Kansas, once a steady anchor in the heartland, is now facing a demographic crossroads. While its overall population remains stable or even slightly growing in urban and suburban pockets, a significant number of Kansans are packing up and heading elsewhere. What’s driving this out-migration, and where are these former Sunflower State residents going? Here’s a closer look.
Population Trends: Growth in Cities, Decline in Rural Areas
Kansas’s population is hovering around 2.97 million in 2025, with a modest annual growth rate of 0.57%. However, this growth is uneven. Urban and suburban counties like Johnson and Sedgwick are attracting new residents, while many rural and western counties are experiencing steep declines—some losing over 15% of their population since 2020.
Between 2020 and 2022, 78 out of 105 Kansas counties lost population, with only 27 posting gains. Even among the state’s largest cities, population change is split: places like Lawrence, Olathe, and Overland Park are growing, while Topeka, Wichita, and Salina are shrinking.
Why Are People Leaving Kansas?
Several factors are pushing Kansans to seek opportunities elsewhere:
# Economic Concerns: Kansas ranks poorly for tax friendliness, especially for middle-class families and retirees. High state and local taxes, combined with a heavy government workforce and regulatory burdens, are making other states more appealing to job seekers and entrepreneurs.
# Aging and Shrinking Workforce: The fastest-growing demographic in Kansas is the 65-plus age group, while the youth population is growing at a much slower pace. This aging trend is leading to a shrinking workforce and fewer young families staying or moving in.
# Cost of Living: High housing and childcare costs are leading many young families to delay having children or to relocate to more affordable states.
# Rural Decline: Many rural communities are losing residents due to limited job opportunities and access to amenities, pushing people toward larger cities or out of state entirely.
Where Are Kansans Moving?
While specific destination data for 2025 is still emerging, historical migration patterns and recent trends suggest Kansans are flocking to:
# Neighboring States: Missouri, Colorado, and Oklahoma are popular choices, offering lower taxes, more job opportunities, and vibrant urban centers.
# The Sun Belt: States like Texas, Arizona, and Florida continue to attract Midwesterners with their booming economies, warmer climates, and lower cost of living.
# Metropolitan Areas: Many are drawn to larger metro areas such as Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Kansas City, MO, which provide more diverse job markets and cultural amenities.
Who’s Staying, and Who’s Coming In?
Despite the outflow, Kansas is also seeing a growing and diverse immigrant population, with foreign-born residents making up 7.1% of the state’s total. Most new arrivals are from Latin America and Asia, helping to offset some of the population loss and contributing to the state’s cultural and economic diversity.
The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Kansas?
Kansas’s population story is one of contrasts: growth in urban centers, decline in rural heartlands, and a state grappling with how to retain and attract residents. Policymakers are watching these trends closely, as population changes affect everything from tax revenue to federal funding and long-term economic planning.
For now, the migration out of Kansas is a wake-up call for leaders to address the economic and quality-of-life factors driving people away—and to harness the opportunities presented by a diversifying population.
In Summary
Kansas is at a demographic tipping point. While it’s not emptying out overnight, the steady stream of residents leaving—especially from rural areas—signals deeper economic and social challenges. The destinations are familiar: neighboring states, Sun Belt cities, and thriving metros. Whether Kansas can reverse this trend will depend on its ability to adapt and compete for the next generation of Americans.
Sources:-
[1] https://nchstats.com/kansas-population/
[2] https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/kansas
[3] https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/resident-population-in-kansas-thous-of-persons-a-na-fed-data.html
[4] https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/kansas/
[5] https://sentinelksmo.org/u-s-census-data-details-kansas-population-loss/
[6] https://www.kmuw.org/2023-08-03/kansas-population-growth
[7] https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/kansas-population-by-year/
[8] https://www.cedbr.org/component/content/article/1890-kansas-population-metro-report?catid=120&Itemid=238