Ottawa County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Ottawa 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 72% of counties in Kansas
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,819 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 8.1 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.39% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.3 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,408 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Ottawa County declined by 2.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,819 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Ottawa County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.1% of residents. That is 3.4 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,053 18.1% -4.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,087 18.7% -2.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,285 22.1% +3.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,175 20.2% +3.5 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 47.7% of the people living in Ottawa County and men 52.3%.
- Women 47.7% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 52.3% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Ottawa County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Ottawa County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,981 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.67% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Ottawa County is about the same as in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $158,035 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $809 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.2% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Ottawa County is about 16.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $809 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Ottawa County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.4 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.7 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 170 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,261 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,025 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 362 | 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 Ottawa County is 20 minutes, longer 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
Ottawa County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.37 | 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
Ottawa County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Ottawa County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.8% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.1% | 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).
Ottawa County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Ottawa County, KS compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County, KS | 5,819 | $73,981 #1/2 | $158,035 #1/2 | 20.4 min #2/2 |
| Saline County, KS | 53,668 | $66,002 | $116,558 | 12.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Ottawa County, Kansas.
How big is Ottawa County, Kansas by population?
About 5,819 people live in Ottawa County, Kansas, in 2,408 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 43.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Ottawa County, Kansas urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Ottawa County, Kansas has 8 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 9% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Ottawa County, Kansas?
The median home costs 2.1 times the median household income ($158,035 against $73,981), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $809 a month takes about 13% 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 Ottawa County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Ottawa County, Kansas is only 2.9%, 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 Ottawa County, Kansas?
23.5% of adults in Ottawa County, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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