Atchison County, Kansas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Atchison County is located in Kansas with a total population of 16,208. It is the 31st most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Atchison County is 36.1 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Atchison County is $61,112. This is 18% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.0%. This is 15% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 18% higher than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $145,700. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Atchison County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Atchison County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.8%) is well below the state average of 13.6%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

21.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% 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 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Atchison County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Kansas and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.