Ottawa County, Kansas
Located in Kansas, Ottawa County has a population of 5,819 residents and a median age of 42.4 years, making it the #2,825 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.4%. The median home value is $166,000, and the median household income is $74,018, which is 2% below the national median.
Demographics
Ottawa County has a population of 5,819, making it the #2,825 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.4 years, which is 9.0% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ottawa County is $74,018, ranking #910 out of 3,222 counties — 1.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 10.4% and unemployment stands at 2.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ottawa County is $166,000 (-41.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $809/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ottawa County, 27.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 17.7% below the national average, ranking #948 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ottawa County is 75.3 years. 15.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.0% of adults in Ottawa County smoke , 36.9% are obese , and 20.4% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 27.1 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
11.3% of children in Ottawa County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 9.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ottawa County is 71.7%. The mean commute time is 24.8 min, which is 10.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ottawa County voted Republican with a margin of 66.5%. The vote was 15.9% Dem / 82.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ottawa County, Kansas
Ottawa County, Kansas has a total population of 5,819, making it the 2,825th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ottawa County is 42.4 years, which is 9.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ottawa County is $74,018, which ranks #910 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 1.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.4%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.9%.
The median home value in Ottawa County is $166,000, 41.1% below the national median. Renters in Ottawa County pay a median gross rent of $809 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ottawa County, 27.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 17.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.8 min.
Ottawa County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.9% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
All data for Ottawa County, Kansas comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.