City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Ulysses, KS

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

5,812
Residents
$63,765
Median income
$123,100
Median home
$877
Median rent (state)

Ulysses - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Ulysses lands in the 41st percentile for household income and the 97th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

41st
percentile, household income
19th
percentile, home value
2nd
percentile, median rent
97th
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: Ulysses, KS

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,812 residents in Ulysses, a small town within Kansas. Median household income here is $63,765 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.9%. Typical homes in Ulysses are valued around $123,100, and the median resident age is 32.9 years. Educational attainment runs 22.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Ulysses (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Ulysses reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 143.7 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 54.0°F with 17.8 inches of precipitation per year and 17.8 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 $877 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 13.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

5,812 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$63,765 /yr

Poverty 5.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Ulysses compare to other US cities?

Here's how Ulysses stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 19% pricier than other cities
Median rent 2% pricier than other cities
Safety 97% 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, Ulysses ranks #2 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

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 Ulysses'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.

41stIncome percentile
97thSafety percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income · 97th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ulysses's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ulysses'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 76 Avg. percentile National median
Ulysses'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 Ulysses's home value compares nationally

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

$123,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 81% 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. Ulysses $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 - Ulysses, KS Ulysses, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ulysses, 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 Ulysses, KS median $63,765/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%
Ulysses, 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 Ulysses, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.4%

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

Population
5,812
Median Income
$63,765
Median Home Value
$123,100
Median Age
32.9
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Labor force participation
62.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
143.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
89.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
53.9
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
54.0°F
Annual Precipitation
17.8"
Annual Snowfall
17.8"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,400 residents5,500 residents5,600 residents5,700 residents5,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,774 residents 5,524 residents ▼ -4.3%
Ulysses'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 7
2020 2
2021 2
2022 1
2023 1
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.2%
Carpool
16.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
4.6%

Based on 2,648 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 Ulysses 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
13.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Mulvane
5,829 people
Paola
5,757 people
Tonganoxie
5,693 people
Maize
5,990 people
Eudora
6,036 people
Colby
5,389 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ulysses's 5,812 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pleasure Point, CA
5,813 people
Gardnerville, NV
5,811 people
Shippensburg, PA
5,811 people
Slaton, TX
5,811 people
Peculiar, MO
5,815 people
Windcrest, TX
5,815 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ulysses's $63,765 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Denton, MD
$63,769 median income
Piqua, OH
$63,770 median income
Lebanon, IN
$63,773 median income
Easton, PA
$63,775 median income
Kellyton, AL
$63,750 median income
Golovin, AK
$63,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ulysses, 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 Ulysses, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.2% 34.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 59.7% White 62.2% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.1% Two or more races 34.1% 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 Ulysses 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
Ulysses (this city) 5,812 $63,765
Mulvane 5,829 $70,224
Paola 5,757 $73,281
Tonganoxie 5,693 $77,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ulysses, KS?

What is the population of Ulysses, KS? +

The population of Ulysses, KS stands at 5,812 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Ulysses runs $63,765, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ulysses? +

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

Ulysses has a total crime rate of 143.7 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 Ulysses, KS? +

Ulysses's median home value sits at $123,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ulysses? +

The average annual temperature in Ulysses runs 54.0°F, 17.8 inches of precipitation, and 17.8 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.