Population 719,976 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jackson County
Household size in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.57 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.52 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.55 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Jackson County run small, averaging 2.42 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.49 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 37.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 37.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.4 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Jackson County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.5, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 37.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 11.9% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Jackson County than nationally: 12.8%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points, as it has nationally. Jackson County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Missouri counties.
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 Jackson County
Renters in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8% | 31.2% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.8% | 33.7% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.8% | 34.9% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.9% | 34.2% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Jackson County than nationally: 40.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 40.2% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 4.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Missouri's 115 counties, only four have a higher share of renters.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 9.7% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 9.0% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 7.5% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Jackson County as nationally: 9.1%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Kansas City area as a whole (7.5%). Vacancy is down 3.7 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1977 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Jackson County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing. Jackson County has older homes than at least four in five Missouri 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $823 | $897 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $895 | $980 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,019 | $1,095 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,337 | $1,395 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$514 | +$498 | +$383 | +$606 |
Rent in Jackson County runs $1,337 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $514 a month from 2006–10, a 62% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 31.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable 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 Jackson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 33.5% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.7% | 34.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 37.1% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 39.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Jackson County as nationally: 33.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Kansas City area overall (39.7%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.0 points, as it has nationally. Few Missouri counties have a higher share of college graduates: only eight of 115.
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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 90.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.5% | 90.9% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 91.8% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.3% | 92.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Jackson County have finished high school (91.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Locally, though, the rate is lower than in the Kansas City area as a whole (92.9%). The share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points since 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 Jackson County
| Period | Jackson County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 6.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −2.9 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jackson County runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.4 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).
Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 2.42 | 38.5 | 12.8% | 40.9% | 9.1% | 1971 | $1,337 | 33.3% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Wyandotte County | 2.83 | 35.5 | 16.4% | 38.0% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,241 | 21.3% | 81.3% | 5.8% |
| Johnson County | 2.57 | 39.9 | 7.6% | 31.5% | 5.2% | 1988 | $1,613 | 57.6% | 96.5% | 3.1% |
| Lafayette County | 2.62 | 41.8 | 8.4% | 24.3% | 11.2% | 1977 | $969 | 26.6% | 92.4% | 3.2% |
| Douglas County | 2.26 | 35.2 | 7.6% | 49.9% | 8.6% | 1983 | $1,161 | 51.9% | 95.8% | 4.5% |
| Saline County | 2.69 | 35.7 | 10.6% | 30.2% | 18.0% | 1969 | $818 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 3.2% |
| Shawnee County | 2.36 | 40.6 | 12.1% | 33.2% | 8.2% | 1972 | $1,100 | 31.1% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| Cooper County | 2.50 | 41.6 | 10.0% | 24.3% | 14.3% | 1973 | $783 | 24.8% | 90.6% | 4.2% |
| Wabaunsee County | 2.62 | 43.9 | 5.8% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 1962 | $917 | 26.2% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
| Howard County | 2.62 | 39.0 | 9.2% | 21.3% | 18.1% | 1974 | $816 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Boone County | 2.39 | 35.5 | 9.4% | 42.3% | 6.9% | 1991 | $1,131 | 52.0% | 95.0% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lee County, FL · Will County, IL · Utah County, UT · Tulsa County, OK · Suffolk County, MA · San Mateo County, CA · San Joaquin County, CA · Providence County, RI · Monmouth County, NJ · Arapahoe County, CO
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 Jackson 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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