Jobs, pay and daily life in Merriam, 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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Merriam is a city in Kansas with 11,085 residents. The median household earns $73,600 a year and the median rent is $1,181 a month, which is 19.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,096,110 jobs.
How Merriam compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Merriam is #34 by population, #9 for remote work (#1 = most), #14 for college degrees (#1 = most), #41 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Johnson County, is #1 of 105 counties for average pay ($75,090).
Merriam has 11,085 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Kansas. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,568 people per square mile. The median age is 39.3, 5% older than the state median (39.3 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $1,181 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% above the state median ($1,181 against $1,060). Over a year that is 19.3% 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 $263,300, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($73,600); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.7% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (60.7% against 67.2%).
The Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan area has 1,096,110 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,820 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,820 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (123,320 jobs, median $46,980); transportation and material moving (104,360 jobs, median $44,570); food preparation and serving related (96,330 jobs, median $32,000). The area is most specialised in personal care and service (1.2 times) and architecture and engineering (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($117,420) and computer and mathematical ($100,770). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Johnson County was 3.7%. 70.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Johnson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.6% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 2.1% walk, 19.6% work from home. 5.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 29% below the state average (5.2% against 7.4%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
45.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28% above the state share (45.6% against 35.6%). 7.4% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (7.4% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 6.0%, 47% below the state rate (6.0% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.0°C). About 998 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (140 mm) and Jan the driest (29 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: Mission (2 miles, similar rent); Roeland Park (3 miles, rent 34% higher); Prairie Village (4 miles, rent 52% higher); Shawnee (6 miles, rent 12% higher). Rent differences are against Merriam; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideJohnson 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 31,080 | 1.26 | $90,490 | $47,080 | $219,230 | -14% |
| Registered Nurses | 29,650 | 1.24 | $83,040 | $66,970 | $103,540 | -15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 26,110 | 0.95 | $34,320 | $28,630 | $47,150 | -3% |
| Cashiers | 24,160 | 1.11 | $30,700 | $28,600 | $38,160 | -7% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 23,580 | 1.18 | $36,850 | $30,000 | $52,130 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 22,240 | 1.22 | $44,350 | $31,420 | $62,510 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 20,870 | 0.69 | $32,780 | $28,600 | $44,420 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 20,120 | 0.74 | $29,560 | $23,550 | $35,840 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 19,070 | 0.92 | $41,700 | $31,350 | $51,600 | +4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,230 | 1.25 | $60,170 | $44,070 | $80,900 | +3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 16,540 | 1.03 | $36,080 | $28,600 | $63,260 | +2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 15,930 | 1.32 | $46,810 | $33,680 | $61,720 | -2% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 13,850 | 3.07 | $30,170 | $29,180 | $34,800 | -2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 13,770 | 1.39 | $54,990 | $36,810 | $78,900 | +23% |
| Nursing Assistants | 13,370 | 1.31 | $39,710 | $36,510 | $48,130 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 12,950 | 0.83 | $36,350 | $30,200 | $47,050 | -1% |
| Software Developers | 12,160 | 1.02 | $124,990 | $76,340 | $169,440 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 11,500 | 1.17 | $61,060 | $48,120 | $78,940 | -5% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 11,260 | 1.10 | $80,040 | $54,680 | $130,320 | -4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 10,520 | 0.61 | $45,640 | $31,110 | $65,730 | +1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 990 | 0.69 | $221,640 | $80,390 | $503,890 | +4% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 980 | 2.68 | $218,080 | $167,250 | $464,130 | -8% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 590 | 0.77 | $213,950 | $74,550 | $425,160 | -12% |
| Dentists, General | 1,070 | 1.22 | $171,690 | $95,610 | $340,330 | +0% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 4,710 | 1.00 | $168,050 | $105,680 | $234,030 | -4% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,820 | 1.17 | $162,680 | $109,840 | $225,460 | -5% |
| Financial Managers | 4,970 | 0.84 | $162,490 | $101,060 | $296,870 | -2% |
| Purchasing Managers | 690 | 1.17 | $161,910 | $102,730 | $221,670 | +9% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,380 | 0.89 | $140,890 | $91,780 | $220,570 | -6% |
| Pharmacists | 2,640 | 1.16 | $139,460 | $85,500 | $172,430 | -1% |
| Marketing Managers | 2,260 | 0.81 | $139,240 | $81,710 | $227,820 | -17% |
| Managers, All Other | 3,780 | 0.86 | $136,530 | $73,750 | $211,950 | -4% |
| Lawyers | 5,310 | 1.00 | $134,640 | $78,310 | $287,200 | -16% |
| Physician Assistants | 540 | 0.47 | $133,350 | $101,600 | $165,740 | -2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 1,960 | 0.97 | $130,850 | $60,310 | $205,470 | +25% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,730 | 1.20 | $130,760 | $97,030 | $159,810 | -1% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,430 | 0.82 | $129,300 | $79,750 | $208,930 | +3% |
| Database Architects | 570 | 1.21 | $127,590 | $67,690 | $165,010 | -9% |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,310 | 1.37 | $126,260 | $67,070 | $448,550 | -53% |
| Software Developers | 12,160 | 1.02 | $124,990 | $76,340 | $169,440 | -8% |
These figures are for the whole Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,820 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 15.1% |
| Retail trade | 14.8% |
| Manufacturing | 12.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.3% |
| Construction | 4.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.1% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Other services | 2.5% |
| Information | 2.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Merriam 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 620,631 | $67,012 million | $107,974 | 370,992 | 30,095 | $75,090 | +0.3% | 3.7% | 359,827 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 53,095 | 15.7% | $65,693 | 1.00 |
| Professional and technical services | 38,435 | 11.4% | $115,345 | 1.49 |
| Retail trade | 36,992 | 10.9% | $39,890 | 1.00 |
| Accommodation and food services | 29,165 | 8.6% | $27,309 | 0.86 |
| Administrative and waste services | 27,676 | 8.2% | $59,675 | 1.27 |
| Manufacturing | 24,464 | 7.2% | $85,245 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 24,341 | 7.2% | $125,858 | 1.62 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20,793 | 6.1% | $58,484 | 1.32 |
| Wholesale trade | 20,380 | 6.0% | $110,981 | 1.39 |
| Construction | 18,106 | 5.4% | $86,733 | 0.93 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10,695 | 3.2% | $52,838 | 0.96 |
| Management of companies | 10,556 | 3.1% | $148,101 | 1.69 |
| Information | 6,984 | 2.1% | $119,933 | 1.00 |
| Real estate and rental | 5,754 | 1.7% | $70,498 | 1.00 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 5,656 | 1.7% | $26,281 | 0.91 |
| Educational services | 3,918 | 1.2% | $50,052 | 0.51 |
| Utilities | 642 | 0.2% | $122,727 | 0.46 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 362 | 0.1% | $78,780 | 0.26 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 178 | 0.1% | $36,186 | 0.06 |
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 | 72.6% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 2.1% |
| Work from home | 19.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,600 |
| Income per person | $44,272 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,181 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.3% |
| Median home value | $263,300 |
| Homeowners | 60.7% |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,820 |
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 | 39.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 45.6% |
| Born abroad | 7.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.0 | 28 | 29 |
| Feb | -0.3 | 31 | 39 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 63 |
| Apr | 12.8 | 55 | 100 |
| May | 18.4 | 65 | 140 |
| Jun | 23.8 | 75 | 137 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 101 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 128 |
| Sep | 20.5 | 69 | 91 |
| Oct | 13.0 | 55 | 88 |
| Nov | 6.3 | 43 | 41 |
| Dec | 0.1 | 32 | 41 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission | KS | 2 mi | 9,915 | $75,534 | $1,194 |
| Roeland Park | KS | 3 mi | 6,763 | $88,774 | $1,582 |
| Prairie Village | KS | 4 mi | 22,874 | $113,530 | $1,794 |
| Shawnee | KS | 6 mi | 68,542 | $109,940 | $1,322 |
| Lenexa | KS | 7 mi | 58,384 | $103,239 | $1,454 |
| Kansas City | KS | 8 mi | 155,135 | $62,401 | $1,123 |
| Leawood | KS | 8 mi | 33,809 | $185,625 | $1,983 |
| Overland Park | KS | 9 mi | 200,306 | $104,834 | $1,515 |
| Bonner Springs | KS | 10 mi | 7,839 | $83,218 | $1,165 |
| Kansas City | MO | 11 mi | 510,612 | $69,166 | $1,238 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,085 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,181 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.3% of the median household income.
$73,600 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Johnson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.