Little River, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 402, Little River'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

Little River is a small community located in Kansas, within Rice County. The total population is 402. It ranks as the 339th most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Little River is 40.3 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Little River is $66,667. This is 10% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.4%. This is 61% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Little River, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $116,100. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Little River is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Little River has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.8% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.5%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 93.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Little River, 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.