Population 71,946 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Riley County
Household size in Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Riley County are small: just 2.32 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 dropped from 2.52, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.8 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.9 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.7 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.7, Riley 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. The median age has climbed from 28.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Kansas county is 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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Riley County (9.1%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, 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 Riley County
Renters in Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.3% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.7% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 53.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Riley County: 53.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 52.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other Kansas county has 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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Riley County is close to the national rate: 9.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Riley County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five 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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Riley County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast. Only one other Kansas county has 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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $816 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $963 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $980 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,125 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$309 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Riley County costs $1,125 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $309 a month since 2006–10, up 38%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Riley County
Bachelor's degrees in Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.8% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.9% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Riley County: 46.9% 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. The share with a degree has risen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only two of Kansas' 105 counties have 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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.9% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Riley County: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Kansas county has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Riley County
| Period | Riley County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Riley County than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, 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).
Riley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley County | 2.32 | 30.7 | 9.1% | 53.9% | 9.5% | 1987 | $1,125 | 46.9% | 96.7% | 4.6% |
| Geary County | 2.68 | 28.5 | 15.8% | 56.5% | 10.4% | 1987 | $1,210 | 26.6% | 93.5% | 8.4% |
| Pottawatomie County | 2.77 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 17.8% | 8.5% | 1984 | $1,157 | 39.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Shawnee County | 2.36 | 40.6 | 12.1% | 33.2% | 8.2% | 1972 | $1,100 | 31.1% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| Ottawa County | 2.37 | 42.5 | 9.5% | 22.8% | 12.0% | 1970 | $818 | 28.0% | 94.9% | 3.0% |
| Jefferson County | 2.46 | 44.0 | 5.5% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 1979 | $946 | 24.5% | 94.2% | 2.5% |
| Lincoln County | 2.25 | 44.5 | 7.0% | 19.6% | 22.7% | 1941 | $634 | 26.2% | 96.7% | 2.5% |
| Leavenworth County | 2.72 | 39.5 | 9.5% | 30.7% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,375 | 37.5% | 94.3% | 4.4% |
| Wyandotte County | 2.83 | 35.5 | 16.4% | 38.0% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,241 | 21.3% | 81.3% | 5.8% |
| Platte County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 32.6% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,409 | 47.3% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Clay County | 2.59 | 38.7 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 6.1% | 1987 | $1,396 | 37.5% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wagoner County, OK · Chaves County, NM · Chelan County, WA · Cheshire County, NH · Clallam County, WA · Clearfield County, PA · Clinton County, MI · Clinton County, NY · Cole County, MO · Creek County, OK
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 Riley 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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