Washington County, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Washington 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 72% of counties in Kansas
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 77% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,533 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 6.2 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.18% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.2 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,373 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Washington County declined by 4.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,533 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Washington County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.1% of residents. That is 5.4 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 959 17.3% -5.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 894 16.2% -4.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,130 20.4% +1.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,222 22.1% +5.4 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 48.4% of the people living in Washington County and men 51.6%.
- Women 48.4% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 51.6% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Washington County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Washington County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,022 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.30% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Washington County is about 12% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $133,456 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $561 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.5% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Washington County is about 19.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $561 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Washington 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 | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.1 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.2 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 143 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,422 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,031 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 310 | 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 Washington 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
Washington County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 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
Washington County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Washington County | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.4 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.6% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.3% | 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).
Washington County, KS Compared With Nearby Counties
How Washington County, KS compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, KS | 5,533 | $65,022 #1/2 | $133,456 #2/2 | 17.1 min #2/2 |
| Riley County, KS | 71,946 | $62,250 | $256,250 | 12.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Washington County, Kansas.
What is the population of Washington County, Kansas?
About 5,533 people live in Washington County, Kansas, in 2,373 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 41.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Washington County, Kansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Washington County, Kansas has 6 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 7% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Washington County, Kansas?
The median home costs 2.1 times the median household income ($133,456 against $65,022), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $561 a month takes about 10% 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 Washington County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Washington County, Kansas is only 1.1%, 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 Washington County, Kansas?
20.8% of adults in Washington 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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