Kansas

Key Details

• Kansas ranks 35th in population size in the US, with 2,940,546 residents as of 2023.
• As of July 2023, Kansas had 1,300,712 housing units, of which 66.9% were occupied by their owners. The average person per household size in Kansas is 2.48.
• 91.8% of persons aged 25 and over in Kansas are high school graduates, while 34.7% of Kansans within the same age have a bachelor's degree or higher.
• The 48th and current governor of Kansas in 2024 is Laura Kelly of the Democratic Party.
• The median household income in 2022 is $69,747, with 12% of its working population living in poverty.
• The life expectancy at birth in Kansas is 76.4 years.

Kansas Population Demographics

With a population of under 3 million, Kansas ranks lower in population than its neighboring states, Colorado and Missouri. Its 35th position places it among the less densely populated states in the US. By racial demographics, Kansas is predominantly white, with 85.9% of residents identifying as whites.

African Americans comprise the next largest population, with 6.2%. Minority races include Asians and American Indians, with populations of 3.2% and 1.3%, respectively. 3.3% of the population are mixed race, having two or more races.

The state is almost evenly divided between males and females, with 49.9% of the population being females and 50.1% males. Persons over 65 represent 17.5% of the population, while persons under 18 account for 23.6% of Kansas residents.

Kansas is home to a modest 208,778 immigrant population, with about 7.1% of its residents being foreign-born.

Elections and Voting

Kansas has two dominant political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Historically, the Republican Party has been more influential in the state, holding the state and federal offices. Since its inception, Kansas has had 12 Democratic governors out of the 48 that have led the state.

As of 2024, Kansas has 2 Republican Senators and 85 House of Representatives members out of the 125 seats, reflecting the state's overall political landscape.

The non-affiliated governors of Kansas were Lorenzo D. Leweling and John W. Leedy, who served as the 12th and 14th governors of the state and identified as populists. Since then, there has not been a non-party-affiliated governor in Kansas's modern political era.

Alf Landon is one of the most famous governors of Kansas. He served from 1933 to 1937 as a republican governor and is best known for his presidential run in 1936 against Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Kansas has largely been a Republican state in presidential elections for decades. Since 1968, Kansas has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election. In the presidential elections for 2020, 2016, and 2012, over 55% of the electorate voted in favor of the red party.

Housing, Income, and Employment

There are over 1.3 million housing units in Kansas, with 66.9% of those homes occupied by their owners. Over 10% of houses are vacant in Kansas, reflecting a mix of seasonal homes, rental vacancies, and properties awaiting sale or development.

The average household size in Kansas is 2.48, aligning closely with the national average of 2.57, indicating a typical family structure with parents and children or a multi-generational living arrangement.

Housing costs in Kansas vary depending on the type of housing and location. The median price for low-tier housing is $150,000, $250,000 for mid-tier, and $300,000 for high-tier housing.

Kansas faces affordability problems in its housing sector. The median household income is $69,747, below the threshold required to afford low-tier housing in the state. On the other hand, the average rent in the state is $986 monthly. There is a significant gap between income and the ability to own a home, leading to the residents opting for rental housing instead of purchasing homes.

Kansas boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates at 2.5%, compared to the national average of 3.6%, suggesting a relatively healthy job market.

Kansas Crime Rates

Kansa has a higher-than-average rate of violent crimes compared to national figures. In 2022, Kansas's violent crime rate stood at 414 per 100,000 residents compared to the national average of 380 per 100,000 residents.

Aggravated assaults and rape account for the highest number of violent crimes reported in the state at 76.4% and 13.5%.

Kansas property crimes stand at 1992 per 100,000 residents just above the national average of 1954 per 100,000 people. Larceny theft accounts for 75% of property crimes in the state, followed by burglaries and motor vehicle thefts for 12% and 11%.

Topeka City has a significantly higher crime index rate than the national average, with an overall crime rate of 10.1% higher than the US average. On the other hand, Overland Park is known for having the lowest crime rate, making it one of Kansas's safest cities.

How to Find People in Kansas

Finding people in Kansas can be achieved through public resources, online search tools, and social media. They can help locate individuals while providing additional context, such as family relationships and property ownership details.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer detailed profiles with information such as current city, work history, and mutual connections. Kansas offers public resources like the Kansas State Library, which provides an online database for historical records.

Aside from providing an individual's contact information, these tools can provide insights into a person's interests, professional background, criminal records, and public appearances. These platforms make it easy to find friends and family, professional contacts, public figures, and lost contacts.

Interesting Facts About Kansas