Thomas County, Kansas Demographics 2026

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

Thomas County, Kansas has a population of 7,885, the 48th most populous county in Kansas. The median household income is $71,325 and the median home value is $172,700. The poverty rate is 6.5%.

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

Thomas County Quick Facts

Population 7,885

Median Household Income $71,325

Median Home Value $172,700

Poverty Rate 6.5%

Unemployment Rate 0.6%

Median Age 35.3 years

Homeownership Rate 75.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.6%

High School Graduation 95.3%

Cities/Places 7

Population 7,885 48th of 105

Median Income $71,325 4% lower than state

Poverty Rate 6.5%

Unemployment 0.6%

How Thomas 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	7,913	7,885	-0.4%
Median household income	$73,575	$71,325	-3.1%
Median home value	$165,900	$172,700	+4.1%

Median Household Income

Thomas

$71,325

$74,275

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Thomas

$172,700

$217,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.3%

$25K-$50K 14.4%

$50K-$100K 36.4%

$100K+ 31.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

3.4%

$15K-$20K

1.2%

$20K-$25K

8.9%

$25K-$30K

5.8%

$30K-$35K

1.6%

$35K-$40K

3.9%

$40K-$45K

0.9%

$45K-$50K

2.3%

$50K-$60K

9.7%

$60K-$75K

10.9%

$75K-$100K

15.7%

$100K-$125K

12.0%

$125K-$150K

7.3%

$150K-$200K

4.7%

$200K+

8.0%

Employment

0.6% Unemployment Rate State: 3.9%|National: 5.2%

71.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.3%

Renter 24.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $752/mo 12.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.6%

18-34

25.1%

35-54

20.7%

55-74

21.9%

75+

7.6%

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 Thomas County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Colby	5,387	$63,494	8.0%	$163,000
Oakley	2,009	$77,065	16.2%	$120,000
Brewster	459	$63,816	12.0%	$118,800
Rexford	146	$85,769	4.1%	N/A
Gem	98	N/A	0.0%	$56,500
Levant	63	$55,652	0.0%	$72,600
Menlo	24	N/A	33.3%	$256,300

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

Thomas County is located in Kansas with a total population of 7,885. It is the 48th most populous county out of 105 in Kansas. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Thomas County is 35.3 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 37.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Thomas County is $71,325. This is 4% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.5%. This is 42% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 0.6%. This is 85% lower than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $172,700. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Thomas County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Thomas County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.4%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

34.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Thomas County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 3% 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 95.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Thomas 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 Thomas County, Kansas?

Thomas County has a population of 7,885, making it the 48th most populous county in Kansas.

What is the median income in Thomas County?

The median household income in Thomas County is $71,325 with a poverty rate of 6.5%.

How many cities are in Thomas County, Kansas?

Thomas County contains 7 Census-designated places.