6%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	6.3%	4.8%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

60.4% family

Family 60.4%

Non family 39.6%

% family households

Shawnee County 60.4%

Kansas 63.4%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.29

persons per household

Shawnee County

2.29

Kansas

2.44

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Shawnee County population

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Total households	75,458	1,174,060	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.29	2.44	2.53
Family households	45,539	744,502	82,990,528
Average family size	2.94	3.05	3.14
Married couple family	32,749	576,382	60,637,388
Other families	12,790	168,120	22,353,140
Male householder	3,728	52,856	6,572,819
Female householder	9,062	115,264	15,780,321
Non-family households	29,919	429,558	46,236,968
One-person households	25,674	352,785	37,140,836
Male householder	11,884	167,881	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	4,032	49,284	5,225,110
Female householder	13,790	184,904	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	7,213	95,985	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	4,245	76,773	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

81,075

housing units

Shawnee County 81,075

Kansas 1,293,635

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

93.1% occupied

Occupied 93.1%

Vacant 6.9%

vacancy rate

Shawnee County 6.9%

Kansas 9.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

75.9%

Single family houses

75.9%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

20.8%

Mobile homes

3.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1973

Half of houses were built before 1973, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

13.4%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

33%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

38.4%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

15.2%

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

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.8	6	5.5
1–3 rooms	13.4%	11.9%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	48.2%	46.3%	51.6%
7+ rooms	38.4%	41.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	5.2%	2.5%	2.9%
1 bedroom	8.3%	9.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	25.4%	24.9%	25%
3 bedrooms	39.9%	35.7%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	21.1%	27.5%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1973	1977	1981
Total housing units	81,075	1,293,635	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

66.8% owners

Renter-occupied 33.2%

Owner-occupied 66.8%

homeownership rate

Shawnee County 66.8%

Kansas 67.2%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.4

Owner-occupied

2.07

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Shawnee County 2.4

Kansas 2.59

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Total occupied units	75,458	1,174,060	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	25.1%	26.8%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	37.5%	38.4%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	17.6%	16.3%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	19.8%	18.6%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.1%	97.9%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1%	1.4%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.9%	0.7%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	7.4%	5.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	34.2%	30%	33.1%
2 vehicles	36.7%	38.2%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	21.7%	26.7%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	74.2%	70.9%	51.4%
Electricity	24%	26.9%	41.3%
Solar	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
All other fuels	1%	1.7%	2%
No fuel used	0.5%	0.3%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.5%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	1.2%	0.9%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$180,900

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Shawnee County

$180,900

Kansas

$217,200

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

21.1%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

21.1%

Owners without a mortgage

12.1%

Renters

44.1%

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

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Property value
Median Value	$180,900	$217,200	$332,700
Under $100,000	23.4%	20.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	32.2%	24.9%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	22.6%	21%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	16.7%	22.4%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	4.5%	9.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.6%	1.5%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	57.9%	57.4%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	42.1%	42.6%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,474	$1,689	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$630	$641	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,000	$1,060	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

32.2%

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

Shawnee County 32.2%

Kansas 35.6%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

6.7%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Shawnee County 6.7%

Kansas 8.1%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

40,223

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

5.4%

K–12

74.8%

College / Undergraduate

16.6%

Graduate / Professional

3.2%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

31.4%

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

Shawnee County

31.4%

Kansas

39.9%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

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

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	40,223	753,280	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	5.4%	6%	5.7%
K–12	74.8%	68.1%	67.6%
Kindergarten	4.6%	4.8%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	21.9%	20.1%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	24.7%	21.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	23.6%	21.6%	21.7%
College or graduate school	19.8%	25.8%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	16.6%	20.1%	21%
Graduate, professional school	3.2%	5.7%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	31.4%	39.9%	40.9%
School type
Public school	85.7%	85.2%	82%
Private school	14.3%	14.8%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

121,584

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.4%

9th-12th, no diploma

4.3%

HS graduate

29.8%

Some college no degree

22.9%

Associates degree

8.4%

Bachelors degree

19.8%

Graduate or professional degree

12.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

48.1% · 51.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

54% · 46%

HS graduate

51.8% · 48.2%

Some college no degree

47.2% · 52.8%

Associates degree

41% · 59%

Bachelors degree

45.7% · 54.3%

Graduate or professional degree

43.7% · 56.3%

Educational Attainment Overview

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

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Population (25+)	121,584	1,946,678	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	2.4%	3.5%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.3%	4.6%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	29.8%	25.4%	26%
Some college, no degree	22.9%	21.8%	19.1%
Associate's degree	8.4%	9.1%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	32.2%	35.6%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	19.8%	22.2%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	12.4%	13.4%	14.1%
High School or higher	93.3%	92%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$50,646

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$31,856

HS graduate

$38,859

Some college or associates

$47,952

Bachelors degree

$61,863

Graduate or professional degree

$73,075

Poverty Rate

4.5%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

36.3%

HS graduate

15.5%

Some college or associates

9.3%

Bachelors degree or higher

4.5%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Shawnee County	Kansas	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$50,646	$50,504	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$31,856	$35,231	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$38,859	$39,282	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$47,952	$45,261	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$61,863	$63,396	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$73,075	$75,635	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	36.3%	22.7%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	15.5%	12.9%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	9.3%	8.5%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.5%	3.8%	4.5%

Insights for Shawnee County, 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.

Cite this page

Citation style

Url to be used as reference

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.