Ness County, Kansas Demographics 2026

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

Ness County, Kansas has a population of 2,653, the 88th most populous county in Kansas. The median household income is $68,616 and the median home value is $89,700. The poverty rate is 11.2%.

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

Ness County Quick Facts

Population 2,653

Median Household Income $68,616

Median Home Value $89,700

Poverty Rate 11.2%

Unemployment Rate 0.8%

Median Age 45.1 years

Homeownership Rate 81.6%

Affordability Ratio 1.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 25.0%

High School Graduation 92.4%

Cities/Places 5

Population 2,653 88th of 105

Median Income $68,616 8% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.2%

Unemployment 0.8%

How Ness 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	2,659	2,653	-0.2%
Median household income	$66,107	$68,616	+3.8%
Median home value	$85,400	$89,700	+5.0%

Median Household Income

Ness

$68,616

$74,275

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Ness

$89,700

$217,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.1%

$25K-$50K 18.0%

$50K-$100K 35.1%

$100K+ 32.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

2.8%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

2.8%

$25K-$30K

2.6%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

2.6%

$50K-$60K

8.3%

$60K-$75K

12.6%

$75K-$100K

14.2%

$100K-$125K

11.8%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

4.8%

$200K+

8.3%

Employment

0.8% Unemployment Rate State: 3.9%|National: 5.2%

65.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.6%

Renter 18.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $538/mo 9.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.8%

18-34

22.3%

35-54

17.1%

55-74

29.4%

75+

11.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

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 Ness County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Ness City	1,162	$64,583	11.5%	$116,600
Bazine	406	$57,167	20.2%	$70,500
Ransom	279	$44,000	14.7%	$57,800
Utica	135	$66,875	7.4%	$33,600
Brownell	14	N/A	50.0%	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

Ness County is located in Kansas with a total population of 2,653. It is the 88th most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ness County is 45.1 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. 11.5% 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 Ness County is $68,616. This is 8% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.2%. This is about the same as the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 0.8%. This is 79% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $89,700. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Ness County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ness County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.9%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

25.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% 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 92.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ness 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 Ness County, Kansas?

Ness County has a population of 2,653, making it the 88th most populous county in Kansas.

What is the median income in Ness County?

The median household income in Ness County is $68,616 with a poverty rate of 11.2%.

How many cities are in Ness County, Kansas?

Ness County contains 5 Census-designated places.