Shawnee County, Kansas: commercial real estate data.
Shawnee County, Kansas had an estimated 177,942 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 178,905, across 544 square miles. County output reached $14.58 bn in 2024, 3,959 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 107 7(a) approvals worth $47.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Shawnee County
How many people live in Shawnee County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024178,025
- Households75,458
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$67,104
- Median age39.4
- Median gross rent$1,000 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$180,900
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over121,584
- Population under 1841,081
- Share under 1823.1 percent
- Population 65 and over34,618
- Share 65 and over19.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64102,326
- Civilian labor force87,285
- Unemployment rate4.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.7 percent
- Rank by population among Kansas counties3rd of 105
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included385th of 3,222
Shawnee County is the 3rd largest of 105 Kansas counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.1 percent against 19.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Shawnee County
Is Shawnee County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024177,942
- Census 2020 base population178,905
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.54 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024346
- Births, 20241,913
- Deaths, 20241,971
- Natural change, 2024-58
- Net domestic migration, 202457
- Net international migration, 2024343
- Total net migration, 2024400
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-566
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2033rd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.54 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Shawnee County
Where are people moving to Shawnee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,309
- People arriving, from those returns5,740
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,631
- Net household movement-322
- Adjusted gross income arriving$177.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-13.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,508
- Average income of a leaving household$52,605
- Largest single originDouglas County (346 households)
- Largest single destinationDouglas County (335 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 346 | 580 | $18.5 m |
| Osage County | 156 | 266 | $7.4 m |
| Jefferson County | 146 | 259 | $7.2 m |
| Johnson County | 139 | 223 | $7.9 m |
| Jackson County | 117 | 205 | $5.7 m |
| Jackson County | 113 | 178 | $4.7 m |
| Riley County | 98 | 142 | $4.4 m |
| Sedgwick County | 97 | 142 | $3.8 m |
Households arriving report $903 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 Douglas 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.
Shawnee County
What is the Shawnee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$14.58 bn
- County GDP, 2023$14.03 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.9 percent
- GDP change over five years32.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kansas areas BEA publishes4th of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes331st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$81,919
Output grew 3.9 percent in the latest year and 32.9 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.
Shawnee County
Employment by industry in Shawnee County
- Covered employment, annual average99,247
- Establishments reporting5,183
- Average annual pay$60,096
- Average weekly wage$1,156
- Health care and social assistance, employment17,852
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$63,597
- Retail trade, employment8,599
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,473
- Manufacturing, employment8,198
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$70,765
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,236
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,642
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment6,037
- Finance and insurance, employment5,437
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 17,852 | 620 | $63,597 |
| Retail trade | 8,599 | 511 | $34,473 |
| Manufacturing | 8,198 | 146 | $70,765 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,236 | 347 | $21,642 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 6,037 | 484 | $45,716 |
| Finance and insurance | 5,437 | 352 | $98,526 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 5,381 | 869 | $75,749 |
| Construction | 4,490 | 421 | $70,728 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 17,852 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Shawnee County
How many businesses are in Shawnee County?
- Establishments, all industries3,959
- Employment at those establishments77,340
- Annual payroll$4.52 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.2
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.
Shawnee County
Building permits in Shawnee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024218
- Declared construction value permitted$48.1 m
- Single family units authorized153
- Multifamily units authorized65
- Multifamily share of units29.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$220,864
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.9
Single-family homes are 70.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Shawnee County
SBA loans in Shawnee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded107
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$47.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$440,341
- Median 7(a) approval$260,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,019,520
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,398
- Jobs per approval13.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active37
- Distinct industries receiving approvals56
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter86
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals9.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (13)
- Most active lenderSilver Lake Bank (23)
- 504 approvals recorded62
- 504 gross approval dollars$38.9 m
- Average 504 approval$626,661
- Median 504 approval$353,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval13.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved21.1
- Most active CDCWakarusa Valley Development, Inc. (45)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$86.0 m
The average approval of $440,341 sits well above the median of $260,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.1 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.
Shawnee County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Shawnee County
Do SBA loans in Shawnee County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded34
- Paid in full32
- Charged off2
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans5.9 percent
- Status: Paid in full32
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure62
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Of the 34 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Shawnee County
SBA lending by place in Shawnee County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Topeka, approvals102
- Rossville, approvals2
- Silver Lake, approvals2
- Tecumseh, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Topeka | 102 | $44,394,400 |
| Rossville | 2 | $2,390,000 |
| Silver Lake | 2 | $30,000 |
| Tecumseh | 1 | $302,100 |
Topeka accounts for 102 approvals against 2 in Rossville. 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.
Shawnee County
How large is Shawnee County?
- Land area544 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kansas counties94th of 105
- Width, east to west28.9 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land327
- Establishments per square mile7.28
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.
Shawnee County
Flood risk in Shawnee County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Shawnee County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 200331
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 8
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- 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 class3
- Radon levels in Shawnee 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 Shawnee County (community 200331), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 8, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Shawnee 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. 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 Shawnee 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 Shawnee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024178,025
- Households75,458
- Average household size2.36
- Median household income$67,104
- Median age39.4
Common questions
Shawnee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Shawnee County, Kansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 177,942 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 178,025, in 75,458 households, ranking 3rd of 105 Kansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Shawnee County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.54 percent since the 2020 census base of 178,905, to 177,942 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,913 births against 1,971 deaths, with net migration of 400. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Shawnee County?
$67,104. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $180,900, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,000 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Shawnee County?
3,959 establishments, employing 77,340 people with an annual payroll of $4.52 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 Shawnee County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 17,852 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 99,247 jobs at an average annual pay of $60,096, or $1,156 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Shawnee County?
107 7(a) approvals totaling $47.1 m since FY2020, across 37 lenders, with a median approval of $260,000, plus 62 504 approvals worth $38.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Shawnee County get paid back?
Of the 34 loans that have reached a final outcome, 32 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge-off rate of 5.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Shawnee County?
218 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $48.1 m. Multifamily was 29.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Shawnee 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 Shawnee County come from?
The largest single origin is Douglas County, with 346 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,508 against $52,605 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Shawnee 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 Shawnee 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.
Shawnee County
Cities and places in Shawnee.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Shawnee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | city | 125,786 | 102 | Wholly in this county |
| Silver Lake | city | 1,553 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Auburn | city | 1,144 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rossville | city | 1,106 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Tecumseh | CDP | 457 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wakarusa | CDP | 209 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Willard | city | 67 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby