Population 6,144 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pawnee County
Household size in Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.96 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.24 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.28 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Pawnee County are small: just 2.24 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 1.96 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.7 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.9, Pawnee County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.7, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Pawnee County than nationally: 10.5%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Kansas. The single-parent share is up 0.7 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 Pawnee County
Renters in Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.3% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.8% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Pawnee County rent their homes (33.8%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 57.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.5% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.7% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Pawnee County: 28.7% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 13.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +5 | +6 |
Pawnee County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1954, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $491 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $445 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $574 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $854 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$364 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pawnee County costs $854 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $364 a month from 2006–10, a 74% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Pawnee County
Bachelor's degrees in Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Pawnee County: 20.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Pawnee County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Kansas counties.
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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Pawnee County is the same as the national rate: 89.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent. The rate is lower than in Kansas as a whole (91.7%). The share with a diploma has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Pawnee County
| Period | Pawnee County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.3% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.1% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Pawnee County has been low: just 1.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.5 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Pawnee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawnee County | 2.24 | 46.9 | 10.5% | 33.8% | 28.7% | 1954 | $854 | 20.5% | 89.3% | 1.1% |
| Stafford County | 2.44 | 41.5 | 9.9% | 17.7% | 24.0% | 1951 | $671 | 26.5% | 92.7% | 2.8% |
| Hodgeman County | 2.38 | 49.0 | 7.5% | 20.9% | 15.5% | 1957 | $937 | 30.2% | 95.5% | 0.6% |
| Reno County | 2.32 | 41.9 | 12.1% | 30.8% | 10.9% | 1963 | $931 | 20.7% | 90.7% | 3.8% |
| Harvey County | 2.42 | 41.1 | 9.3% | 30.2% | 8.3% | 1970 | $936 | 30.5% | 92.7% | 4.6% |
| Coffey County | 2.33 | 43.7 | 10.4% | 24.1% | 10.9% | 1969 | $822 | 19.9% | 92.4% | 6.3% |
| Prowers County | 2.51 | 37.4 | 11.5% | 32.9% | 14.5% | 1968 | $865 | 19.2% | 86.8% | 5.0% |
| Anderson County | 2.46 | 41.9 | 9.9% | 21.1% | 10.7% | 1963 | $862 | 13.3% | 89.2% | 4.5% |
| Bent County | 2.28 | 42.7 | 14.6% | 34.8% | 12.8% | 1963 | $1,203 | 16.0% | 83.6% | 6.0% |
| Linn County | 2.29 | 44.8 | 7.5% | 18.9% | 16.0% | 1981 | $739 | 22.9% | 94.5% | 4.2% |
| Otero County | 2.47 | 41.0 | 12.9% | 31.1% | 14.6% | 1959 | $862 | 20.0% | 88.8% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Potter County, SD · Lafayette County, FL · Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK · Lake County, CO · Lake County, OR · Lake County, TN · Lake of the Woods County, MN · LaMoure County, ND · Lander County, NV · Lane County, KS
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 Pawnee 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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