City · Kansas
Paola, Kansas
Paola, city, in Miami County, Kansas. Paola had 5,880 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,768 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,770 (±24). GEOID 2054250.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,880
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,768 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,770 ±24
Median household income
$74,662
±$5,849 (90% margin)
Kansas: $74,275
Median home value
$210,800
±$32,796 (90% margin)
Kansas: $217,200
Median gross rent
$1,091
±$50 (90% margin)
Kansas: $1,060
Where is Paola and what county is it in?
Paola is a city in Miami County, Kansas. It covers 5.3 square miles of land, 1,089 residents per square mile in 2020.
Paola is in the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 14 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Paola, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,880 people lived in Paola on July 1, 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, faster than Kansas (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 5,768 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,770 (±24).
| Measure | Paola | Miami County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,770 ±24 | 34,938 | +159 |
| Households | 2,594 ±196 | 13,738 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.16 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,734 ±192 | 14,262 | +296 |
Paola's population since 2000
From 5,011 in 2000 to 5,880 in 2025: up 17.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Paola as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Paola?
The median resident of Paola is 45.0 years old; 17.5% are under 18 and 23.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.7%.
| Measure | Paola | Miami County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 ±5.4 | 41.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.5% ±3.1 pts | 23.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.6% ±4.0 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±3.6 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.0% ±1.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.1% ±2.5 pts | 89.9% | +6.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±1.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±2.7 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 18.3% ±3.9 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.2% ±5.9 pts | 7.1% | +6.7 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.1% ±5.2 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.4% ±6.1 pts | 31.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.9% ±4.1 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.3% ±4.9 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.2% ±1.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Paola earn?
Half of Paola's 2,594 households earn less than $74,662 a year (±$5,849), against $89,000 in Miami County and $74,275 in Kansas. In 2015-2019 it was $63,164 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Paola | Miami County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,662 ±$5,849 | $89,000 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $96,405 ±$14,401 | $106,192 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,378 ±$6,343 | $42,073 | +$10,662 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.8% ±4.0 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.3% ±3.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.5% ±6.7 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.1% ±7.8 pts | 87.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Paola?
Owners occupy 65.0% of Paola's occupied homes and renters 35.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $210,800 by its owner (±$32,796). The median renter pays $1,091 a month including utilities, and 34.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Paola | Miami County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $210,800 ±$32,796 | $287,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,091 ±$50 | $1,107 | +$195 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.5% ±14.3 pts | 33.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,720 ±$135 | $1,895 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.0% ±8.8 pts | 78.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.0% ±8.8 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Housing units | 2,734 ±192 | 14,262 | +296 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.1% ±7.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.2% ±6.2 pts | 84.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.4% ±3.9 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 33.1% ±7.9 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.8% ±4.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Paola building?
Builders took permits for 17 new housing units in Paola in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 2.9 per 1,000 residents against 3.5 across Kansas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Paola work and get to work?
77.8% of Paola's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.7 minutes.
| Measure | Paola | Miami County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.3% ±6.2 pts | 66.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% ±4.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.8% ±8.9 pts | 76.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.2% ±5.7 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.0% ±4.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±4.4 pts | 14.1% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.7 min ±3.4 | 30.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Paola?
1 census tract lies mostly in Paola, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1006.01Miami County | 6,272 | $75,529 |
| Tract 1005Miami County | 4,444 | $88,983 |
| Tract 1006.02Miami County | 1,961 | $102,656 |
| Tract 1001Miami County | 3,623 | $100,536 |
| Tract 1002Miami County | 5,436 | $111,736 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Paola) · Census block assignment files
How does Paola compare with other places in Kansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Paola is the 4,468th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 59th-most populous of 625 in Kansas.
Paola ranks 161st of 374 places in Kansas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 59th | 625 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 83rd | 373 |
| Residents per square mile | 125th | 376 |
| Median household income | 161st | 374 |
| Per capita income | 78th | 375 |
| Median home value | 124th | 370 |
| Median gross rent | 80th | 333 |
| Poverty rate | 177th | 266 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 194th | 374 |
| Median age | 83rd | 376 |
| Owner-occupied share | 307th | 374 |
| Work from home | 159th | 233 |
| Travel time to work | 77th | 375 |
Paola's figures with every place in Kansas (CSV)
Every place in Kansas, sortable · Compare Paola with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Paola?
18 of the 57 figures for Paola on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Paola are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Paola.