Ness County, Kansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 88th-largest in Kansas

The population of Ness County, Kansas is 2,659 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 88th-largest county in Kansas. The median household income is $66,107, the median home value is $85,400, and the median age is 46.1.

The population of Ness County has declined 15.7% since 2010 (3,103 → 2,617), a -1.21% annualized rate.

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

2,659

Population

-1.21%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$66,107

Median Income

$85,400

Median Home Value

Ness County covers 1,075 sq mi of land at 2.5 people per square mile.

About Ness County, KS

Ness County is a county in Kansas with a population of 2,659. It ranks #88 among counties in Kansas by population. The median age is 46.1, older than the national median. The population is 51.7% male and 48.3% female.

The median household income in Ness County is $66,107, below the US median of $74,580. 7.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $85,400, with monthly rent averaging $653. The homeownership rate of 79.3% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Ness County reflects 23.0% 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 16.0 minutes each way.

Ness County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Ness County had a population of 3,103 in 2010 and 2,617 in 2024, a -15.7% growth over 14 years. The peak was 3,118 in 2011. Average annual growth rate: -1.20%.

2,617

Population (2024)

3,103

Population (2010)

3,118

Peak (2011)

-1.20%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	3,103	-	-	estimate
2011	3,118	+15	+0.48%	estimate
2012	3,077	-41	-1.31%	estimate
2013	3,087	+10	+0.32%	estimate
2014	3,090	+3	+0.10%	estimate
2015	3,022	-68	-2.20%	estimate
2016	2,966	-56	-1.85%	estimate
2017	2,864	-102	-3.44%	estimate
2018	2,811	-53	-1.85%	estimate
2019	2,782	-29	-1.03%	estimate
2020	2,679	-103	-3.70%	estimate
2021	2,658	-21	-0.78%	estimate
2022	2,671	+13	+0.49%	estimate
2023	2,639	-32	-1.20%	estimate
2024	2,617	-22	-0.83%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	80.6%
Black or African American	0.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

46.1

Median Age

48.3%

Female

51.7%

Male

24.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

3.6%

5–9

5.5%

10–14

6.6%

15–19

6.2%

20–24

9.1%

25–34

9.8%

35–44

8.2%

45–54

9.6%

55–59

7.3%

60–64

9.5%

65–74

13.8%

75–84

7.5%

85+

3.3%

Children (under 15): 15.7% · Seniors (65+): 24.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$66,107$-6,532 vs state
Mean household income	$99,145
Per-capita income	$45,430
Poverty rate	7.5%-0.2% vs state
Unemployment rate	0.7%
Employment-to-population	65.1%

Top Industries by Employment

Agriculture

28.6%

Professional & business services

21.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

8.3%

Manufacturing

4.9%

Finance & real estate

4.9%

Public administration

4.8%

Retail trade

4.3%

Construction

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Ness County is agriculture, accounting for 28.6% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

5.2%

Carpool

73.4%

Public transit

7.3%

Work from home

16.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$85,400$-118,000 vs state

Median home value

$653

Median rent

79.3%

Homeownership rate

1,475

Total housing units

78.8%

Occupied

21.2%

Vacant

20.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

90.8%

With health insurance

91.5%

With broadband internet

15.9%

Foreign-born

6.6%

Veterans (18+)

13.7%

With a disability

85.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

91.5%

High School+

23.0%

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

Ness County, Kansas has a population of 2,659 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 88th-largest county in Kansas. Population density is 2 people per square mile.

The population of Ness County has declined 15.7% since 2010 (3,103 → 2,617), a -1.21% annualized rate.

The median household income in Ness County, Kansas is $66,107, with mean (average) household income of $99,145 and per-capita income of $45,430. 7.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Ness County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (80.6%), Hispanic or Latino (4.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Ness County, Kansas is 46.1 years. Residents are 48.3% female and 51.7% male.

The median home value in Ness County is $85,400 and median monthly rent is $653. 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 1,475 total housing units, 21.2% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Ness County, Kansas is agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining, employing 28.6% of workers. The unemployment rate is 0.7%.

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