The county economy 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.
Douglas County is a county of Kansas with 120,302 residents. Its economy produced $7,032 million in 2024 (ranked #5 of 105 counties) and had 50,969 jobs with an average annual pay of $54,079 (#9 for pay). The unemployment rate was 3.6% in 2026M09. It is part of the Lawrence, KS metropolitan area (central county).
Douglas County produced about $7,032 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 3.1% of the combined output of the 105 counties of Kansas that BEA reports (about 4.1% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 5th of 105 on that measure. Per resident that is $58,453, 25% below the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $78,217. In current dollars output grew 6.1% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation. The gap between its output rank (5th) and its output-per-resident rank (60th) shows that population is large relative to the value of what is produced here.
BLS counts 50,969 jobs located in Douglas County on average in 2024, spread over 3,726 employer sites (about 14 jobs per site). That is 0.42 jobs for every resident, above the 0.40 of the typical county in Kansas, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $54,079, 10% below the average of all counties in the state ($54,079 against $60,373). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs rose 1.2% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are accommodation and food services (18.8% of private jobs, $20,846 a year on average), retail trade (14.7% of private jobs, $32,192 a year on average), manufacturing (13.3% of private jobs, $66,179 a year on average). Together they hold 46.8% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is professional and technical services at $85,176 a year, followed by construction ($72,281). The county is specialised in several industries: accommodation and food services (1.6 times the US share, 7,198 jobs); other services (except public administration) (1.5 times the US share, 2,290 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: accommodation and food services ($20,846), retail trade ($32,192). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Douglas County was 3.6%, 5% below the average of the state's counties (3.6% against 3.8%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 70,558. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 3.0% (2026M04) to 4.4% (2026M08); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $69,746 (ACS 2020–2024), 6% below the state median ($69,746 against $74,275). The guide covers 2 cities with this as the main county: Lawrence, Eudora. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate. Within the county, median rent runs from $1,091 in Lawrence to $1,222 in Eudora, so where you live matters as much as which county you pick.
Counties close to Douglas County in output are Wyandotte County, Shawnee County, Leavenworth County, Saline County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 105 counties of Kansas ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,302 | 5 of 105 |
| GDP 2024 | $7,032 million | 5 of 105 |
| GDP per resident | $58,453 | 60 of 105 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 50,969 | 5 of 105 |
| Average annual pay | $54,079 | 9 of 105 |
| Job change vs 2023 | +1.2% | 38 of 105 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 3.6% | 59 of 105 |
| Median household income | $69,746 | 32 of 105 |
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →All cities of KansasState guide: Kansas
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.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Douglas County.
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 7,198 | 18.8% | $20,846 | 1.55 |
| Retail trade | 5,648 | 14.7% | $32,192 | 1.11 |
| Manufacturing | 5,107 | 13.3% | $66,179 | 1.22 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,842 | 12.6% | $45,906 | 0.66 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,526 | 9.2% | $85,176 | 0.99 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,290 | 6.0% | $50,259 | 1.49 |
| Construction | 2,160 | 5.6% | $72,281 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,261 | 3.3% | $49,591 | 0.42 |
| Educational services | 1,202 | 3.1% | $41,336 | 1.14 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,099 | 2.9% | $79,898 | 0.53 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,051 | 2.7% | $91,744 | 0.52 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 712 | 1.9% | $48,200 | 0.33 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 643 | 1.7% | $23,781 | 0.75 |
| Real estate and rental | 622 | 1.6% | $51,687 | 0.79 |
| Information | 512 | 1.3% | $83,662 | 0.54 |
| Management of companies | 240 | 0.6% | $88,042 | 0.28 |
| Utilities | 136 | 0.4% | $117,482 | 0.70 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 84 | 0.2% | $44,500 | 0.20 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 16 | 0.0% | $66,648 | 0.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 70,558 |
| Employed residents | 68,036 |
| Unemployed residents | 2,522 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 50,969 |
| Employer sites | 3,726 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 620,631 | $67,012 million | $107,974 | 370,992 | $75,090 | 3.7% |
| Sedgwick County | 528,226 | $41,525 million | $78,612 | 264,782 | $60,652 | 4.1% |
| Shawnee County | 178,025 | $14,584 million | $81,919 | 99,247 | $60,096 | 4.0% |
| Wyandotte County | 167,654 | $15,517 million | $92,555 | 94,304 | $65,983 | 4.5% |
| Douglas County | 120,302 | $7,032 million | $58,453 | 50,969 | $54,079 | 3.6% |
| Leavenworth County | 83,123 | $4,052 million | $48,745 | 21,951 | $58,997 | 4.2% |
| Riley County | 71,946 | $3,814 million | $53,008 | 30,349 | $52,341 | 3.6% |
| Butler County | 68,287 | $3,837 million | $56,186 | 19,881 | $50,462 | 3.9% |
| Reno County | 61,553 | $3,428 million | $55,689 | 26,658 | $49,987 | 3.9% |
| Saline County | 53,668 | $3,875 million | $72,209 | 30,244 | $50,682 | 3.4% |
| Crawford County | 39,008 | $2,158 million | $55,330 | 17,354 | $45,212 | 4.0% |
| Finney County | 38,084 | $3,112 million | $81,706 | 20,496 | $51,345 | 3.0% |
| Geary County | 35,815 | $3,747 million | $104,611 | 12,559 | $50,873 | 5.0% |
| Miami County | 34,938 | $1,433 million | $41,018 | 9,085 | $53,616 | 3.8% |
| Cowley County | 34,411 | $1,697 million | $49,318 | 13,041 | $49,217 | 4.1% |
| Ford County | 34,074 | $3,215 million | $94,364 | 18,147 | $52,782 | 2.9% |
| Harvey County | 33,756 | $1,762 million | $52,191 | 14,133 | $47,957 | 3.6% |
| Lyon County | 32,186 | $1,975 million | $61,376 | 15,357 | $47,458 | 4.5% |
| Montgomery County | 30,940 | $2,997 million | $96,853 | 14,716 | $46,284 | 4.4% |
| McPherson County | 30,205 | $2,636 million | $87,255 | 16,413 | $59,013 | 3.1% |
| Ellis County | 28,920 | $2,050 million | $70,879 | 15,487 | $47,061 | 3.1% |
| Pottawatomie County | 26,204 | $1,591 million | $60,698 | 10,028 | $51,426 | 3.4% |
| Franklin County | 26,106 | $1,168 million | $44,734 | 10,085 | $50,350 | 3.6% |
| Barton County | 25,097 | $1,623 million | $64,686 | 11,522 | $48,896 | 3.9% |
| Sumner County | 22,353 | $878 million | $39,285 | 6,248 | $43,763 | 4.0% |
| Seward County | 21,486 | $1,723 million | $80,209 | 11,072 | $52,156 | 3.7% |
| Labette County | 19,869 | $1,082 million | $54,442 | 8,525 | $47,757 | 3.9% |
| Cherokee County | 19,151 | $1,092 million | $57,000 | 5,829 | $56,667 | 3.8% |
| Dickinson County | 18,445 | $854 million | $46,287 | 6,412 | $44,483 | 3.6% |
| Jefferson County | 18,349 | $501 million | $27,304 | 3,862 | $51,468 | 3.6% |
| Atchison County | 16,208 | $845 million | $52,150 | 5,566 | $51,842 | 3.7% |
| Osage County | 15,744 | $417 million | $26,518 | 2,941 | $38,780 | 3.8% |
| Neosho County | 15,656 | $788 million | $50,308 | 6,502 | $46,327 | 3.7% |
| Bourbon County | 14,394 | $749 million | $52,002 | 5,529 | $42,850 | 5.5% |
| Jackson County | 13,341 | $508 million | $38,062 | 4,378 | $46,312 | 3.3% |
| Allen County | 12,483 | $703 million | $56,315 | 5,640 | $45,881 | 4.7% |
| Marion County | 11,754 | $521 million | $44,291 | 3,615 | $41,013 | 3.5% |
| Nemaha County | 10,160 | $667 million | $65,628 | 5,748 | $51,113 | 2.8% |
| Marshall County | 9,993 | $704 million | $70,476 | 4,422 | $49,153 | 3.4% |
| Linn County | 9,767 | $576 million | $58,936 | 2,090 | $49,856 | 4.7% |
| Rice County | 9,350 | $949 million | $101,536 | 3,769 | $50,565 | 3.5% |
| Brown County | 9,343 | $702 million | $75,150 | 4,493 | $50,553 | 3.9% |
| Pratt County | 9,127 | $745 million | $81,679 | 4,559 | $48,761 | 3.4% |
| Cloud County | 8,898 | $516 million | $58,038 | 3,206 | $41,565 | 3.0% |
| Wilson County | 8,505 | $389 million | $45,738 | 3,149 | $48,496 | 4.8% |
| Coffey County | 8,308 | $928 million | $111,666 | 3,367 | $67,828 | 4.4% |
| Clay County | 8,048 | $352 million | $43,774 | 2,926 | $40,138 | 3.5% |
| Thomas County | 7,885 | $905 million | $114,734 | 4,104 | $47,946 | 2.7% |
| Anderson County | 7,834 | $501 million | $63,889 | 2,422 | $47,571 | 3.8% |
| Doniphan County | 7,503 | $352 million | $46,955 | 2,764 | $50,466 | 3.8% |
| Grant County | 7,229 | $642 million | $88,749 | 2,465 | $50,410 | 3.4% |
| Kingman County | 7,186 | $334 million | $46,461 | 2,765 | $47,706 | 2.9% |
| Wabaunsee County | 7,009 | $176 million | $25,182 | 1,389 | $41,045 | 3.5% |
| Russell County | 6,679 | $357 million | $53,444 | 2,485 | $43,661 | 3.5% |
| Ellsworth County | 6,360 | $310 million | $48,787 | 2,179 | $49,668 | 3.0% |
| Pawnee County | 6,144 | $353 million | $57,414 | 2,553 | $50,265 | 3.2% |
| Greenwood County | 5,919 | $209 million | $35,286 | 1,570 | $38,426 | 4.4% |
| Sherman County | 5,858 | $405 million | $69,095 | 2,404 | $44,344 | 3.3% |
| Ottawa County | 5,819 | $150 million | $25,776 | 1,291 | $39,552 | 3.1% |
| Mitchell County | 5,779 | $615 million | $106,333 | 3,146 | $47,181 | 3.5% |
| Gray County | 5,701 | $997 million | $174,964 | 3,046 | $51,985 | 2.6% |
| Washington County | 5,533 | $293 million | $52,916 | 2,051 | $39,377 | 3.2% |
| Harper County | 5,400 | $421 million | $77,952 | 2,422 | $47,237 | 3.4% |
| Norton County | 5,359 | $357 million | $66,675 | 2,281 | $47,252 | 2.9% |
| Morris County | 5,340 | $234 million | $43,733 | 1,574 | $40,045 | 3.2% |
| Stevens County | 5,162 | $497 million | $96,229 | 2,117 | $52,377 | 2.9% |
| Scott County | 5,027 | $551 million | $109,641 | 2,142 | $52,214 | 2.9% |
| Phillips County | 4,813 | $604 million | $125,589 | 2,199 | $45,784 | 3.5% |
| Rooks County | 4,813 | $230 million | $47,878 | 1,746 | $44,590 | 3.4% |
| Republic County | 4,646 | $396 million | $85,150 | 1,950 | $40,570 | 3.2% |
| Barber County | 4,069 | $229 million | $56,173 | 1,568 | $44,619 | 3.2% |
| Stafford County | 3,978 | $289 million | $72,755 | 1,198 | $44,017 | 2.9% |
| Meade County | 3,903 | $318 million | $81,531 | 1,544 | $52,614 | 3.1% |
| Kearny County | 3,864 | $265 million | $68,676 | 1,561 | $47,852 | 3.3% |
| Haskell County | 3,641 | $520 million | $142,751 | 1,770 | $50,809 | 3.0% |
| Smith County | 3,552 | $221 million | $62,163 | 1,363 | $41,908 | 3.2% |
| Osborne County | 3,452 | $184 million | $53,235 | 1,251 | $41,453 | 3.5% |
| Chautauqua County | 3,370 | $101 million | $29,971 | 754 | $35,811 | 5.5% |
| Woodson County | 3,109 | $97 million | $31,156 | 690 | $38,174 | 4.6% |
| Rush County | 2,947 | $196 million | $66,362 | 1,073 | $44,311 | 3.2% |
| Lincoln County | 2,923 | $148 million | $50,648 | 909 | $45,837 | 4.0% |
| Jewell County | 2,916 | $143 million | $48,873 | 724 | $36,363 | 4.3% |
| Gove County | 2,799 | $281 million | $100,237 | 1,150 | $44,518 | 3.6% |
| Edwards County | 2,779 | $236 million | $84,937 | 924 | $46,926 | 3.2% |
| Trego County | 2,777 | $178 million | $64,089 | 1,104 | $43,322 | 3.0% |
| Decatur County | 2,726 | $222 million | $81,607 | 877 | $38,309 | 3.2% |
| Logan County | 2,707 | $225 million | $83,051 | 1,249 | $43,390 | 2.8% |
| Ness County | 2,653 | $227 million | $85,619 | 1,085 | $48,722 | 2.4% |
| Cheyenne County | 2,628 | $174 million | $66,095 | 872 | $40,298 | 3.2% |
| Morton County | 2,611 | $219 million | $84,027 | 795 | $43,418 | 3.6% |
| Chase County | 2,561 | $147 million | $57,337 | 777 | $43,605 | 4.8% |
| Rawlins County | 2,516 | $179 million | $71,335 | 1,008 | $49,112 | 2.6% |
| Hamilton County | 2,471 | $423 million | $171,150 | 1,507 | $47,912 | 2.5% |
| Elk County | 2,453 | $102 million | $41,687 | 619 | $35,644 | 4.5% |
| Sheridan County | 2,426 | $224 million | $92,431 | 995 | $48,346 | 2.2% |
| Kiowa County | 2,422 | $135 million | $55,746 | 1,105 | $39,478 | 3.2% |
| Graham County | 2,389 | $186 million | $77,684 | 876 | $44,969 | 4.2% |
| Wichita County | 2,091 | $354 million | $169,220 | 752 | $45,860 | 2.8% |
| Stanton County | 2,038 | $234 million | $114,773 | 896 | $51,029 | 3.5% |
| Clark County | 1,974 | $279 million | $141,559 | 843 | $51,695 | 3.0% |
| Comanche County | 1,729 | $71 million | $40,906 | 622 | $41,352 | 3.2% |
| Hodgeman County | 1,652 | $199 million | $120,705 | 616 | $42,392 | 2.8% |
| Lane County | 1,461 | $174 million | $118,996 | 605 | $47,079 | 4.5% |
| Wallace County | 1,417 | $146 million | $103,363 | 535 | $39,979 | 3.7% |
| Greeley County | 1,304 | $281 million | $215,225 | 617 | $43,670 | 2.9% |
120,302 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$7,032 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
3.6% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
50,969 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $54,079 (BLS QCEW).