Colby is a city located in Thomas County Kansas. Colby has a 2024 population of 5,577. It is also the county seat of Thomas County. Colby is currently declining at a rate of -0.21% annually and its population has decreased by -0.82% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 5,623 in 2020.
The average household income in Colby is $84,830 with a poverty rate of 8.24%. The median age in Colby is 32.7 years: 32.4 years for males, and 33 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Colby was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,932 | 91.52% |
| Other race | 217 | 4.03% |
| Two or more races | 130 | 2.41% |
| Black or African American | 97 | 1.8% |
| Asian | 12 | 0.22% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.02% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Other race
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 2,090 | 2.37 | 69.6 | 30.4 |
| Married | 972 | 3.32 | 86.2 | 13.8 |
| Non Family | 908 | 1.09 | 51.5 | 48.5 |
| Male | 114 | 3.43 | 89.5 | 10.5 |
| Female | 96 | 3.72 | 49 | 51 |
3.31
Average Family Size
2.37
Average Household Size
69.6%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 170 | 5.15% |
| Associates Degree | 565 | 17.12% |
| Bachelors Degree | 689 | 20.88% |
| Graduate Degree | 298 | 9.03% |
| High School Graduate | 667 | 20.21% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 120 | 3.64% |
| Some College | 791 | 23.97% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,044 | 2,858 | 969 |
| Hispanic | 219 | 127 | 0 |
| Other Race | 127 | 51 | 18 |
| 2+ Races | 100 | 84 | 0 |
| Asian | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Native American | 1 | 1 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 31.83%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $67,500 | $74,347 | $33,953 |
| Graduate Degree | $91,838 | $121,563 | $0 |
| High School Graduate | $47,361 | $58,261 | $21,621 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $21,425 | $0 | $21,344 |
| Overall | $45,095 | $59,783 | $27,380 |
| Some College | $40,144 | $48,807 | $26,875 |
$45,095
Average Earnings
$59,783
Average Male
$27,380
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
93.06% of Colby residents speak only English, while 6.94% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.35% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 4,534 | 370 | 8.16% |
| Hispanic | 394 | 39 | 9.9% |
| Multiple | 106 | 10 | 9.43% |
| Other | 200 | 7 | 3.5% |
8.24%
Overall Poverty Rate
4.86%
Male Poverty Rate
11.94%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Colby is Hispanic, with 9.9% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Colby is Other, with 3.5% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.67%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.51%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 4.82%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 17.39% |
| Some College | 6.6% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.41% |
| High School | 0% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Employed | 3.2% |
| Male Unemployed | 0% |
| Female Employed | 7.44% |
| Female Unemployed | 0% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $96,855 | $110,262 |
| Households | $66,731 | $84,830 |
| Married Families | $106,702 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $29,118 | $49,983 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
49.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.9%
Male Marriage Rate
49.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
236
Number of Veterans
227
Male Veterans
9
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 88 |
| First Gulf War | 60 |
| Vietnam | 60 |
| World War II | 9 |
| Korea | 6 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 94 |
| 55 to 64 | 53 |
| 65 to 74 | 50 |
| 18 to 34 | 27 |
| 35 to 54 | 12 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 236 | 6.49% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
0%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.11%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
69.1%
Labor Force Participation
69.1%
Employment Rate
0%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
65.65%
Born in Colby
94.45%
Native Born
5.55%
Foreign Born
4.68%
Non Citizen
0.87%
Naturalized
94.45% of Colby residents were born in the United States, with 65.65% having been born in Kansas. 4.68% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 5,521 | -11 | -0.2% |
| 2028 | 5,532 | -11 | -0.2% |
| 2027 | 5,543 | -12 | -0.22% |
| 2026 | 5,555 | -11 | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 5,566 | -11 | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 5,577 | -12 | -0.21% |
| 2023 | 5,589 | -23 | -0.41% |
| 2022 | 5,612 | -22 | -0.39% |
| 2021 | 5,634 | 11 | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 5,623 | 307 | 5.78% |
| 2019 | 5,316 | 23 | 0.43% |
| 2018 | 5,293 | -99 | -1.84% |
| 2017 | 5,392 | -6 | -0.11% |
| 2016 | 5,398 | -34 | -0.63% |
| 2015 | 5,432 | 59 | 1.1% |
| 2014 | 5,373 | -46 | -0.85% |
| 2013 | 5,419 | -1 | -0.02% |
| 2012 | 5,420 | -6 | -0.11% |
| 2011 | 5,426 | 10 | 0.18% |
| 2010 | 5,416 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 5,450 | 54 | 1% |
| 1990 | 5,396 | -148 | -2.67% |
| 1980 | 5,544 | 886 | 19.02% |
| 1970 | 4,658 | 448 | 10.64% |
| 1960 | 4,210 | 351 | 9.1% |
| 1950 | 3,859 | -1,662 | -30.1% |