Cowley County, Kansas: commercial real estate data.
Cowley County, Kansas had an estimated 34,186 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,554, across 1,126 square miles. County output reached $1.70 bn in 2024, 719 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $7.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Cowley County
How many people live in Cowley County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,411
- Households13,387
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$57,878
- Median age39.2
- Median gross rent$809 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$120,900
- Home value to household income2.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over22,708
- Population under 188,111
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over6,518
- Share 65 and over18.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6419,782
- Civilian labor force15,788
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.0 percent
- Rank by population among Kansas counties15th of 105
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1354th of 3,222
Cowley County is the 15th largest of 105 Kansas counties by population. A median home costs 2.1 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 18.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Cowley County
Is Cowley County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202434,186
- Census 2020 base population34,554
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.06 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-59
- Births, 2024394
- Deaths, 2024498
- Natural change, 2024-104
- Net domestic migration, 2024-45
- Net international migration, 202489
- Total net migration, 202444
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-163
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2207th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.06 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cowley County
Where are people moving to Cowley County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving708
- People arriving, from those returns1,361
- Tax returns filed by households leaving811
- Net household movement-103
- Adjusted gross income arriving$31.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$44,703
- Average income of a leaving household$42,351
- Largest single originSedgwick County (161 households)
- Largest single destinationSedgwick County (170 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedgwick County | 161 | 287 | $7.8 m |
| Sumner County | 70 | 132 | $2.5 m |
| Butler County | 44 | 93 | $1.7 m |
| Kay County | 22 | 35 | $746,000 |
Households arriving report $2,352 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Sedgwick County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Cowley County
What is the Cowley County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.70 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.70 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-0.2 percent
- GDP change over five years29.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kansas areas BEA publishes21st of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1417th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$49,318
Output grew -0.2 percent in the latest year and 29.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Cowley County
Employment by industry in Cowley County
- Covered employment, annual average13,041
- Establishments reporting782
- Average annual pay$49,217
- Average weekly wage$946
- Manufacturing, employment3,660
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$67,322
- Retail trade, employment1,319
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,605
- Accommodation and food services, employment932
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,873
- Construction, employment370
- Construction, average annual pay$68,521
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment362
- Finance and insurance, employment327
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,660 | 48 | $67,322 |
| Retail trade | 1,319 | 100 | $32,605 |
| Accommodation and food services | 932 | 63 | $17,873 |
| Construction | 370 | 54 | $68,521 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 362 | 44 | $37,244 |
| Finance and insurance | 327 | 49 | $65,949 |
| Wholesale trade | 280 | 40 | $65,683 |
| Other services, except public administration | 188 | 54 | $33,629 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,660 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cowley County
How many businesses are in Cowley County?
- Establishments, all industries719
- Employment at those establishments10,889
- Annual payroll$486.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cowley County
Building permits in Cowley County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202441
- Declared construction value permitted$7.9 m
- Single family units authorized35
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units14.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$193,423
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.1
Single-family homes are 85.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cowley County
SBA loans in Cowley County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$7.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$588,746
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$4,945,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)157
- Jobs per approval12.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer30.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals15.4 percent
- Most active lenderCommunity National Bank & Trust (4)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.9 m
- Average 504 approval$587,200
- Median 504 approval$579,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.6
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cowley County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cowley County
Do SBA loans in Cowley County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure10
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cowley County
SBA lending by place in Cowley County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Winfield, approvals9
- Arkansas City, approvals3
- Udall, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Winfield | 9 | $2,488,700 |
| Arkansas City | 3 | $5,115,000 |
| Udall | 1 | $50,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Cowley County
How large is Cowley County?
- Land area1,126 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kansas counties7th of 105
- Width, east to west34.7 mi
- Height, north to south33 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land31
- Establishments per square mile0.64
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Cowley County
Flood risk in Cowley County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Cowley County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 200563
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate88.9 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Cowley County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cowley County (community 200563), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Cowley County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 88.9 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Cowley County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cowley County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,411
- Households13,387
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$57,878
- Median age39.2
Common questions
Cowley County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cowley County, Kansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 34,186 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 34,411, in 13,387 households, ranking 15th of 105 Kansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cowley County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.06 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,554, to 34,186 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 394 births against 498 deaths, with net migration of 44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cowley County?
$57,878. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $120,900, which is 2.1 times income, and median gross rent is $809 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cowley County?
719 establishments, employing 10,889 people with an annual payroll of $486.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Cowley County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,660 jobs, 28.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 13,041 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,217, or $946 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cowley County?
13 7(a) approvals totaling $7.7 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $2.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cowley County?
41 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.9 m. Multifamily was 14.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cowley County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Cowley County come from?
The largest single origin is Sedgwick County, with 161 households. Arriving households report an average income of $44,703 against $42,351 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cowley County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Cowley County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Cowley County
Cities and places in Cowley.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cowley County. All 12 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas City | city | 11,884 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Winfield | city | 11,711 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Udall | city | 807 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Burden | city | 554 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dexter | city | 540 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Parkerfield | city | 527 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Geuda Springs | city | 223 | None recorded | 27.6 percent here, 72.4 percent Sumner County |
| Atlanta | city | 169 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Silverdale | CDP | 116 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rock | CDP | 90 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cambridge | city | 69 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Salem | CDP | 12 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby