Riley County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Riley 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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A
Health Above averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Kansas
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 95% of counties in Kansas
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B
Education Around averageAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,946 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 115.6 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.52% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 26.3 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 27,695 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Riley County grew by 3.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 71,946 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Riley County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 45.1% of residents. That is 22.2 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 32,423 45.1% +22.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 13,148 18.3% -2.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,662 12.0% -6.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,913 9.6% -7.1 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 47.1% of the people living in Riley County and men 52.9%.
- Women 47.1% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 52.9% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Riley County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Riley County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,250 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.65% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Riley County is about 16% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $256,250 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,046 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.1% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Riley County is about 20.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,046 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Riley County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 103 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.3 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.6 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 103 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,183 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,308 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 804 | 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 Riley County is 12 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
Riley County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.22 | 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
Riley County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.9 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.0% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.1% | 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).
Riley County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Riley County, KS compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley County, KS | 71,946 | $62,250 #2/3 | $256,250 #1/3 | 12.3 min #1/3 |
| Geary County, KS | 35,815 | $58,879 | $67,916 | 15.7 min |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 26,203 | $91,821 | $33,317 | 19.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Riley County, Kansas.
What is the population of Riley County, Kansas?
About 71,946 people live in Riley County, Kansas, in 27,695 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 26.3, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
Is Riley County, Kansas urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Riley County, Kansas has 116 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Riley County, Kansas?
The median home costs 4.1 times the median household income ($256,250 against $62,250), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,046 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Riley County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Riley County, Kansas is only 3.2%, 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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