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Kansas: Geographical, Population & City Data

What Is the Population Growth in Kansas?

Kansas is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, with a population growth rate of almost 2 percent between 2015 and 2016.1,2 The state’s population is now more than 2.9 million, and it’s projected to reach 3.2 million by 20301.What’s driving the population growth in Kansas? A strong economy is one factor. The state’s unemployment rate is currently just 3.8 percent, and it has one of the fastest-growing economies in the country.3,4

Another factor is Kansas’s location. The state is situated in the middle of the country, making it an attractive place to live for people who want to be close to both coasts. And it’s a great place to raise a family – the cost of living is relatively low, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, and the schools are good.

If you’re thinking of moving to Kansas, or if you’re already a resident, here are some things you need to know about the state’s population growth:

The population is growing fastest in the western and central parts of the state.

The largest city in Kansas is Wichita, with a population of more than 382,000.2 Other major cities include Overland Park, Kansas City, and Topeka.

The population is becoming more diverse. In 1990, non-Hispanic whites made up almost 91 percent of the state’s population.2 By 2016, that figure had dropped to 78 percent.3

The state’s population growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. In fact, the population is projected to reach 3.5 million by 2040.1

If you’re interested in learning more about Kansas’s population growth, the Kansas Department of Commerce has some great resources on its website.5

What Languages Do Kansas Residents Speak?

Kansas is known as the Heart of America, and with good reason. This Midwestern state is home to a diverse population that speaks a variety of languages. Here is a look at the languages spoken by Kansas residents.According to the 2016 American Community Survey, more than 100 languages are spoken in Kansas. The most commonly spoken language is English, followed by Spanish, German, and Vietnamese.

Spanish is the second most common language in Kansas, with over 105,000 speakers. The majority of Spanish speakers in Kansas are concentrated in the Wichita and Kansas City metropolitan areas.

German is the third most common language in Kansas, with over 55,000 speakers. The majority of German speakers in Kansas live in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Vietnamese is the fourth most common language in Kansas, with over 30,000 speakers. The majority of Vietnamese speakers in Kansas live in the Wichita metropolitan area.

There are also a number of other languages spoken in Kansas, including French, Arabic, Korean, and Russian.

Kansas is a melting pot of cultures and languages, and the diversity of its residents is reflected in the variety of languages spoken here. Whether you’re a Kansas resident or just visiting, be sure to take the time to learn a little bit of the local language. You may be surprised at how many there are!

What Is the Educational Attainment in Kansas?

Kansas is known for its Midwestern hospitality. But what about its education system? How does it compare to the rest of the country?The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects data on education attainment in the United States. This data includes the percentage of people who have earned a high school diploma, a bachelor's degree, and a graduate or professional degree.

Let's take a look at the educational attainment in Kansas. As of 2016, 87 percent of Kansans had earned a high school diploma. This is slightly above the national average of 85 percent.

In terms of bachelor's degrees, 27 percent of Kansans had earned one as of 2016. This is below the national average of 31 percent. However, Kansas does outperform the rest of the country when it comes to graduate and professional degrees. As of 2016, 11 percent of Kansans had earned a graduate or professional degree. This is significantly higher than the national average of 7 percent.

So, what is the reason for Kansas's high rate of graduate and professional degrees? One possible explanation is the presence of major universities in the state. The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University are all ranked in the top 100 universities in the country.

Thanks to these universities, Kansas has a well-educated population. In fact, the state is home to more than 130,000 graduates with a graduate or professional degree.

So, what does the future hold for Kansas? With a well-educated population and a strong economy, the future looks bright for the Sunflower State.

Other cities in Kansas

RankName
2022 Pop.
2020 CensusChange(since 2020)Density(mi)Area(mi)
1Wichita4005643975320.76%2477.79161.66
2Overland Park2020121972382.42%2687.0575.18
3Kansas City1587711566071.38%1272.06124.81
4Olathe1443741412902.18%2342.1661.64
5Topeka126409126587-0.14%2057.3761.44
6Lawrence96392949341.54%2823.3734.14
7Shawnee68331673111.52%1627.9341.97
8Lenexa59282574343.22%1740.0634.07
9Manhattan54464541000.67%2743.8719.85
10Salina4672546889-0.35%1815.5025.74
11Hutchinson3959240006-1.03%1610.7924.58
12Leavenworth37771373511.12%1558.0424.24
13Leawood34310339021.2%2271.3015.11
14Garden City28449281511.06%2637.7910.79
15Dodge City27878277880.32%1911.9214.58
16Derby26319256252.71%2565.7510.26
17Gardner24119232873.57%2344.4210.29
18Emporia2398324139-0.65%2001.7611.98
19Prairie Village23259229571.32%3745.116.21
20Junction City2284822932-0.37%2057.1211.11
21Hays21238211160.58%2532.598.39
22Pittsburg20728206460.4%1586.9713.06
23Liberal1968519825-0.71%1721.4011.44
24Newton1849618602-0.57%1275.0914.51
25Andover15512148924.16%1535.6510.10
26Great Bend1448114733-1.71%1379.3810.50
27El Dorado1284012870-0.23%1401.759.16
28Ottawa1262112625-0.03%1278.719.87
29Arkansas City1188611974-0.73%1274.889.32
30Winfield1167311777-0.88%1047.4111.14
31Haysville11350112620.78%2442.464.65
32Lansing1123311239-0.05%912.6712.31
33Atchison1085710885-0.26%1354.978.01
34Mission1008099541.27%3775.482.67
35Fort Riley952492303.19%1867.635.10
36Parsons94209600-1.87%888.2110.61
37Augusta92529256-0.04%2189.054.23
38Chanute86428722-0.92%1217.387.10
39Coffeyville85328826-3.33%901.839.46
40Spring Hill845679526.34%967.588.74
41Independence83608548-2.2%1090.607.67
42Wellington76237715-1.19%1041.387.32
43Fort Scott74447552-1.43%1344.175.54
44Valley Center744473401.42%1048.167.10
45Basehor735268966.61%1029.167.14
46Pratt65576603-0.7%850.227.71
47Eudora646264080.84%2192.662.95
48Abilene63846460-1.18%1340.974.76
49Mulvane632262860.57%1417.774.46
50Maize619957358.09%643.769.63
51De Soto619861181.31%555.7011.15
52Paola580257680.59%1133.705.12
53Ulysses57145788-1.28%1795.203.18
54Tonganoxie568955732.08%1538.203.70
55Colby560655700.65%1512.173.71
56Iola53345396-1.15%1192.494.47
57Goddard523250842.91%1067.224.90
58Louisburg509949692.62%1045.364.88
59Concordia50555111-1.1%1123.454.50
60Wamego493548411.94%2089.622.36
61Baldwin City488848261.28%1829.562.67
62Edwardsville479347171.61%530.339.04
63Goodland44614465-0.09%991.314.50
64Russell43814401-0.45%909.674.82
65Rose Hill423541851.19%1877.452.26
66Osawatomie42174255-0.89%801.285.26
67Scott City417341131.46%1570.722.66
68Clay Center41714199-0.67%1310.743.18
69Lindsborg384037761.69%2111.001.82
70Hugoton37153747-0.85%1785.282.08
71Larned37133769-1.49%1540.782.41
72Lyons35853611-0.72%1386.752.59
73Marysville347734470.87%759.394.58
74Hesston34653505-1.14%959.213.61
75Holton341534010.41%1276.172.68
76Frontenac33703382-0.35%679.354.96
77Beloit33183404-2.53%847.183.92
78Hiawatha330232800.67%1272.642.59
79Garnett32083242-1.05%1040.843.08
80Kingman30913105-0.45%892.963.46
81Ellsworth30563066-0.33%1284.592.38
82Columbus28532929-2.59%1192.112.39
83Osage City28452861-0.56%903.563.15
84Norton27112747-1.31%1420.571.91
85Hoisington26972699-0.07%2325.341.16
86Galena26972761-2.32%587.624.59
87Clearwater268726531.28%1386.881.94
88Hillsboro26802732-1.9%1097.252.44
89Burlington26262634-0.3%1191.942.20
90Sabetha25392545-0.24%796.853.19
91Girard24382496-2.32%1044.302.33
92Phillipsburg22892337-2.05%1349.961.70
93Kechi227922172.8%378.576.02
94Holcomb227522451.34%1839.761.24
95Eureka22722332-2.57%992.172.29
96Neodesha22332275-1.85%1604.261.39
97Sterling22322248-0.71%1246.141.79
98Lakin22032205-0.09%2328.900.95
99Cheney219921810.83%948.622.32
100Halstead219721790.83%1610.581.36