Kansas Population 2023

Although the last official Census was carried out in 2010, estimates are released every year and in 2015, it was estimated that the population of Kansas had reached 2,911,641. Kansas currently has a growth rate of 0.57% annually, which ranks 31st among all 50 states.

At the time of the 2010 Census, the survey revealed that there were 2,853,118 people living in Kansas, and that represented a rise of 6.1% on the 2000 figure of 2,688,418.

Kansas Population Density and Area

Situated in an almost central location in the United States, Kansas is the 15th largest state in the country with regards to pure surface area, but in terms of population, sparsely spread numbers mean that it is only the 33rd most populous US state. The population density statistics make for interesting reading. From an overall surface area of 82,277 square miles (213,096 square kilometers), there is an average of 34.9 people per square mile. That makes Kansas the 40th most densely populated state in the US -- so, overall, the state consists of lots of wide-open country.

The center of population is in Chase County, three miles north of Strong City, although the most populous city is Wichita, with a population of over 389,000, followed by Overland Park (186,515), Kansas City (151,306) and Topeka (127,265).

The rural population of Kansas continues to decline in a process known as rural flight. The past few decades have been marked by a migration from the countryside to the cities. Kansas now has more than 6,000 ghost towns and dwindling communities, while communities in Johnson County (home to metropolitan Kansas City) are some of the fastest-growing in the United States.

Kansas Gender and Religion Statistics

In terms of age, the Kansas population is very in line with the United States as a whole. The population under the age of 18 is estimated at around 25%, while the percentage of persons 65 years and over is currently 14.6%. This means that, like much of the country, Kansas will be dealing with an aging population in the coming years. The median age in Kansas is approximately 36.2 years of age, with a slight gender gap in the population with 50.3% females and 49.7% males.

In terms of religious preferences, Kansas is seen to be 76% inclined toward Christian based faiths, 4% non-Christian based faiths, and 20% unaffiliated with any religion.

Kansas Boundary, Census, and Statehood History

Most of present-day Kansas was included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, forming part of Louisiana and then Missouri Territory. Kansas Territory was organized in 1854, and included part of present-day Colorado. Kansas was admitted as a State on January 29, 1861 with essentially its present boundaries. Census coverage of Kansas began in 1860 and included the whole State by 1880. The 1860 census reported Kansas and Colorado Territory in terms of their 1861 boundaries.

Kansas Population History

Early population records are openly available from 1860 when it was confirmed that 107,206 people resided in the state. It’s fair to assume that growth prior to 1860 had been healthy and just ten years later, the 1870 Census showed a leap in the Kansas population of 239.9% to 364,399.

Further significant growth throughout the rest of the 19th century took those figures to just under 1.5 million, and while steady increases have generally been recorded ever since, they have slowed down from Kansas' early growth spurt.

Kansas Population Growth

For most of the 20th century, Kansas has enjoyed healthy population growth even if the percentage rises haven’t been as high as some areas in the country. In 2007, natural growth figures were released and they showed that in the seven years from the previous Census of 2000, there had been an increase of 93,899 people. This figure was calculated by taking a total of 246,484 births minus 152,585 deaths and a fall due to net migration of 20,742 people.

Kansas Population Projections

Estimates show that the Kansas population in 2016 had exceeded 2.9 million. The total population in the state has grown by 6% during the last decade, with most of this increase occurring in Johnson County and counties around Wichita, Kansas State University and Fort Riley.

According to some sociologists, though, this growth is not necessarily a good thing as Kansas will continue to see an increase in its aging population and greater loss in rural areas. Unlike many fast-growing states with a lot of uncertainty, Kansas' population trends are generally stable and easy to predict. While the population of Kansas will continue to rise, it is still not keeping pace with the United States as a whole, or many other states in the country.

Based on growth over the last decade, it's projected that the Kansas population will surpass 3 million by 2025.

At the birth of Kansas, the state was home to one of the most wide and diverse set of Native American tribes. In fact, the name Kansas derives from the Kansa tribe who originally lived in the area. Their numbers have heavily declined, though, and today nearly 87% of Kansas residents classify themselves as white, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native populations were recorded at just 1.2%.

11.6% of the total population of Kansas is of Hispanic or Latino origin of any race. People of Mexican descent live primarily in southwest Kansas and account for up to half of the population in some counties. Many of the African Americans in the state are descended from Exodusters, who were newly freed blacks who left the South for Kansas after the Civil War.

• Kansas was named after the Kansa Indian tribe, who settled the land approximately 12,000 years ago.
• Dodge City is the windiest city in the US, with average wind speeds of 14 miles-per-hour. This is ironic since Chicago -- known as The Windy City -- has average wind speeds of just 10 miles-per-hour.
• There are over 600 incorporated towns located in Kansas.
• The geographical center of the contiguous states is located in Smith County.
• Kansas gained its nickname "Bleeding Kansas" following fights between residents over whether or not to abolish slavery.
• Kansas is the country's leader in wheat production.