Jefferson County, Kansas Demographics 2026

Name: Jefferson County, Kansas Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Jefferson County, Kansas has a population of 18,349, the 30th most populous county in Kansas. The median household income is $81,278 and the median home value is $216,900. The poverty rate is 5.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Jefferson County Quick Facts

Population 18,349

Median Household Income $81,278

Median Home Value $216,900

Poverty Rate 5.6%

Unemployment Rate 2.4%

Median Age 44.2 years

Homeownership Rate 85.7%

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.6%

High School Graduation 94.4%

Cities/Places 10

Population 18,349 30th of 105

Median Income $81,278 9% higher than state

Poverty Rate 5.6%

Unemployment 2.4%

How Jefferson County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	18,391	18,349	-0.2%
Median household income	$77,393	$81,278	+5.0%
Median home value	$200,800	$216,900	+8.0%

Median Household Income

Jefferson

$81,278

$74,275

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jefferson

$216,900

$217,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.9%

$25K-$50K 17.0%

$50K-$100K 32.6%

$100K+ 40.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.5%

$10K-$15K

1.8%

$15K-$20K

1.7%

$20K-$25K

2.9%

$25K-$30K

6.1%

$30K-$35K

1.7%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

2.4%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

5.9%

$60K-$75K

10.6%

$75K-$100K

16.1%

$100K-$125K

13.9%

$125K-$150K

7.5%

$150K-$200K

10.2%

$200K+

9.0%

Employment

2.4% Unemployment Rate State: 3.9%|National: 5.2%

64.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 85.7%

Renter 14.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $835/mo 12.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.0%

18-34

17.5%

35-54

24.2%

55-74

28.3%

75+

8.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Jefferson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Valley Falls	1,382	$46,681	5.9%	$122,700
Oskaloosa	1,113	$83,750	5.7%	$183,100
Perry	1,069	$82,375	7.9%	$174,000
McLouth	864	$73,967	6.0%	$202,500
Meriden	716	$76,667	6.1%	$176,400
Nortonville	715	$58,571	18.6%	$102,000
Ozawkie	604	$100,156	0.7%	$214,300
Winchester	417	$55,833	6.1%	$102,400
Grantville	122	$65,063	0.0%	$212,500
Williamstown	31	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Kansas Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Jefferson County is located in Kansas with a total population of 18,349. It is the 30th most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 44.2 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $81,278. This is 9% higher than the state median of $74,275. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.6%. This is 50% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $216,900. Housing costs are about the same as the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Jefferson County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 85.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jefferson County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 13.6%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

24.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% 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 94.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jefferson 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Jefferson County, Kansas?

Jefferson County has a population of 18,349, making it the 30th most populous county in Kansas.

What is the median income in Jefferson County?

The median household income in Jefferson County is $81,278 with a poverty rate of 5.6%.

How many cities are in Jefferson County, Kansas?

Jefferson County contains 10 Census-designated places.