Population 4,813 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rooks County
Household size in Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.14 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.16 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.23 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.17 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rooks County are small: just 2.17 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. Rooks County has smaller households than at least four in five Kansas counties.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.0 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.1 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.5 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.5, Rooks County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Rooks County is older than the great majority of Kansas counties.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Rooks County: 7.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Rooks County has a lower share of single-parent households than most Kansas 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 Rooks County
Renters in Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Rooks County own their homes; 25.7% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly six in ten owners (58.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.3 points, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 18.5% of the housing in Rooks County, 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.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Rooks County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Rooks County has older homes than the great majority of Kansas 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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $469 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $485 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $548 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $670 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$201 | +$390 | +$606 |
Rent in Rooks County runs $670 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 18.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rooks County has lower rents than the great majority of Kansas counties.
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 Rooks County
Bachelor's degrees in Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.2% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.7% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Rooks County: 23.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.4% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.7% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rooks County: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Compared with other Kansas counties, Rooks County has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
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 Rooks County
| Period | Rooks County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Rooks County has been strong: just 2.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Rooks 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooks County | 2.17 | 45.5 | 7.6% | 25.7% | 18.5% | 1952 | $670 | 23.7% | 94.3% | 2.1% |
| Graham County | 1.96 | 50.3 | 12.5% | 21.2% | 17.4% | 1957 | $767 | 28.5% | 95.0% | 4.2% |
| Osborne County | 2.11 | 45.9 | 9.9% | 22.8% | 21.9% | 1951 | $648 | 24.1% | 93.8% | 1.6% |
| Sheridan County | 2.44 | 42.0 | 3.7% | 23.2% | 14.7% | 1968 | $715 | 24.9% | 95.9% | 0.7% |
| Mitchell County | 2.12 | 45.1 | 6.8% | 31.0% | 13.0% | 1956 | $616 | 26.7% | 93.7% | 0.1% |
| Thomas County | 2.49 | 35.5 | 8.9% | 24.8% | 11.0% | 1966 | $773 | 38.0% | 96.6% | 0.7% |
| Clay County | 2.24 | 42.6 | 12.8% | 22.0% | 10.8% | 1962 | $1,011 | 25.9% | 93.4% | 1.2% |
| Sherman County | 2.27 | 38.9 | 12.1% | 34.5% | 19.1% | 1963 | $977 | 21.8% | 91.2% | 0.5% |
| Pottawatomie County | 2.77 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 17.8% | 8.5% | 1984 | $1,157 | 39.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Kit Carson County | 2.39 | 39.5 | 6.3% | 27.4% | 15.3% | 1967 | $1,129 | 21.1% | 91.1% | 2.8% |
| Jackson County | 2.67 | 42.3 | 5.2% | 22.9% | 11.7% | 1975 | $865 | 22.7% | 93.5% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pend Oreille County, WA · Marion County, GA · Marion County, KS · Marion County, TX · Marshall County, IL · Marshall County, KS · Marshall County, MN · Marshall County, SD · Martin County, IN · Martin County, KY
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 Rooks 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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