Population 10,840 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merriam
Household size in Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.15 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.26 | 2.60 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.59 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.55 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Merriam are small: just 2.19 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. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.15, even as the national average fell. Of the 71 Kansas cities with 5,000+ people, only four 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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.5 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 38.8 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.3 | 39.2 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +1.7 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Merriam are younger than 41.3 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Kansas City area overall, where the median age is 39.2. The median age has climbed from 40.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 11.9% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 11.2% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 10.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Merriam, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only five of the 71 Kansas cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Merriam
Renters in Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0% | 31.2% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.9% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.1% | 34.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.0% | 34.2% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Merriam than nationally: 41.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 39.5% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is up 4.0 points from 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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 10.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 9.0% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 7.5% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.9% of homes in Merriam are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.3 points, in line with the national trend. Merriam has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Kansas cities.
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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1976 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1977 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1977 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1980 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Merriam run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $846 | $897 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $818 | $980 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $955 | $1,095 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,229 | $1,395 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$382 | +$498 | +$390 | +$606 |
The median renter in Merriam pays $1,229 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $382 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the west.
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 Merriam
Bachelor's degrees in Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 33.5% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.8% | 34.1% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 37.1% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.1% | 39.7% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Merriam (44.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.0 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the north.
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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 90.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 90.9% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 91.8% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 92.9% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Merriam: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.7 points, 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 Merriam
| Period | Merriam | Kansas City area | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.6% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Merriam is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the wider Kansas City area (4.0%). Unemployment is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Merriam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merriam | 2.19 | 41.3 | 5.7% | 41.0% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,229 | 44.1% | 95.6% | 4.8% |
| Mission | 2.06 | 37.7 | 9.2% | 52.4% | 6.1% | 1967 | $1,427 | 52.1% | 96.0% | 2.9% |
| Roeland Park | 2.04 | 37.4 | 6.8% | 29.2% | 4.5% | 1951 | $1,800 | 59.4% | 95.7% | 3.1% |
| Fairway | 2.48 | 39.3 | 2.6% | 9.5% | 5.2% | 1950 | $1,849 | 84.1% | 99.9% | 1.8% |
| Prairie Village | 2.32 | 43.5 | 6.0% | 22.9% | 4.0% | 1961 | $1,855 | 72.8% | 98.7% | 3.3% |
| Mission Hills | 2.95 | 47.5 | 6.8% | 0.1% | 6.5% | 1951 | $1,640 | 90.7% | 99.8% | 0.3% |
| Lake Quivira | 2.76 | 51.0 | 3.8% | 2.0% | 4.0% | 1989 | $1,373 | 72.5% | 98.2% | 3.4% |
| Shawnee | 2.67 | 40.2 | 7.4% | 26.3% | 4.9% | 1989 | $1,554 | 52.7% | 96.0% | 3.0% |
| Westwood | 2.25 | 37.9 | 5.7% | 19.2% | 4.0% | 1948 | $1,694 | 75.9% | 98.8% | 3.1% |
| Lenexa | 2.43 | 39.3 | 6.8% | 41.9% | 5.4% | 1994 | $1,700 | 58.1% | 97.1% | 2.8% |
| Kansas City | 2.84 | 35.2 | 17.0% | 39.1% | 11.1% | 1962 | $1,252 | 20.9% | 80.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Newaygo, MI · Munford, TN · Munhall, PA · Myrtle Grove, NC · Natrona Heights, PA · Navasota, TX · Nevada, MO · New Baltimore, VA · New Brighton, PA · New London, WI
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 Merriam. 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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