City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Parsons, KS

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

9,482
Residents
$50,838
Median income
$70,300
Median home
$877
Median rent (state)

Parsons - the verdict

Nationally, Parsons sits in the 21st percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
2nd
percentile, home value
2nd
percentile, median rent
6th
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: Parsons, KS

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 9,482 residents in Parsons, a small town within Kansas. The typical household in Parsons brings in $50,838 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Parsons's housing stock carries a median value of $70,300, and the median resident age is 41.0 years. About 23.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Parsons's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4339.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Parsons's yearly average temperature at 56.5°F with 44.9 inches of precipitation per year and 7.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kansas at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $877 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Kansas run around $217, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Parsons report an average commute of 10.1 minutes, with 74.0% driving alone and 3.7% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 66.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

9,482 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$50,838 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Parsons compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 2% pricier than other cities
Median rent 2% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Kansas, Parsons ranks #104 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Parsons against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kansas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kansas-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Parsons near the bottom of Kansas's cities

Among the 552 Kansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Parsons ranks #264 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Parsons only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#396 of 527
25th percentile in Kansas
Median Gross Rent
#264 of 552
0th percentile in Kansas
Median Home Value
#388 of 527
26th percentile in Kansas
Poverty Rate
#243 of 552
55th percentile in Kansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#211 of 552
61st percentile in Kansas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kansas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

21stIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Parsons's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Parsons'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 42 Avg. percentile National median
Parsons'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 Parsons's home value compares nationally

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

$70,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 98% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $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. Parsons $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 - Parsons, KS Parsons, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Parsons, 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 Parsons, KS median $50,838/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%
Parsons, 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 Parsons, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.1%

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

Population
9,482
Median Income
$50,838
Median Home Value
$70,300
Median Age
41.0
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
59.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4339.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1238.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3101.4
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
56.5°F
Annual Precipitation
44.9"
Annual Snowfall
7.1"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,200 residents9,300 residents9,400 residents9,500 residents9,600 residents9,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,586 residents 9,315 residents ▼ -2.8%
Parsons's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 0
2021 0
2022 1
2023 1
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
10.1 minutes
Drive Alone
74.0%
Carpool
18.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
3.7%
Other
2.1%

Based on 4,454 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 Parsons sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$877/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
66.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Augusta
9,252 people
Mission
9,928 people
Valley Center
8,937 people
Coffeyville
8,752 people
Spring Hill
8,691 people
Bel Aire
8,654 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Parsons's 9,482 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Florence, OR
9,483 people
Eidson Road, TX
9,481 people
Woodway, TX
9,483 people
Oakwood, OH
9,480 people
Terrace Heights, WA
9,480 people
Mentone, CA
9,487 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Parsons's $50,838 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kake, AK
$50,833 median income
Selawik, AK
$50,833 median income
Sunsites, AZ
$50,833 median income
Leipsic, DE
$50,833 median income
Ridge Farm, IL
$50,833 median income
Modale, IA
$50,833 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Parsons, 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 Parsons, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.7% 6.0% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.0% White 82.7% Black or African American 6.0% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.8% Two or more races 7.6% 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 Parsons 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
Parsons (this city) 9,482 $50,838
Augusta 9,252 $60,581
Mission 9,928 $74,396
Valley Center 8,937 $73,480
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Parsons, KS?

What is the population of Parsons, KS? +

9,482 people live in Parsons, KS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Parsons, KS? +

In Parsons, the typical household earns $50,838 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Parsons? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Parsons; 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 Parsons, KS safe? +

Parsons has a total crime rate of 4339.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Parsons, KS? +

The median home value in Parsons is $70,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Parsons? +

Parsons has an average annual temperature of 56.5°F, 44.9 inches of precipitation, and 7.1 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

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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.