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Which counties in Kansas are losing population?

80 of the 105 counties in Kansas had fewer residents in 2025 than in 2020. Edwards County lost the largest share, down 8.6% (−249 people). Montgomery County lost the most residents (−1,224).

Of the 80 counties that lost residents between 2020 and 2025, the largest factor was natural change (more deaths than births) in 53 and net domestic migration (more residents moving to other U.S. counties than arriving) in 27 (Census Bureau components of population change).

Data as of 2025 · updated

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All 80 Kansas counties that lost residents

Counties losing population in Kansas
RankCountyChange 2020–25Residents lost 2020–25Residents 2025Largest factor 2020–25
1Edwards County−8.6%−2492,640Natural change (−155)
2Morton County−8.4%−2272,470Domestic migration (−246)
3Greeley County−7.4%−941,182Domestic migration (−86)
4Hodgeman County−7.0%−1221,619Natural change (−100)
5Scott County−6.3%−3264,815Domestic migration (−386)
6Osborne County−5.8%−2023,285Domestic migration (−108)
7Wichita County−5.5%−1192,031Domestic migration (−205)
8Kingman County−5.4%−3987,029Natural change (−719)
9Rawlins County−5.3%−1362,431Natural change (−79)
10Meade County−5.1%−2073,852Domestic migration (−240)
11Stevens County−4.9%−2584,984Domestic migration (−365)
12Rooks County−4.9%−2404,646Domestic migration (−139)
13Phillips County−4.9%−2414,728Natural change (−134)
14Wallace County−4.7%−711,441Domestic migration (−104)
15Stanton County−4.5%−931,986Domestic migration (−268)
16Haskell County−4.2%−1593,599Domestic migration (−290)
17Pawnee County−4.2%−2605,991Natural change (−152)
18Grant County−4.1%−2977,028Domestic migration (−688)
19Brown County−4.0%−3769,104Natural change (−232)
20Montgomery County−3.9%−1,22430,177Natural change (−863)
21Clark County−3.8%−761,900Domestic migration (−47)
22Lane County−3.8%−601,508Natural change (−58)
23Seward County−3.6%−78421,073Domestic migration (−2,174)
24Jewell County−3.3%−982,830Natural change (−67)
25Wilson County−3.3%−2828,299Natural change (−370)
26Rush County−3.2%−952,845Natural change (−144)
27Mitchell County−3.2%−1865,590Natural change (−120)
28Lincoln County−3.0%−892,861Natural change (−100)
29Norton County−3.0%−1645,288Natural change (−109)
30Gove County−3.0%−812,631Domestic migration (−49)
31Logan County−3.0%−812,661Natural change (−56)
32Barber County−2.9%−1214,083Natural change (−93)
33Barton County−2.5%−64724,790Domestic migration (−628)
34Thomas County−2.5%−2017,725Domestic migration (−436)
35Trego County−2.5%−692,740Natural change (−96)
36Sherman County−2.4%−1445,763Domestic migration (−80)
37Labette County−2.4%−48419,685Natural change (−277)
38Greenwood County−2.3%−1355,826Natural change (−237)
39Ness County−2.1%−572,617Natural change (−85)
40Finney County−2.1%−80237,505Domestic migration (−3,211)
41Nemaha County−2.1%−21410,054Domestic migration (−222)
42Kearny County−2.0%−803,888Domestic migration (−255)
43Cloud County−2.0%−1778,833Natural change (−257)
44Chautauqua County−1.9%−643,321Natural change (−110)
45Harper County−1.8%−1015,370Natural change (−142)
46Allen County−1.8%−23112,302Natural change (−303)
47Neosho County−1.8%−27915,637Domestic migration (−270)
48Ellsworth County−1.7%−1106,257Natural change (−119)
49Marshall County−1.7%−1689,852Natural change (−176)
50Clay County−1.7%−1367,990Natural change (−169)
51Decatur County−1.7%−462,716Natural change (−103)
52Saline County−1.6%−88353,377Domestic migration (−1,027)
53Graham County−1.5%−352,371Natural change (−92)
54Russell County−1.4%−966,581Natural change (−203)
55Stafford County−1.4%−554,005Natural change (−52)
56Marion County−1.3%−15411,634Natural change (−228)
57Rice County−1.2%−1169,266Natural change (−112)
58Harvey County−1.2%−41633,580Natural change (−475)
59Geary County−1.2%−43036,338Domestic migration (−4,603)
60Cherokee County−1.0%−19819,105Natural change (−606)
61Kiowa County−1.0%−252,432Domestic migration (−67)
62Atchison County−0.9%−15316,172Natural change (−139)
63Elk County−0.9%−222,458Natural change (−103)
64Republic County−0.8%−374,640Natural change (−176)
65Sheridan County−0.8%−192,427Natural change (−45)
66Ford County−0.6%−22033,993Domestic migration (−2,822)
67Reno County−0.6%−35261,539Natural change (−1,020)
68McPherson County−0.4%−13130,064Natural change (−570)
69Cowley County−0.4%−14634,382Natural change (−386)
70Comanche County−0.4%−61,673Natural change (−51)
71Cheyenne County−0.3%−92,604Natural change (−43)
72Osage County−0.3%−5415,693Natural change (−377)
73Morris County−0.3%−155,348Natural change (−119)
74Pratt County−0.3%−239,117Natural change (−77)
75Washington County−0.2%−115,533Domestic migration (−88)
76Jefferson County−0.2%−3418,296Natural change (−252)
77Bourbon County−0.1%−2014,319Natural change (−35)
78Sumner County−0.1%−2922,312Natural change (−345)
79Chase County−0.1%−22,572Natural change (−66)
80Shawnee County−0.1%−92178,607Natural change (−1,017)

How this is ranked

Counties whose Census Bureau resident population estimate for July 1, 2025 is lower than for July 1, 2020, steepest percentage decline first. The largest factor is the most negative of natural change (births minus deaths), net domestic migration and net international migration over the same years (Census Bureau components of population change). Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are left out, as on every ranking.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in Kansas is losing population fastest?

Edwards County: down 8.6% between 2020 and 2025, to 2,640 residents (−249 people; Census Bureau population estimates). Next: Morton County (−8.4%) and Greeley County (−7.4%).

How many counties in Kansas are losing population?

80 of the 105 counties in Kansas had fewer residents in 2025 than in 2020; the other 25 grew or held steady.

Why are counties in Kansas losing population?

Of the 80 counties that lost residents between 2020 and 2025, the largest factor was natural change (more deaths than births) in 53 and net domestic migration (more residents moving to other U.S. counties than arriving) in 27 (Census Bureau components of population change).

More county rankings for Kansas

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