Population 2,726 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Decatur County
Household size in Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.92 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.98 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.94 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.02 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Decatur County are small: just 2.02 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 climbed from 1.92 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Few Kansas counties have smaller households: only two of 105.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.7 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.5 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.4 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.6 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.4, Decatur County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Of Kansas' 105 counties, only eight 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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Decatur County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Kansas counties, Decatur County has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Decatur County
Renters in Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.3% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.3% of households in Decatur County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 68.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.4% of the housing in Decatur 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.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Decatur County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Decatur County has older homes than at least four in five Kansas counties.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $445 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $520 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $662 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $668 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$223 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Decatur County costs $668 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 21.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Decatur County has lower rents than the great majority of Kansas counties.
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 Decatur County
Bachelor's degrees in Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Decatur County (26.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Compared with other Kansas counties, though, Decatur County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Decatur County is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Decatur County has a higher share of high school graduates than most Kansas counties.
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 Decatur County
| Period | Decatur County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.7% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Decatur County than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Kansas as a whole looks much the same. 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).
Decatur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County | 2.02 | 48.4 | 7.4% | 22.3% | 16.4% | 1952 | $668 | 26.3% | 94.2% | 4.0% |
| Rawlins County | 2.12 | 46.2 | 10.3% | 29.3% | 14.2% | 1955 | $827 | 20.0% | 95.1% | 1.2% |
| Norton County | 2.12 | 41.6 | 8.7% | 23.8% | 17.2% | 1953 | $721 | 22.4% | 95.2% | 1.9% |
| Phillips County | 2.11 | 46.4 | 9.7% | 22.0% | 18.2% | 1959 | $704 | 22.7% | 94.0% | 3.6% |
| Cheyenne County | 2.18 | 46.1 | 6.2% | 22.1% | 16.8% | 1951 | $664 | 22.2% | 88.7% | 2.4% |
| Smith County | 2.23 | 48.6 | 4.3% | 15.2% | 20.7% | 1950 | $631 | 25.5% | 95.6% | 0.7% |
| Jewell County | 2.20 | 49.1 | 4.4% | 25.9% | 25.0% | 1945 | $615 | 18.2% | 94.0% | 1.2% |
| Republic County | 2.36 | 44.5 | 3.8% | 21.8% | 23.6% | 1946 | $715 | 22.5% | 94.3% | 1.9% |
| Washington County | 2.29 | 42.9 | 6.1% | 21.5% | 11.5% | 1953 | $581 | 25.5% | 94.9% | 1.2% |
| Marshall County | 2.34 | 44.4 | 6.9% | 20.0% | 12.0% | 1959 | $698 | 18.6% | 92.6% | 1.9% |
| Adams County | 2.92 | 35.4 | 12.3% | 31.4% | 4.6% | 1990 | $2,089 | 29.4% | 85.4% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Norton City, VA · Lemhi County, ID · Leslie County, KY · Lewis County, ID · Lewis County, MO · Lewis County, TN · Madison County, MO · Ness County, KS · Nome Census Area, AK · North Slope Borough, AK
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 Decatur 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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