Atchison County, Kansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 31st-largest in Kansas

The population of Atchison County, Kansas is 16,211 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 31st-largest county in Kansas. The median household income is $62,164, the median home value is $147,900, and the median age is 36.4.

The population of Atchison County has declined 3.6% since 2010 (16,855 → 16,249), a -0.26% annualized rate.

Atchison County within Kansas · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

16,211

Population

-0.26%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$62,164

Median Income

$147,900

Median Home Value

Atchison County covers 431 sq mi of land at 37.6 people per square mile.

About Atchison County, KS

Atchison County is a county in Kansas with a population of 16,211. It ranks #31 among counties in Kansas by population. The median age is 36.4, younger than the national median. The population is 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

The median household income in Atchison County is $62,164, below the US median of $74,580. 8.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $147,900, with monthly rent averaging $756. The homeownership rate of 73.4% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Atchison County reflects 22.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 7.3% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.6 minutes each way.

Atchison County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Atchison County had a population of 16,855 in 2010 and 16,249 in 2024, a -3.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 16,855 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.26%.

16,249

Population (2024)

16,855

Population (2010)

16,855

Peak (2010)

-0.26%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	16,855	-	-	estimate
2011	16,756	-99	-0.59%	estimate
2012	16,779	+23	+0.14%	estimate
2013	16,697	-82	-0.49%	estimate
2014	16,534	-163	-0.98%	estimate
2015	16,429	-105	-0.64%	estimate
2016	16,376	-53	-0.32%	estimate
2017	16,319	-57	-0.35%	estimate
2018	16,202	-117	-0.72%	estimate
2019	16,138	-64	-0.40%	estimate
2020	16,325	+187	+1.16%	estimate
2021	16,235	-90	-0.55%	estimate
2022	16,091	-144	-0.89%	estimate
2023	16,142	+51	+0.32%	estimate
2024	16,249	+107	+0.66%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	87.5%
Black or African American	4.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

36.4

Median Age

51.3%

Female

48.7%

Male

17.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.4%

5–9

6.3%

10–14

5.9%

15–19

11.7%

20–24

9.3%

25–34

10.1%

35–44

10.5%

45–54

10.3%

55–59

6.6%

60–64

6.3%

65–74

9.8%

75–84

5.8%

85+

2.0%

Children (under 15): 17.6% · Seniors (65+): 17.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$62,164$-10,475 vs state
Mean household income	$78,019
Per-capita income	$29,910
Poverty rate	8.4%+0.7% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.6%
Employment-to-population	60.2%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

27.4%

Education & health care

9.2%

Construction

8.0%

Manufacturing

7.7%

Public administration

6.3%

Finance & real estate

5.8%

Information

5.6%

Retail trade

4.6%

The largest employment sector in Atchison County is professional & business services, accounting for 27.4% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

5.9%

Carpool

78.0%

Public transit

7.3%

Work from home

21.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$147,900$-55,500 vs state

Median home value

$756

Median rent

73.4%

Homeownership rate

6,811

Total housing units

86.3%

Occupied

13.7%

Vacant

26.6%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

91.3%

With health insurance

91.8%

With broadband internet

31.3%

Foreign-born

6.3%

Veterans (18+)

14.9%

With a disability

96.5%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

94.3%

High School+

22.9%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Kansas

Wichita (396,488)Overland Park (197,199)Kansas City (154,776)Olathe (143,720)Topeka (126,103)Lawrence (95,459)Shawnee (68,175)Lenexa (57,986)Manhattan (53,951)Salina (46,432)All Kansas cities →

Other counties in Kansas

Johnson County (614,764)Sedgwick County (524,810)Shawnee County (178,315)Wyandotte County (167,277)Douglas County (119,547)Leavenworth County (82,493)Riley County (71,710)Butler County (67,916)Reno County (61,693)Saline County (53,801)All Kansas counties →

Part of Kansas

Kansas demographic profile All Kansas data →

Metro areas in Kansas

Kansas City (2,202,006)Wichita (648,935)Topeka (232,724)Joplin (202,258)Manhattan (133,413)St. Joseph (120,609)Lawrence (119,547)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Atchison County, Kansas has a population of 16,211 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 31st-largest county in Kansas. Population density is 38 people per square mile.

The population of Atchison County has declined 3.6% since 2010 (16,855 → 16,249), a -0.26% annualized rate.

The median household income in Atchison County, Kansas is $62,164, with mean (average) household income of $78,019 and per-capita income of $29,910. 8.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Atchison County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (87.5%), Black or African American (4.3%), Hispanic or Latino (1.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Atchison County, Kansas is 36.4 years. Residents are 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The median home value in Atchison County is $147,900 and median monthly rent is $756. 73.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 6,811 total housing units, 13.7% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Atchison County, Kansas is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 27.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

Wichita is among the largest cities associated with Atchison County, Kansas, with a population of 396,488.