Douglas County, Kansas: commercial real estate data.
Douglas County, Kansas had an estimated 121,989 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 118,777, across 456 square miles. County output reached $7.03 bn in 2024, 2,774 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 96 7(a) approvals worth $44.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Douglas County
How many people live in Douglas County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024120,302
- Households50,406
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$69,746
- Median age31.6
- Median gross rent$1,099 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$309,400
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher53.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree24.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over71,726
- Population under 1821,113
- Share under 1817.5 percent
- Population 65 and over16,722
- Share 65 and over13.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6482,467
- Civilian labor force69,732
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.3 percent
- Rank by population among Kansas counties5th of 105
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included536th of 3,222
Douglas County is the 5th largest of 105 Kansas counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 17.5 percent against 13.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Douglas County
Is Douglas County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024121,989
- Census 2020 base population118,777
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.70 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024810
- Births, 2024969
- Deaths, 2024815
- Natural change, 2024154
- Net domestic migration, 2024-643
- Net international migration, 20241,289
- Total net migration, 2024646
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-379
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents952nd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.70 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Douglas County
Where are people moving to Douglas County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,781
- People arriving, from those returns5,956
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,082
- Net household movement-301
- Adjusted gross income arriving$197.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-37.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$52,093
- Average income of a leaving household$57,433
- Largest single originJohnson County (580 households)
- Largest single destinationJohnson County (756 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 580 | 936 | $34.3 m |
| Shawnee County | 335 | 510 | $16.8 m |
| Jackson County | 166 | 229 | $7.2 m |
| Leavenworth County | 123 | 206 | $5.6 m |
| Jefferson County | 120 | 206 | $5.6 m |
| Franklin County | 109 | 181 | $4.0 m |
| Sedgwick County | 99 | 134 | $5.0 m |
| Wyandotte County | 86 | 147 | $4.7 m |
Households arriving report $5,340 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Johnson 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.
Douglas County
What is the Douglas County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.03 bn
- County GDP, 2023$6.63 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.1 percent
- GDP change over five years31.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kansas areas BEA publishes5th of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes583rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$58,453
Output grew 6.1 percent in the latest year and 31.6 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.
Douglas County
Employment by industry in Douglas County
- Covered employment, annual average50,969
- Establishments reporting3,726
- Average annual pay$54,079
- Average weekly wage$1,040
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,198
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,846
- Retail trade, employment5,648
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,192
- Manufacturing, employment5,107
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,179
- Health care and social assistance, employment4,842
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$45,906
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment3,526
- Other services, except public administration, employment2,290
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 7,198 | 344 | $20,846 |
| Retail trade | 5,648 | 313 | $32,192 |
| Manufacturing | 5,107 | 107 | $66,179 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,842 | 371 | $45,906 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3,526 | 685 | $85,176 |
| Other services, except public administration | 2,290 | 258 | $50,259 |
| Construction | 2,160 | 288 | $72,281 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,261 | 286 | $49,591 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 7,198 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Douglas County
How many businesses are in Douglas County?
- Establishments, all industries2,774
- Employment at those establishments38,737
- Annual payroll$1.69 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.1
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.
Douglas County
Building permits in Douglas County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024247
- Declared construction value permitted$73.8 m
- Single family units authorized196
- Multifamily units authorized51
- Multifamily share of units20.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$298,878
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.9
Single-family homes are 79.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Douglas County
SBA loans in Douglas County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded96
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$44.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$463,064
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$40,000
- 90th percentile approval$964,750
- Largest single approval$4,850,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)910
- Jobs per approval9.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active45
- Distinct industries receiving approvals62
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter84
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals11.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (6)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (7)
- 504 approvals recorded65
- 504 gross approval dollars$38.0 m
- Average 504 approval$584,031
- Median 504 approval$379,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.7
- Most active CDCWakarusa Valley Development, Inc. (47)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$82.4 m
The average approval of $463,064 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 6.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Douglas County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Douglas County
Do SBA loans in Douglas County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded27
- Paid in full27
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full27
- Status: Exempt from disclosure54
- Status: Cancelled13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 27 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.
Douglas County
SBA lending by place in Douglas County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Lawrence, approvals83
- Eudora, approvals6
- Lecompton, approvals4
- Saint Paul, approvals2
- Baldwin City, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | 83 | $40,644,800 |
| Eudora | 6 | $1,912,800 |
| Lecompton | 4 | $1,439,500 |
| Saint Paul | 2 | $250,000 |
| Baldwin City | 1 | $207,000 |
Lawrence accounts for 83 approvals against 6 in Eudora. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Douglas County
How large is Douglas County?
- Land area456 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kansas counties101st of 105
- Width, east to west23.9 mi
- Height, north to south22 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land264
- Establishments per square mile6.08
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.
Douglas County
Flood risk in Douglas County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Douglas County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 200087
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 10
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 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 class2
- Radon levels in Douglas County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Douglas County (community 200087), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 10, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Douglas County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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. 100.0 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024120,302
- Households50,406
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$69,746
- Median age31.6
Common questions
Douglas County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Douglas County, Kansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 121,989 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 120,302, in 50,406 households, ranking 5th of 105 Kansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Douglas County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.70 percent since the 2020 census base of 118,777, to 121,989 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 969 births against 815 deaths, with net migration of 646. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Douglas County?
$69,746. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $309,400, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,099 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Douglas County?
2,774 establishments, employing 38,737 people with an annual payroll of $1.69 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Douglas County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 7,198 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 50,969 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,079, or $1,040 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Douglas County?
96 7(a) approvals totaling $44.5 m since FY2020, across 45 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 65 504 approvals worth $38.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Douglas County?
247 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $73.8 m. Multifamily was 20.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Douglas County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Douglas County come from?
The largest single origin is Johnson County, with 580 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,093 against $57,433 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Douglas 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 Douglas 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.
Douglas County
Cities and places in Douglas.
4 Census places lie wholly or partly in Douglas County. All 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | city | 96,051 | 83 | Wholly in this county |
| Eudora | city | 6,119 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Baldwin City | city | 4,911 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lecompton | city | 736 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 96 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Douglas County, the largest being Saint Paul (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby