Population 8,069 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Abilene
Household size in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.13 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.52 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Abilene are small: just 2.13 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.65 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 71 Kansas cities with 5,000+ people, only two have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.3, Abilene is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 41.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only five of the 71 Kansas cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Abilene than nationally: 9.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Abilene
Renters in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.4% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.3% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.1% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.1% of households in Abilene rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 52.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Abilene than nationally: 8.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 9.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1951 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +5 | +6 |
Abilene is a place of older homes: half were built before 1951, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Only one other Kansas city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $560 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $541 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $713 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $928 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$368 | +$390 | +$606 |
The median renter in Abilene pays $928 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $368 a month from 2006–10, a 66% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 29.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Abilene
Bachelor's degrees in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.2% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.8% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.8% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Abilene: 25.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Abilene: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Abilene
| Period | Abilene | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Abilene has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Abilene compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene | 2.13 | 44.3 | 9.2% | 23.1% | 8.0% | 1951 | $928 | 25.2% | 95.2% | 3.0% |
| Detroit | 2.36 | 47.0 | 4.6% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 1962 | $811 | 25.4% | 91.1% | 1.0% |
| Enterprise | 2.44 | 42.8 | 4.8% | 11.4% | 7.7% | 1948 | $681 | 17.4% | 94.7% | 1.5% |
| Talmage | 2.40 | 48.9 | 6.9% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1964 | $781 | 27.7% | 90.5% | 0.1% |
| Solomon | 2.40 | 42.8 | 8.3% | 17.6% | 8.9% | 1973 | $776 | 22.6% | 88.2% | 2.2% |
| Buckeye | 2.34 | 51.6 | 11.9% | 6.3% | 2.6% | 1963 | $725 | 20.8% | 90.8% | 0.4% |
| Holland | 2.32 | 45.2 | 11.5% | 18.4% | 6.8% | 1968 | $971 | 28.8% | 97.3% | 1.4% |
| Navarre | 2.61 | 39.4 | 8.9% | 15.9% | 11.8% | 1962 | $789 | 26.8% | 97.7% | 3.4% |
| Pearl | 2.85 | 34.3 | 7.5% | 13.9% | 14.8% | 1960 | $667 | 26.9% | 99.1% | 4.8% |
| Chapman | 2.66 | 37.9 | 9.1% | 22.8% | 7.3% | 1973 | $787 | 29.8% | 97.6% | 5.7% |
| Manchester | 2.31 | 53.1 | 14.6% | 7.6% | 1.6% | 1962 | $724 | 16.7% | 91.3% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Harold, FL · Mohave Valley, AZ · Rockport, MA · Calipatria, CA · Sitka, AK · Glennville, GA · Jersey Village, TX · Fort Irwin, CA · Wilton, CA · Vilonia, AR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Abilene. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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