Coldwater, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 784, Coldwater'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

Coldwater is a small community located in Kansas, within Comanche County. The total population is 784. It ranks as the 239th most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Coldwater is 55.0 years. This is 47% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. 18.6% 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 Coldwater is $51,338. This is 31% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.2%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $85,600. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Coldwater is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 67.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Coldwater has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.9%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 13.6%.

Education

16.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 54% 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 94.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Coldwater, 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.