City · Kansas
Wilson, Kansas
Wilson, city, in Ellsworth County, Kansas. Wilson had 826 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 859 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 833 (±152). GEOID 2079675.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
826
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 859 · ACS 2020-2024: 833 ±152
Median household income
$59,145
±$9,740 (90% margin)
Kansas: $74,275
Median home value
$75,700
±$7,823 (90% margin)
Kansas: $217,200
Median gross rent
$739
±$226 (90% margin)
Kansas: $1,060
Where is Wilson and what county is it in?
Wilson is a city in Ellsworth County, Kansas. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,436 residents per square mile in 2020.
Wilson lies entirely within Wilson Township (Ellsworth County), a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Wilson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 826 people lived in Wilson on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, while Kansas grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 859 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 833 (±152).
| Measure | Wilson | Ellsworth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 833 ±152 | 6,360 | no clear change |
| Households | 327 ±72 | 2,453 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.34 ±0.37 | 2.16 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 426 ±77 | 3,127 | no clear change |
Wilson's population since 2000
From 799 in 2000 to 826 in 2025: up 3.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wilson 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 Wilson?
The median resident of Wilson is 43.7 years old; 25.5% are under 18 and 29.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 13.8%.
| Measure | Wilson | Ellsworth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 ±12.2 | 43.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.5% ±6.6 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.2% ±9.0 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Male | 52.2% ±4.9 pts | 56.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 6.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.4% ±9.7 pts | 83.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±2.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 13.8% ±10.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±3.5 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 12.7% ±4.6 pts | 16.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5% ±4.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±7.9 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.6% ±6.9 pts | 22.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.6% ±3.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.8% ±11.9 pts | 89.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Wilson earn?
Half of Wilson's 327 households earn less than $59,145 a year (±$9,740), against $65,560 in Ellsworth County and $74,275 in Kansas. In 2015-2019 it was $55,766 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wilson | Ellsworth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,145 ±$9,740 | $65,560 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,248 ±$10,611 | $92,313 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,524 ±$5,184 | $38,244 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.1% ±8.4 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.4% ±18.6 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.0% ±7.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.6% ±4.5 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.2% ±7.3 pts | 88.1% | – |
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 Wilson?
Owners occupy 78.6% of Wilson's occupied homes and renters 21.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $75,700 by its owner (±$7,823). The median renter pays $739 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Wilson | Ellsworth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $75,700 ±$7,823 | $114,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $739 ±$226 | $708 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.7% ±18.5 pts | 41.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $848 ±$148 | $1,251 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.6% ±10.2 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.4% ±10.2 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Housing units | 426 ±77 | 3,127 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.9% ±7.5 pts | 84.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.0% ±5.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.8% ±2.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 55.9% ±9.4 pts | 32.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±6.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 Wilson building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Wilson in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.2 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 Wilson work and get to work?
80.1% of Wilson's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.2 minutes.
| Measure | Wilson | Ellsworth County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.6% ±10.0 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.1% ±12.0 pts | 79.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.0% ±11.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.8% ±4.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.1% ±3.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.2 min ±5.0 | 19.2 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 Wilson?
No census tract lies mostly in Wilson; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 867Ellsworth County | 4,251 | $66,807 |
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 Wilson) · Census block assignment files
How does Wilson compare with other places in Kansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wilson is the 11,094th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 219th-most populous of 625 in Kansas.
Wilson is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 219th | 625 |
Wilson's figures with every place in Kansas (CSV)
Every place in Kansas, sortable · Compare Wilson 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 Wilson?
23 of the 57 figures for Wilson 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 Wilson 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 Wilson.