Population 120,302 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Douglas County
Household size in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Douglas County is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.33 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.9 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.2 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.2, Douglas County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.9, as it has nationally. Only seven of Kansas' 105 counties are younger.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Douglas County: 7.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Douglas County
Renters in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.3% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.7% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Douglas County than nationally: 49.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Kansas counties have a higher share of renters: only two of 105.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Douglas County as nationally: 8.6%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Douglas County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Kansas counties.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Douglas County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Kansas overall, where the median home dates to 1976. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Of Kansas' 105 counties, only five have newer 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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $847 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $915 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $954 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,161 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$314 | +$390 | +$606 |
The median renter in Douglas County pays $1,161 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $314 a month since 2006–10, up 37%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Among Kansas' 105 counties, though, only five have higher rents.
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 Douglas County
Bachelor's degrees in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.8% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.2% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.1% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Douglas County: 51.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other Kansas county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.4% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Douglas County: 95.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Douglas County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five 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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Douglas County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Douglas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 2.26 | 35.2 | 7.6% | 49.9% | 8.6% | 1983 | $1,161 | 51.9% | 95.8% | 4.5% |
| Shawnee County | 2.36 | 40.6 | 12.1% | 33.2% | 8.2% | 1972 | $1,100 | 31.1% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| Johnson County | 2.57 | 39.9 | 7.6% | 31.5% | 5.2% | 1988 | $1,613 | 57.6% | 96.5% | 3.1% |
| Jackson County | 2.42 | 38.5 | 12.8% | 40.9% | 9.1% | 1971 | $1,337 | 33.3% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Wabaunsee County | 2.62 | 43.9 | 5.8% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 1962 | $917 | 26.2% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
| Lafayette County | 2.62 | 41.8 | 8.4% | 24.3% | 11.2% | 1977 | $969 | 26.6% | 92.4% | 3.2% |
| Geary County | 2.68 | 28.5 | 15.8% | 56.5% | 10.4% | 1987 | $1,210 | 26.6% | 93.5% | 8.4% |
| Dickinson County | 2.30 | 43.2 | 8.9% | 21.4% | 9.2% | 1956 | $849 | 24.3% | 94.1% | 2.7% |
| Saline County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 9.4% | 32.9% | 8.6% | 1967 | $1,034 | 28.9% | 93.3% | 4.6% |
| Ottawa County | 2.37 | 42.5 | 9.5% | 22.8% | 12.0% | 1970 | $818 | 28.0% | 94.9% | 3.0% |
| Cooper County | 2.50 | 41.6 | 10.0% | 24.3% | 14.3% | 1973 | $783 | 24.8% | 90.6% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Blair County, PA · Bonneville County, ID · Bossier Parish, LA · San Juan County, NM · Gregg County, TX · Hanover County, VA · Hardin County, KY · Henderson County, NC · Albemarle County, VA · Kennebec County, ME
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 Douglas 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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