McPherson County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
McPherson 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.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 94% of counties in Kansas
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 84% of counties in Kansas
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 83% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,205 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 33.6 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.46% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.2 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,162 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in McPherson County grew by 4.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 30,205 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in McPherson County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.7% of residents. That is 1.2 points below Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,550 21.7% -1.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,709 18.9% -2.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,895 19.5% +0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,621 18.6% +1.9 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 50.7% of the people living in McPherson County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 49.3% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in McPherson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
McPherson County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,479 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.09% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in McPherson County is about 6% higher than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $24,740 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $916 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in McPherson County is about 2.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $916 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in McPherson County spend about 23 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 96 hours, about 4.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.5 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 23.0 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 96 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,970 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,290 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 683 | 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 McPherson County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes 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
McPherson County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 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
McPherson County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | McPherson County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.0% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.3% | 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).
McPherson County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
McPherson County, KS is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 30,205 residents against a local median of 53,668. Where McPherson County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 79% below the local median of $116,558 at $24,740.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $78,479 against a local median of $66,002, 19% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so McPherson County, KS is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $161,563 on median home price, so McPherson County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McPherson County, KS has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson County, KS | 30,205 | $78,479 #1/4 | $24,740 #3/4 | 11.5 min #1/4 |
| Saline County, KS | 53,668 | $66,002 | $116,558 | 12.9 min |
| Harvey County, KS | 33,756 | $74,290 | $23,220 | 17.3 min |
| Reno County, KS | 61,553 | $60,794 | $184,782 | 13.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about McPherson County, Kansas.
What is the population of McPherson County, Kansas?
About 30,205 people live in McPherson County, Kansas, in 12,162 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 38.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is McPherson County, Kansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, McPherson County, Kansas has 34 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 39% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in McPherson County, Kansas?
The median home costs 0.3 times the median household income ($24,740 against $78,479), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $916 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in McPherson County, Kansas?
Unemployment in McPherson County, Kansas is only 1.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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