Population 21,486 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Seward County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Seward County
Household size in Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.97 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.11 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.95 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.96 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Seward County are large by national standards, averaging 2.96 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Few Kansas counties have larger households: only two of 105.
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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.1 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.9 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.0 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
Seward County is young: half of its residents are under 34.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 30.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Kansas counties are younger: only four of 105.
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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in Seward County (19.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other Kansas county has a higher 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 Seward County
Renters in Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.3% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Seward County than nationally: 38.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Nearly six in ten owners (57.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Kansas counties have a higher share of renters: only five of 105.
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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Seward County: 13.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 4.8 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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Seward County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the southwest 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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $631 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $679 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $809 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $928 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$297 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Seward County costs $928 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $297 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 22.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the south.
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 Seward County
Bachelor's degrees in Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Seward County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 11.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. No other Kansas county has a lower 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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.1% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 65.8% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 66.5% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 68.5% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over three in ten adults in Seward County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 68.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Seward County has the lowest share of high school graduates of any Kansas county.
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 Seward County
| Period | Seward County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Seward County is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Kansas as a whole (4.0%). Unemployment is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Seward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County | 2.96 | 34.0 | 19.2% | 38.2% | 13.4% | 1975 | $928 | 11.3% | 68.5% | 5.2% |
| Stevens County | 2.79 | 39.2 | 15.7% | 25.5% | 16.6% | 1974 | $946 | 22.4% | 76.2% | 3.7% |
| Morton County | 2.61 | 47.9 | 10.9% | 14.6% | 25.0% | 1967 | $628 | 16.3% | 80.9% | 0.9% |
| Las Animas County | 2.11 | 47.2 | 9.6% | 31.4% | 18.7% | 1969 | $991 | 20.4% | 90.6% | 5.3% |
| Cowley County | 2.44 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 31.9% | 14.3% | 1964 | $905 | 24.1% | 90.6% | 4.3% |
| Chautauqua County | 2.42 | 45.1 | 10.9% | 18.0% | 29.1% | 1964 | $780 | 18.2% | 90.1% | 3.2% |
| Conejos County | 2.41 | 40.3 | 7.5% | 23.5% | 17.1% | 1981 | $781 | 26.6% | 91.1% | 4.0% |
| Montgomery County | 2.40 | 41.3 | 11.1% | 27.1% | 16.3% | 1960 | $776 | 22.1% | 90.7% | 4.2% |
| Cherokee County | 2.45 | 42.7 | 9.2% | 24.5% | 13.3% | 1966 | $869 | 19.4% | 89.6% | 3.0% |
| Jasper County | 2.52 | 37.8 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 10.2% | 1985 | $993 | 25.4% | 89.0% | 3.5% |
| Newton County | 2.71 | 40.1 | 11.4% | 23.4% | 11.3% | 1984 | $811 | 22.6% | 88.8% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Winston County, AL · Grundy County, IA · Grundy County, TN · Guanica Municipio, PR · Guayanilla Municipio, PR · Gulf County, FL · Gunnison County, CO · Hale County, AL · Hamilton County, FL · Grimes County, TX
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 Seward 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.