The Highlands, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 479, The Highlands'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

The Highlands is a small community located in Kansas, within Reno County. The total population is 479. It ranks as the 306th most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in The Highlands is 56.7 years. This is 52% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. Only 8.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 13.6% 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 The Highlands is $97,500. This is 31% higher than the state median of $74,275. It is also 21% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.1%. This is 72% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 7.8%. This is 99% higher than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $288,900. Housing costs are 33% higher than the state median of $217,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 88.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The Highlands has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 13.6%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

33.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% 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 98.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for The Highlands, 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.