Meade County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Meade 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 average
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C
Income Below averageWealthier than 71% of counties in Kansas
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 82% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,903 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.0 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.23% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.7 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,502 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Meade County declined by 12.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,903 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Meade County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.4% of residents. That is 1.5 points below Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 834 21.4% -1.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 684 17.5% -3.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 811 20.8% +2.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 597 15.3% -1.4 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 Meade 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 Meade County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Meade County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,458 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.03% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.5% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Meade County is about 2% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $21,527 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $789 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Meade County is about 2.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $789 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Meade County spend about 30 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 126 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.1 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.2 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 126 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,906 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,130 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 115 | 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 Meade County is 15 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
Meade County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | 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
Meade County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Meade County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.7 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.8% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.1% | 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).
Meade County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Meade County, KS compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County, KS | 3,903 | $72,458 #1/2 | $21,527 #2/2 | 15.1 min #2/2 |
| Seward County, KS | 21,486 | $63,877 | $44,000 | 11.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Meade County, Kansas.
How many people live in Meade County, Kansas?
About 3,903 people live in Meade County, Kansas, in 1,502 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 37.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Meade County, Kansas?
Averaged over its land area, Meade County, Kansas has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 5% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Meade County, Kansas?
The median home costs 0.3 times the median household income ($21,527 against $72,458), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $789 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Meade County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Meade County, Kansas is only 1.5%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Meade County, Kansas?
21.4% of adults in Meade County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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