Shawnee County, KS

County

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    2024 Population
    178,025
    US Senator
    Jerry Moran
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Roger Marshall
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    39.4
    0.505% 1-year decrease
    2024 Poverty Rate
    12.7%
    2.91% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $67,104
    1.61% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $180,900
    6.16% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    83,664
    1.18% 1-year decline

    About

    None of the households in Shawnee County, KS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    97.4% of the residents in Shawnee County, KS are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Shawnee County, KS are Washburn University (1,352 degrees awarded in 2024), Washburn Institute of Technology (904 degrees), and Rasmussen University-Kansas (160 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Shawnee County, KS was $180,900, and the homeownership rate was 66.8%.

    Most people in Shawnee County, KS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Shawnee County, KS was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesKansasTopeka, KS

    Population & Diversity

    Shawnee County, KS is home to a population of 178k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.09% of Shawnee County, KS residents were born outside of the country (7.28k people).

    In 2024, there were 10.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (126k people) in Shawnee County, KS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.7k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.77k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    97.4%
    2024 Citizenship
    97.5%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 97.4% of Shawnee County, KS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Shawnee County, KS was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Shawnee County, KS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shawnee County, KS
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      126k ± 715
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      11.7k ± 790
    3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      9.77k ± 867
    13.8%
    Hispanic Population
    24.6k people

    In 2024, there were 10.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (126k people) in Shawnee County, KS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.7k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.77k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    13.8% of the people in Shawnee County, KS are hispanic (24.6k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Shawnee County, KS as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kansas.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      84,373 ± 7,029 people
    2. India
      14,412 ± 2,940 people
    3. Vietnam
      10,201 ± 2,475 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kansas was Mexico, the natal country of 84,373 Kansas residents, followed by India with 14,412 and Vietnam with 10,201.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    4.09%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    7.28k people
    4.17%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    7.43k people

    As of 2024, 4.09% of Shawnee County, KS residents (7.28k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Shawnee County, KS was 4.17%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Shawnee County, KS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      3,958 ± 517
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      2,978 ± 429
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      1,450 ± 249

    Shawnee County, KS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.33 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Shawnee County, KS.

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    Health

    91.4% of the population of Shawnee County, KS has health coverage, with 50.1% on employee plans, 12.1% on Medicaid, 13.9% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 1.92% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Shawnee County, KS see 1,371 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,371 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1467 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 257 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    1,371 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Shawnee County, KS

    Primary care physicians in Shawnee County, KS see an average of 1,371 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,371 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Shawnee County, KS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 19.2% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.2% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    8.65%
    Uninsured
    50.1%
    Employer Coverage
    12.1%
    Medicaid
    13.9%
    Medicare
    13.4%
    Non-Group
    1.92%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shawnee County, KS grew by 4.62% from 8.26% to 8.65%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Shawnee County, KS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.37 in Shawnee County, KS.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shawnee County, KS.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40% in Shawnee County, KS.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shawnee County, KS.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 10.1% in Shawnee County, KS.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Shawnee County, KS.

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    Economy

    The economy of Shawnee County, KS employs 83.7k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Shawnee County, KS were Health Care & Social Assistance (14,158 people), Public Administration (8,369 people), and Manufacturing (8,021 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($81,984), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($68,143), and Finance & Insurance ($61,158).

    Employment

    Occupations

    83.7k
    2024 Value
    ± 2,352
    −1.18%
    1 Year decline
    ± 3.92%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shawnee County, KS declined at a rate of −1.18%, from 84.7k employees to 83.7k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shawnee County, KS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,460 people), Management Occupations (7,853 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (6,654 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shawnee County, KS.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kansas.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kansas (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    83.7k
    2024 Value
    ± 2,352
    −1.18%
    1 Year decline
    ± 3.92%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Shawnee County, KS declined at a rate of −1.18%, from 84.7k employees to 83.7k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shawnee County, KS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,158 people), Public Administration (8,369 people), and Manufacturing (8,021 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Shawnee County, KS, though some of these residents may live in Shawnee County, KS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $52,469
    Median earning men ± $1,137
    $43,070
    Median earning women ± $1,472

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($69,746), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($66,557), and Public Administration ($65,011).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,256), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,795), and Public Administration ($49,951).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kansas.
    Y-Axis
    3.11%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 1.44M people employed in Kansas. This represents a 3.11% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kansas.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 321
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. 312
      Other Services (except Public Administration)
    3. 239
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $1.07M
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $545k
      Finance and Insurance
    3. $500k
      Manufacturing

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kansas went to Donald J. Trump with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (41%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.23%).

    Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall are the senators currently representing the state of Kansas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Kansas is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Shawnee County, KS. Showing the available data for Kansas.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (57.2%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (41%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (1.23%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kansas went to Donald J. Trump with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (41%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.23%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kansas for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Kansas

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kansas.
    Jerry Moran
    Senator from Kansas3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2011
    Roger Marshall
    Senator from Kansas2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2021

    Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall are the senators currently representing Kansas.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Kansas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Shawnee County, KS awarded 2,433 degrees. The student population of Shawnee County, KS in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 2,980 male students and 4,753 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Shawnee County, KS are White (1,617 and 68.1%), Hispanic or Latino (308 and 13%), Black or African American (162 and 6.83%), and Two or More Races (112 and 4.72%).

    The largest universities in Shawnee County, KS by number of degrees awarded are Washburn University (1,352 and 55.6%), Washburn Institute of Technology (904 and 37.2%), and Rasmussen University-Kansas (160 and 6.58%).

    The most popular majors in Shawnee County, KS are Registered Nursing (264 and 10.9%), Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant (168 and 6.91%), and Welding Technology (126 and 5.18%).

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $9,828 for in-state students and $20,832 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    Measure

    In 2023 in Shawnee County, KS, the percentage of applicants admitted was 40.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 77.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 7,733 (38.5% men and 61.5% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    In 2024 there were 7,733 students enrolled in Shawnee County, KS, 38.5% men and 61.5% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,683 records, of which 60.4% were women and 39.6% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Registered Nursing
      155 degrees awarded
    2. Health Care Administration & Management
      39 degrees awarded
    3. General Finance
      33 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Shawnee County, KS was Registered Nursing with 155 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Shawnee County, KS according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. Washburn University
      1,352 degrees awarded
    2. Washburn Institute of Technology
      904 degrees awarded
    3. Rasmussen University-Kansas
      160 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Washburn University with 1,352 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    In 2024, 1,000 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Shawnee County, KS, which is 0.698 times less than the 1,433 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,617 degrees mean that there were 5.25 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 308 degrees awarded.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($14,116) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($2,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, less-than 2-year ($1,008) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Shawnee County, KS was $180,900 in 2024, which is 0.544 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $170,400 to $180,900, a 6.16% increase. The homeownership rate in Shawnee County, KS is 66.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Shawnee County, KS have an average commute time of 17.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Shawnee County, KS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shawnee County, KS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.485%.

    Housing

    Property

    $180,900
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$4,873
    $50,393
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$1,712

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Shawnee County, KS the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Shawnee County, KS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    66.8%
    Homeownership
    2024
    61.5%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 66.8% of the housing units in Shawnee County, KS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 67%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Shawnee County, KS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $67,104
    Median Household Income
    ± $2,304
    75.5k
    Number of Households
    ± 2,272

    In 2024, the median household income of the 75.5k households in Shawnee County, KS grew to $67,104 from the previous year's value of $66,043.

    The following chart displays the households in Shawnee County, KS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Shawnee County, KS is from Kansas.
    0.459
    2024 Wage GINI in Kansas
    0.458
    2023 Wage GINI in Kansas

    In 2024, the income inequality in Kansas was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.185% growth from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Kansas was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kansas in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in Kansas across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (77.1%)
    2. Worked At Home (11.2%)
    3. Carpooled (8.77%)

    In 2024, 77.1% of workers in Shawnee County, KS drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.2%) and those who carpooled to work (8.77%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    17.9 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Shawnee County, KS have a shorter commute time (17.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.974% of the workforce in Shawnee County, KS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Shawnee County, KS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Shawnee County, KS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Shawnee County, KS have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Shawnee County, KS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.485%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    12.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shawnee County, KS (22.1k out of 174k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Shawnee County, KS is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 13.4% of the children was living in poverty in Shawnee County, KS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 10.9%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 444 in Shawnee County, KS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 6.21% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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