Population 34,411 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cowley County
Household size in Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cowley County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.52 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cowley County are younger than 39.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 38.8 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the south.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Cowley County (12.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Kansas overall (10.5%). The single-parent share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Cowley County
Renters in Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.8% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.6% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Cowley County is about as common as it is nationally: 31.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. About half of owners (48.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.3% of the housing in Cowley County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Cowley County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $577 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $640 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $725 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $905 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$328 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cowley County costs $905 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $328 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Cowley County
Bachelor's degrees in Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Cowley County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.1%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cowley County is close to the national rate: 90.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Cowley County
| Period | Cowley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cowley County runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Cowley County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowley County | 2.44 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 31.9% | 14.3% | 1964 | $905 | 24.1% | 90.6% | 4.3% |
| Chautauqua County | 2.42 | 45.1 | 10.9% | 18.0% | 29.1% | 1964 | $780 | 18.2% | 90.1% | 3.2% |
| Harper County | 2.37 | 40.8 | 8.3% | 24.9% | 24.3% | 1956 | $743 | 23.4% | 91.0% | 1.9% |
| Montgomery County | 2.40 | 41.3 | 11.1% | 27.1% | 16.3% | 1960 | $776 | 22.1% | 90.7% | 4.2% |
| Barber County | 2.21 | 40.0 | 4.9% | 19.0% | 24.3% | 1955 | $700 | 27.0% | 95.9% | 1.4% |
| Labette County | 2.44 | 42.2 | 11.5% | 26.0% | 14.0% | 1961 | $762 | 20.3% | 89.9% | 3.3% |
| Cherokee County | 2.45 | 42.7 | 9.2% | 24.5% | 13.3% | 1966 | $869 | 19.4% | 89.6% | 3.0% |
| Comanche County | 2.07 | 50.1 | 7.9% | 26.6% | 18.8% | 1948 | $613 | 20.5% | 96.1% | 1.7% |
| Jasper County | 2.52 | 37.8 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 10.2% | 1985 | $993 | 25.4% | 89.0% | 3.5% |
| Clark County | 2.45 | 42.1 | 8.4% | 26.4% | 23.8% | 1947 | $785 | 31.1% | 91.7% | 2.9% |
| Lawrence County | 2.70 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 26.1% | 11.7% | 1980 | $855 | 16.9% | 87.4% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Dickinson County, MI · Clay County, IN · Cleburne County, AR · Clinton County, IN · Clinton County, OH · Coamo Municipio, PR · Coffee County, GA · Coos County, NH · Union County, OR · Coshocton County, OH
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 Cowley County. 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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