Douglas County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Douglas County, KS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
A
Health Above averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Kansas
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C
Income Below average
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A
Education Above averageAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,302 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 253.4 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.42% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 32.8 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 50,406 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Douglas County grew by 5.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 120,302 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Douglas County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 35.3% of residents. That is 12.5 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 42,520 35.3% +12.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 24,187 20.1% -0.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 19,018 15.8% -2.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 15,351 12.8% -3.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Kansas, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.1% of the people living in Douglas County and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 49.9% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Douglas County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Douglas County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,602 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.81% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Douglas County is about 5% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $291,236 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,099 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Douglas County is about 22.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,099 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Douglas County spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 143 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.1 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.3 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 143 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,424 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,625 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,091 | 662 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Kansas:
Wichita County (7.0 min), Scott County (7.1 min), Greeley County (7.2 min).
Slowest:
Linn County (31.3 min), Miami County (30.8 min), Jefferson County (30.3 min).
The average commute time in Douglas County is about the same as in Kansas.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Douglas County has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.4% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.21 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Kansas:
Johnson County (0.4), Douglas County (0.4), Riley County (0.3).
Lowest:
Seward County (0.2), Grant County (0.2), Kearny County (0.2).
Health
Douglas County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Douglas County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.1 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.7% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.6% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Kansas:
Johnson County (0.8), Riley County (0.8), Douglas County (0.8).
Lowest:
Wyandotte County (0.8), Woodson County (0.8), Chautauqua County (0.8).
Douglas County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
Douglas County, KS is typical in size for this group, 120,302 residents against a local median of 130,574, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Douglas County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 75% above the local median of $166,832 at $291,236.
The counties themselves spread $171,554 on median home price, so Douglas County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Douglas County, KS has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County, KS | 120,302 | $70,602 #4/5 | $291,236 #1/5 | 17.1 min #2/5 |
| Franklin County, KS | 26,106 | $77,141 | $180,682 | 20.1 min |
| Leavenworth County, KS | 83,123 | $88,191 | $88,571 | 22.1 min |
| Johnson County, KS | 619,445 | $109,616 | $260,124 | 20.2 min |
| Shawnee County, KS | 178,025 | $68,459 | $152,982 | 16.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Douglas County, Kansas.
How many people live in Douglas County, Kansas?
About 120,302 people live in Douglas County, Kansas, in 50,406 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 32.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Douglas County, Kansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Douglas County, Kansas has 253 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Douglas County, Kansas?
The median home costs 4.1 times the median household income ($291,236 against $70,602), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,099 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Douglas County, Kansas have a college degree?
41.4% of adults in Douglas County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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