Bern, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 136, Bern'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

Bern is a small community located in Kansas, within Nemaha County. The total population is 136. It ranks as the 502nd most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bern is 50.5 years. This is 35% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. Only 2.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bern is $62,500. This is 16% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.1%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Bern, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $127,300. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Bern is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Bern was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 99.3% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

25.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 88.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bern, 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.