Alta Vista, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 443, Alta Vista's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Alta Vista is a small community located in Kansas, within Wabaunsee County. The total population is 443. It ranks as the 321st most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alta Vista is 38.6 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alta Vista is $51,250. This is 31% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.7%. This is 128% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 12.8%. This is 229% higher than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $85,000. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Alta Vista is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 58.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Alta Vista has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.3%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

9.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 72% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Alta Vista, Kansas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Kansas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 721 Census-designated places in Kansas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.