Shawnee County, Kansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 3rd-largest in Kansas

The population of Shawnee County, Kansas is 178,315 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 3rd-largest county in Kansas. The median household income is $66,043, the median home value is $170,400, and the median age is 39.6.

The population of Shawnee County has declined 0.2% since 2010 (178,365 → 177,942), a -0.02% annualized rate.

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

178,315

Population

-0.02%

Annual growth

328

People / sq mi

$66,043

Median Income

$170,400

Median Home Value

Shawnee County covers 544 sq mi of land at 327.8 people per square mile.

About Shawnee County, KS

Shawnee County is a county in Kansas with a population of 178,315. It ranks #3 among counties in Kansas by population. The median age is 39.6, in line with the national median. The population is 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

The median household income in Shawnee County is $66,043, below the US median of $74,580. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $170,400, with monthly rent averaging $970. The homeownership rate of 67.0% is close to the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Shawnee County reflects 32.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.1% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 17.8 minutes each way.

Shawnee County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Shawnee County had a population of 178,365 in 2010 and 177,942 in 2024, a -0.2% growth over 14 years. The peak was 179,013 in 2012. Average annual growth rate: -0.02%.

177,942

Population (2024)

178,365

Population (2010)

179,013

Peak (2012)

-0.02%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	178,365	-	-	estimate
2011	178,968	+603	+0.34%	estimate
2012	179,013	+45	+0.03%	estimate
2013	178,714	-299	-0.17%	estimate
2014	178,651	-63	-0.04%	estimate
2015	178,789	+138	+0.08%	estimate
2016	178,413	-376	-0.21%	estimate
2017	178,096	-317	-0.18%	estimate
2018	177,224	-872	-0.49%	estimate
2019	176,735	-489	-0.28%	estimate
2020	178,711	+1,976	+1.12%	estimate
2021	178,424	-287	-0.16%	estimate
2022	177,454	-970	-0.54%	estimate
2023	177,596	+142	+0.08%	estimate
2024	177,942	+346	+0.19%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	76.1%
Black or African American	7.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.8%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.6

Median Age

51.3%

Female

48.7%

Male

18.9%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.8%

5–9

6.5%

10–14

6.8%

15–19

6.8%

20–24

6.0%

25–34

12.0%

35–44

12.5%

45–54

11.4%

55–59

6.2%

60–64

7.1%

65–74

11.3%

75–84

5.3%

85+

2.3%

Children (under 15): 19.1% · Seniors (65+): 18.9%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$66,043$-6,596 vs state
Mean household income	$87,070
Per-capita income	$37,072
Poverty rate	8.8%+1.1% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.6%
Employment-to-population	59.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

25.8%

Manufacturing

9.7%

Public administration

9.4%

Finance & real estate

8.0%

Information

7.9%

Education & health care

7.7%

Construction

6.6%

Retail trade

6.5%

The largest employment sector in Shawnee County is professional & business services, accounting for 25.8% of workers.

How residents commute

0.6%

Drive alone

1.7%

Carpool

78.1%

Public transit

10.1%

Work from home

17.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$170,400$-33,000 vs state

Median home value

$970

Median rent

67.0%

Homeownership rate

80,884

Total housing units

92.1%

Occupied

7.9%

Vacant

33.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

91.7%

With health insurance

93.5%

With broadband internet

24.6%

Foreign-born

8.0%

Veterans (18+)

14.8%

With a disability

93.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

93.5%

High School+

32.3%

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)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)Crawford County (38,963)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

Shawnee County, Kansas has a population of 178,315 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 3rd-largest county in Kansas. Population density is 328 people per square mile.

The population of Shawnee County has declined 0.2% since 2010 (178,365 → 177,942), a -0.02% annualized rate.

The median household income in Shawnee County, Kansas is $66,043, with mean (average) household income of $87,070 and per-capita income of $37,072. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Shawnee County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (76.1%), Black or African American (7.6%), Hispanic or Latino (2.8%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Shawnee County, Kansas is 39.6 years. Residents are 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The median home value in Shawnee County is $170,400 and median monthly rent is $970. 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 80,884 total housing units, 7.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Shawnee County, Kansas is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 25.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

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