Pawnee County, Kansas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Pawnee County is located in Kansas with a total population of 6,144. It is the 56th most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pawnee County is 46.1 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. Only 14.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pawnee County is $63,517. This is 14% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.5%. This is 2% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 1.2%. This is 69% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $93,000. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Pawnee County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Pawnee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 9.1%.

Education

18.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 50% 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 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Pawnee 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.