Olathe is a city located in Johnson County Kansas. Olathe has a 2024 population of 149,419. It is also the county seat of Johnson County. Olathe is currently growing at a rate of 1.33% annually and its population has increased by 5.53% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 141,586 in 2020.
The average household income in Olathe is $126,598 with a poverty rate of 6.08%. The median age in Olathe is 36.3 years: 35.6 years for males, and 37.1 years for females.
In 1900, at the turn of the century and almost 40 years after Olathe’s incorporation, the population stood at 3,451. This kept relatively stagnant over the decades that followed due to the town’s relative obscurity and insignificance.
By the end of the 1940s, Olathe had seen a 6% increase in the population, bringing it up to just shy of 11,000 in 1960. This continued to rise further, seeing an increase of almost 7,000 people by 1970, and an additional 19,000 people by the end of the decade.
These numbers have continued to steadily rise each year by year, and this growth can be mainly attributed to the construction of the Interstate Highway, bringing Olathe’s proximity and access to and from nearby Kansas City ever closer, and making it more accessible for surrounding towns and cities.
While Olathe's population is just over 137,000 in 2019, some estimates peg its population at 300,000 within 20 years (https://fox4kc.com/2018/09/17/olathe-police-finding-officer-recruitment-a-struggle-as-city-grows/)."
The town of Olathe was founded in 1857, getting its name from the Shawnee word for "beautiful.” It was incorporated later in the same year, and despite not being the first city in the county, it was named county seat in October of 1859, due in no small part to its rapid growth.
After being the site of much activity during the American Civil War, Olathe went on to become a major stop on the California Trail, the Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail. Catering to travelers moving along these paths became the primary income source for local businesses. Once the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad saw completion, however, these westward trails lost significance, and Olathe withered into obscurity.
The construction of the Interstate Highway system in the 1950s saw Olathe linked to neighboring Kansas City, resulting in tremendous residential growth and Olathe becoming part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The 1980s saw even more of a boom in population growth due to tremendous commercial development.
By 2001, Olathe’s population surpassed 100,000, and in 2008 Olathe was ranked the 24th fastest growing city in the United States. Olathe was voted in the same year by CNN and Money and Money magazine as the 11th best city in which to live in the United States.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Olathe was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 115,524 | 81.29% |
Two or more races | 9,941 | 7% |
Black or African American | 7,347 | 5.17% |
Asian | 5,855 | 4.12% |
Other race | 3,203 | 2.25% |
Native American | 230 | 0.16% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.01% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 51,021 | 2.75 | 73.5 | 26.5 |
Married | 30,516 | 3.3 | 88.5 | 11.5 |
Non Family | 13,060 | 1.29 | 50.3 | 49.7 |
Female | 5,128 | 2.99 | 50 | 50 |
Male | 2,317 | 3.25 | 59.9 | 40.1 |
3.17
Average Family Size
2.75
Average Household Size
73.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 2,886 | 3.12% |
Associates Degree | 7,587 | 8.21% |
Bachelors Degree | 29,335 | 31.75% |
Graduate Degree | 17,668 | 19.12% |
High School Graduate | 14,811 | 16.03% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 2,018 | 2.18% |
Some College | 18,101 | 19.59% |
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 | 72,691 | 70,931 | 40,175 |
Hispanic | 8,640 | 6,180 | 1,735 |
2+ Races | 4,613 | 3,937 | 1,495 |
Black | 4,425 | 4,129 | 1,564 |
Asian | 4,071 | 3,743 | 2,269 |
Other Race | 1,880 | 1,474 | 633 |
Native American | 171 | 171 | 71 |
Islander | 13 | 13 | 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 asian people with a rate of 55.74%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $72,133 | $89,078 | $55,189 |
Graduate Degree | $82,672 | $102,241 | $70,819 |
High School Graduate | $40,377 | $48,063 | $30,704 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $31,875 | $37,312 | $24,848 |
Overall | $59,124 | $72,151 | $47,316 |
Some College | $50,630 | $62,415 | $37,272 |
$59,124
Average Earnings
$72,151
Average Male
$47,316
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
85.1% of Olathe residents speak only English, while 14.9% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.19% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 105,303 | 4,640 | 4.41% |
Hispanic | 16,406 | 2,308 | 14.07% |
Multiple | 9,841 | 1,148 | 11.67% |
Black | 7,082 | 692 | 9.77% |
Other | 3,177 | 337 | 10.61% |
Asian | 5,790 | 335 | 5.79% |
Native | 226 | 30 | 13.27% |
6.08%
Overall Poverty Rate
5.42%
Male Poverty Rate
6.73%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Olathe is Hispanic, with 14.07% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Olathe is White, with 4.41% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.42%. Among those working part-time, it was 9.04%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 13.42%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 20% |
High School | 8.84% |
Some College | 5.22% |
Bachelors or Greater | 2.34% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 24.26% |
Male Unemployed | 15.33% |
Female Employed | 3.3% |
Male Employed | 2.99% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $118,875 | $140,325 |
Households | $108,077 | $126,598 |
Married Families | $132,929 | $155,912 |
Non Families | $61,074 | $79,764 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
57.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
59.6%
Male Marriage Rate
56.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
5,529
Number of Veterans
5,171
Male Veterans
358
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
First Gulf War | 1,924 |
Vietnam | 1,814 |
Second Gulf War | 1,173 |
Korea | 337 |
World War II | 87 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 1,868 |
65 to 74 | 1,418 |
75+ | 1,087 |
55 to 64 | 839 |
18 to 34 | 317 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 4,876 | 5.7% |
Hispanic | 426 | 4% |
2+ Races | 281 | 4.94% |
Black | 240 | 4.66% |
Other Race | 99 | 4.07% |
Asian | 22 | 0.48% |
Native American | 8 | 4.21% |
Islander | 3 | 23.08% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.52%
Veteran Poverty Rate
23.95%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
73.6%
Labor Force Participation
70.9%
Employment Rate
3.2%
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
46.48%
Born in Olathe
89.44%
Native Born
10.56%
Foreign Born
5.19%
Non Citizen
5.37%
Naturalized
89.44% of Olathe residents were born in the United States, with 46.48% having been born in Kansas. 5.19% 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 | 159,211 | 1,959 | 1.25% |
2028 | 157,252 | 1,958 | 1.26% |
2027 | 155,294 | 1,958 | 1.28% |
2026 | 153,336 | 1,959 | 1.29% |
2025 | 151,377 | 1,958 | 1.31% |
2024 | 149,419 | 1,958 | 1.33% |
2023 | 147,461 | 1,884 | 1.29% |
2022 | 145,577 | 2,145 | 1.5% |
2021 | 143,432 | 1,846 | 1.3% |
2020 | 141,586 | 938 | 0.67% |
2019 | 140,648 | 699 | 0.5% |
2018 | 139,949 | 2,271 | 1.65% |
2017 | 137,678 | 1,638 | 1.2% |
2016 | 136,040 | 1,656 | 1.23% |
2015 | 134,384 | 1,480 | 1.11% |
2014 | 132,904 | 1,057 | 0.8% |
2013 | 131,847 | 1,856 | 1.43% |
2012 | 129,991 | 1,659 | 1.29% |
2011 | 128,332 | 2,079 | 1.65% |
2010 | 126,253 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 92,962 | 29,610 | 46.74% |
1990 | 63,352 | 26,094 | 70.04% |
1980 | 37,258 | 19,341 | 107.95% |
1970 | 17,917 | 6,930 | 63.07% |
1960 | 10,987 | 5,394 | 96.44% |
1950 | 5,593 | 1,614 | 40.56% |
1940 | 3,979 | 323 | 8.83% |
1930 | 3,656 | 388 | 11.87% |
1920 | 3,268 | -4 | -0.12% |
1910 | 3,272 | -179 | -5.19% |
1900 | 3,451 | 157 | 4.77% |
1890 | 3,294 | -155,917 | -97.93% |