Ford County, Kansas: commercial real estate data.
Ford County, Kansas had an estimated 34,072 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,291, across 1,098 square miles. County output reached $3.22 bn in 2024, 803 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $9.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Ford County
How many people live in Ford County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,074
- Households11,796
- Average household size2.89
- Median household income$70,781
- Median age32.3
- Median gross rent$1,010 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$151,100
- Home value to household income2.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over20,254
- Population under 1810,197
- Share under 1829.9 percent
- Population 65 and over4,045
- Share 65 and over11.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6419,832
- Civilian labor force17,720
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over74.2 percent
- Rank by population among Kansas counties16th of 105
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1364th of 3,222
Ford County is the 16th 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 29.9 percent against 11.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ford County
Is Ford County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202434,072
- Census 2020 base population34,291
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.64 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202425
- Births, 2024553
- Deaths, 2024263
- Natural change, 2024290
- Net domestic migration, 2024-600
- Net international migration, 2024336
- Total net migration, 2024-264
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-2,103
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2067th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.64 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 by more than net migration took away, so the population grew even though more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Ford County
Where are people moving to Ford County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving549
- People arriving, from those returns957
- Tax returns filed by households leaving775
- Net household movement-226
- Adjusted gross income arriving$26.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-12.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$47,801
- Average income of a leaving household$50,466
- Largest single originFinney County (54 households)
- Largest single destinationSedgwick County (84 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finney County | 54 | 103 | $3.7 m |
| Sedgwick County | 24 | 32 | $988,000 |
| Gray County | 21 | 37 | $778,000 |
Households arriving report $2,665 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Finney 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.
Ford County
What is the Ford County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.22 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.27 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.8 percent
- GDP change over five years36.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kansas areas BEA publishes12th of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes933rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$94,364
Output grew -1.8 percent in the latest year and 36.5 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.
Ford County
Employment by industry in Ford County
- Covered employment, annual average18,147
- Establishments reporting858
- Average annual pay$52,782
- Average weekly wage$1,015
- Manufacturing, employment6,835
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$61,398
- Retail trade, employment1,667
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,263
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,295
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,493
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment903
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$42,209
- Wholesale trade, employment594
- Transportation and warehousing, employment522
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6,835 | 38 | $61,398 |
| Retail trade | 1,667 | 117 | $32,263 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,295 | 85 | $21,493 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 903 | 34 | $42,209 |
| Wholesale trade | 594 | 60 | $77,927 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 522 | 32 | $51,767 |
| Construction | 515 | 74 | $59,068 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 499 | 14 | $30,841 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 6,835 jobs, 37.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ford County
How many businesses are in Ford County?
- Establishments, all industries803
- Employment at those establishments15,828
- Annual payroll$830.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.6
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.
Ford County
Building permits in Ford County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024131
- Declared construction value permitted$21.3 m
- Single family units authorized81
- Multifamily units authorized50
- Multifamily share of units38.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$162,923
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.1
Single-family homes are 61.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ford County
SBA loans in Ford County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$978,140
- Median 7(a) approval$668,400
- Largest single approval$2,885,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)159
- Jobs per approval15.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term150 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals50.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (4)
- Most active lenderDream First Bank National Association (4)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.9 m
- Average 504 approval$1,135,571
- Median 504 approval$357,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval18.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.5
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$17.7 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.
Ford County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Ford County
Do SBA loans in Ford County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 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.
Ford County
SBA lending by place in Ford County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Dodge City, approvals8
- Minneola, approvals1
- Wright, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Dodge City | 8 | $9,666,000 |
| Minneola | 1 | $80,000 |
| Wright | 1 | $35,400 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ford County
How large is Ford County?
- Land area1,098 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kansas counties8th of 105
- Width, east to west36.8 mi
- Height, north to south30.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land31
- Establishments per square mile0.73
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.
Ford County
Flood risk in Ford County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Ford County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 200101
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Ford 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 Ford County (community 200101), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Ford 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. 80.0 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 Ford 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 Ford County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202434,074
- Households11,796
- Average household size2.89
- Median household income$70,781
- Median age32.3
Common questions
Ford County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ford County, Kansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 34,072 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 34,074, in 11,796 households, ranking 16th of 105 Kansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ford County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.64 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,291, to 34,072 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 553 births against 263 deaths, with net migration of -264. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ford County?
$70,781. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,100, which is 2.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,010 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Ford County?
803 establishments, employing 15,828 people with an annual payroll of $830.1 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 Ford County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 6,835 jobs, 37.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,147 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,782, or $1,015 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ford County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $9.8 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $668,400, plus 7 504 approvals worth $7.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Ford County?
131 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $21.3 m. Multifamily was 38.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ford 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 Ford County come from?
The largest single origin is Finney County, with 54 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,801 against $50,466 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ford 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 Ford 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.
Ford County
Cities and places in Ford.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Ford County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge City | city | 27,613 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Spearville | city | 998 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wilroads Gardens | CDP | 955 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bucklin | city | 652 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ford | city | 228 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wright | CDP | 106 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Dodge | CDP | 93 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 10 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Ford County, the largest being Minneola (1). 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