Harper County, Kansas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Harper County is located in Kansas with a total population of 5,400. It is the 63rd most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Harper County is 40.6 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Harper County is $53,488. This is 28% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.3%. This is 53% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.0%. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $83,800. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Harper County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Harper County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.1%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

22.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% 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 90.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Harper 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.