Jobs, pay and daily life in Arkansas City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Arkansas City is a city in Kansas with 11,884 residents. The median household earns $49,629 a year and the median rent is $781 a month, which is 18.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Wichita, KS (308,570 jobs), about 25 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Arkansas City compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Arkansas City is #30 by population, #58 for household income (#1 = highest), #56 for remote work (#1 = most), #8 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Cowley County, is #38 of 105 counties for average pay ($49,217).
Arkansas City has 11,884 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Kansas. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,276 people per square mile. The median age is 37.1, about the same as the state median (37.1 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $781 a month (rent plus utilities), 26% below the state median ($781 against $1,060). Over a year that is 18.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $86,800, which is 1.7 times the median household income ($49,629); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.5% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (56.5% against 67.2%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Wichita, KS, metropolitan area has 308,570 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,630 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,630 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (34,310 jobs, median $43,740); production (33,420 jobs, median $59,450); food preparation and serving related (28,710 jobs, median $28,300). The area is most specialised in production (2.0 times) and architecture and engineering (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,260) and computer and mathematical ($84,790). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cowley County was 4.1%. 57.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cowley County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.2% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 1.3% walk, 3.0% work from home. 8.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 9% above the state average (8.1% against 7.4%).
20.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42% below the state share (20.6% against 35.6%). 7.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 4% above the state share (7.6% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 17.2%, 52% above the state rate (17.2% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 33°F (0.8°C). About 938 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (145 mm) and Jan the driest (31 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Winfield (12 miles, similar rent); Ponca City (24 miles, rent 9% higher); Wellington (25 miles, rent 6% lower); Mulvane (30 miles, rent 30% higher). Rent differences are against Arkansas City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideCowley CountyKansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 341 federal postings open in Kansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 11,580 | 1.51 | $27,420 | $21,530 | $30,010 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,530 | 0.97 | $30,760 | $23,000 | $45,150 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 7,460 | 1.11 | $76,540 | $60,300 | $99,530 | -22% |
| Cashiers | 7,070 | 1.15 | $28,430 | $22,450 | $35,150 | -14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,290 | 1.86 | $41,480 | $29,960 | $58,240 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,950 | 1.16 | $39,330 | $29,280 | $56,190 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,850 | 0.68 | $30,600 | $27,470 | $36,190 | -15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,710 | 1.02 | $34,510 | $28,980 | $45,000 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistants | 5,220 | 1.82 | $37,290 | $31,840 | $44,930 | -12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,060 | 0.73 | $85,230 | $48,910 | $191,600 | -19% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 4,740 | 1.68 | $30,870 | $21,860 | $41,910 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,570 | 1.01 | $37,300 | $17,300 | $63,560 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,890 | 0.95 | $57,930 | $39,610 | $75,630 | -1% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,690 | 0.63 | $37,750 | $29,470 | $48,750 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,650 | 0.83 | $32,510 | $27,320 | $45,490 | -12% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 3,590 | 3.03 | $63,030 | $41,100 | $88,450 | +30% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 3,120 | 1.08 | $79,270 | $52,810 | $133,460 | -5% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 3,070 | 1.13 | $46,500 | $35,710 | $61,080 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,940 | 1.07 | $58,640 | $48,470 | $65,150 | -8% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,930 | 1.05 | $44,090 | $32,070 | $62,840 | -1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 550 | 0.41 | $156,130 | $94,730 | $241,830 | -11% |
| Financial Managers | 1,060 | 0.63 | $155,060 | $81,590 | $250,650 | -7% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,170 | 1.71 | $151,470 | $64,630 | $408,370 | -43% |
| Pharmacists | 580 | 0.91 | $142,400 | $107,230 | $165,940 | +1% |
| Sales Managers | 960 | 0.76 | $134,650 | $76,390 | $221,090 | -9% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 1,430 | 10.66 | $130,720 | $81,100 | $167,400 | -3% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 510 | 1.03 | $127,360 | $85,380 | $210,960 | +1% |
| Lawyers | 690 | 0.46 | $121,510 | $76,380 | $209,200 | -24% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 690 | 1.07 | $116,100 | $95,600 | $145,620 | -12% |
| Construction Managers | 730 | 0.97 | $108,180 | $72,190 | $159,140 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 2,040 | 0.61 | $105,980 | $62,860 | $152,500 | -22% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 920 | 0.78 | $104,410 | $73,990 | $181,840 | -16% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 520 | 0.80 | $102,480 | $81,570 | $131,140 | -3% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,110 | 1.53 | $101,510 | $75,940 | $137,160 | -1% |
| Physical Therapists | 580 | 1.10 | $97,400 | $71,960 | $118,780 | -5% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 620 | 0.60 | $94,790 | $62,000 | $175,700 | -10% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 800 | 1.36 | $94,610 | $65,840 | $139,660 | -9% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,140 | 0.54 | $89,170 | $53,420 | $139,990 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,060 | 0.73 | $85,230 | $48,910 | $191,600 | -19% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 2,160 | 1.00 | $84,460 | $51,240 | $135,500 | +2% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Wichita, KS, about 25 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,630 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.4% |
| Manufacturing | 24.2% |
| Construction | 7.0% |
| Retail trade | 6.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.1% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.1% |
| Information | 0.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Arkansas City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowley County | 34,411 | $1,697 million | $49,318 | 13,041 | 782 | $49,217 | -3.5% | 4.1% | 14,937 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,660 | 47.5% | $67,322 | 3.42 |
| Retail trade | 1,319 | 17.1% | $32,605 | 1.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 932 | 12.1% | $17,873 | 0.79 |
| Construction | 370 | 4.8% | $68,521 | 0.54 |
| Administrative and waste services | 362 | 4.7% | $37,244 | 0.47 |
| Finance and insurance | 327 | 4.2% | $65,949 | 0.62 |
| Wholesale trade | 280 | 3.6% | $65,683 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 188 | 2.4% | $33,629 | 0.48 |
| Information | 87 | 1.1% | $53,274 | 0.36 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 70 | 0.9% | $15,227 | 0.32 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 60 | 0.8% | $49,256 | 1.22 |
| Real estate and rental | 30 | 0.4% | $42,142 | 0.15 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 26 | 0.3% | $37,873 | 0.25 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.2% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 1.3% |
| Work from home | 3.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,629 |
| Income per person | $27,382 |
| Median gross rent per month | $781 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.9% |
| Median home value | $86,800 |
| Homeowners | 56.5% |
| Poverty rate | 17.2% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $47,630 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.58%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.6% |
| Born abroad | 7.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.8 | 33 | 31 |
| Feb | 2.7 | 37 | 38 |
| Mar | 9.0 | 48 | 66 |
| Apr | 14.6 | 58 | 95 |
| May | 19.8 | 68 | 145 |
| Jun | 25.2 | 77 | 127 |
| Jul | 27.9 | 82 | 98 |
| Aug | 27.0 | 81 | 104 |
| Sep | 22.5 | 72 | 75 |
| Oct | 15.0 | 59 | 87 |
| Nov | 8.3 | 47 | 37 |
| Dec | 2.1 | 36 | 35 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winfield | KS | 12 mi | 11,711 | $56,656 | $786 |
| Ponca City | OK | 24 mi | 24,326 | $55,941 | $850 |
| Wellington | KS | 25 mi | 7,615 | $50,333 | $733 |
| Mulvane | KS | 30 mi | 6,171 | $74,039 | $1,015 |
| Derby | KS | 36 mi | 26,062 | $84,112 | $1,136 |
| Haysville | KS | 38 mi | 11,117 | $67,740 | $1,064 |
| Andover | KS | 43 mi | 15,965 | $104,787 | $1,450 |
| Augusta | KS | 43 mi | 9,216 | $64,919 | $865 |
| Wichita | KS | 46 mi | 397,945 | $64,620 | $975 |
| Goddard | KS | 50 mi | 6,030 | $94,004 | $1,758 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,884 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$781 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.9% of the median household income.
$49,629 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Cowley County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.