City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Dodge City, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Dodge City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

27,652
Residents
$67,958
Median income
$122,800
Median home
$969
Median rent (state)

Dodge City - the verdict

Dodge City ranks in the 47th percentile for household income and the 51st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
51st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Dodge City, KS

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 27,652 residents in Dodge City, a small city within Kansas. Dodge City households earn a median of $67,958 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.0%. Home values in Dodge City run a median of $122,800, and the median resident age is 29.5 years. About 19.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 131 residential building permits were authorized in Dodge City (Building Boom), up 138% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Dodge City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1341.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Dodge City's yearly average temperature at 55.9°F with 22.0 inches of precipitation per year and 19.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: the state registers 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $969 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Kansas run around $217, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Dodge City workers runs 11.8 minutes, with 81.8% driving alone and 1.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 51.7 out of 100 (Low).

Population

27,652 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$67,958 /yr

Poverty 15.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Dodge City compare to other US cities?

Where Dodge City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 51% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kansas alone, Dodge City ranks #48 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Dodge City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

47thIncome percentile
51stSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 51st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Dodge City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Dodge City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 61 Avg. percentile National median
Dodge City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Dodge City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$122,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Dodge City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Dodge City, KS Dodge City, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dodge City, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Dodge City, KS median $67,958/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Dodge City, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Dodge City, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
27,652
Median Income
$67,958
Median Home Value
$122,800
Median Age
29.5
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Labor force participation
68.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1341.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
251.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1089.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.9°F
Annual Precipitation
22.0"
Annual Snowfall
19.1"

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
27,400 residents27,600 residents27,800 residents28,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 27,735 residents 27,653 residents ▼ -0.3%
Dodge City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
131
housing units authorized
Single-Family
81
detached homes
Multifamily
50
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 55
2020 66
2021 66
2022 73
2023 150
2024 131

Permit volume increased 138% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
11.8 minutes
Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
15.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
1.1%
Other
1.1%

Based on 13,315 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Dodge City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$969/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
51.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Garden City
27,781 people
Derby
25,801 people
Emporia
24,098 people
Gardner
24,020 people
Prairie
22,937 people
Junction City
22,431 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dodge City's 27,652 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Melbourne, FL
27,643 people
Drexel Heights, AZ
27,636 people
Williamsport, PA
27,629 people
Mount Pleasant, WI
27,694 people
Homewood, AL
27,697 people
Alvin, TX
27,700 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dodge City's $67,958 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Woodsboro, TX
$67,969 median income
Geistown, PA
$67,972 median income
West York, PA
$67,938 median income
New Auburn, WI
$67,981 median income
Sunrise Lake, PA
$67,933 median income
Sterlington, LA
$67,986 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dodge City, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Dodge City, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.4% 20.4% 24.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 66.4% White 50.4% Black or African American 2.8% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 20.4% Two or more races 24.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Dodge City compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Dodge City (this city) 27,652 $67,958
Garden City 27,781 $72,511
Derby 25,801 $82,089
Emporia 24,098 $52,787
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dodge City, KS?

What is the population of Dodge City, KS? +

Dodge City, KS has a population of 27,652 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Dodge City, KS? +

The median household income in Dodge City is $67,958 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dodge City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Dodge City; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

Is Dodge City, KS safe? +

Dodge City has a total crime rate of 1341.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Dodge City, KS? +

A typical home in Dodge City is worth $122,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Dodge City? +

The average annual temperature in Dodge City runs 55.9°F, 22.0 inches of precipitation, and 19.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.