Homesteading in Kansas
Explore 105 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Kansas.
Kansas uses a Prior Appropriation water rights system , allows county-level building code enforcement , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 1.33%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Prior Appropriation
Prior appropriation doctrine. Water rights acquired through KDA Division of Water Resources permit process. Domestic use of up to 15 acre-feet per year exempt.
Statute: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 82a-701 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: No (county-level)
No mandatory statewide residential building code. Cities and counties may adopt codes locally.
Statute: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 12-751a
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless carry for persons 21 and older effective 2015. Open carry legal without a permit.
Statute: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6302
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects agricultural operations from nuisance suits if the operation has been in existence for at least one year. Extends protection to changes in ownership and expansion of operations.
Statute: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 2-3201 et seq.
Counties in Kansas
105 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 12,554 | $95,700 | $1,617 | 90 | Very Low |
| Anderson County | 7,799 | $141,700 | $2,283 | 88 | Very Low |
| Atchison County | 16,309 | $123,400 | $1,765 | 82 | Very Low |
| Barber County | 4,081 | $83,300 | $1,368 | 93 | Very Low |
| Barton County | 25,477 | $113,200 | $1,925 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| Bourbon County | 14,405 | $95,600 | $1,694 | 90 | Very Low |
| Brown County | 9,486 | $108,700 | $1,324 | 80 | Very Low |
| Butler County | 67,618 | $181,700 | $2,817 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Chase County | 2,570 | $108,300 | $1,711 | 88 | Very Low |
| Chautauqua County | 3,389 | $58,400 | $1,067 | 93 | Very Low |
| Cherokee County | 19,380 | $91,800 | $1,213 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Cheyenne County | 2,619 | $114,700 | $1,456 | 81 | Very Low |
| Clark County | 1,977 | $78,500 | $1,435 | 93 | Very Low |
| Clay County | 8,088 | $136,600 | $1,875 | 83 | Very Low |
| Cloud County | 9,008 | $91,100 | $1,578 | 82 | Very Low |
| Coffey County | 8,334 | $131,200 | $1,503 | 88 | Very Low |
| Comanche County | 1,825 | $63,800 | $1,332 | 93 | Very Low |
| Cowley County | 34,661 | $104,000 | $1,761 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Crawford County | 39,012 | $114,100 | $1,350 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Decatur County | 2,771 | $76,100 | $1,287 | 81 | Very Low |
| Dickinson County | 18,492 | $137,000 | $1,986 | 85 | Relatively Low |
| Doniphan County | 7,501 | $116,400 | $1,390 | 81 | Very Low |
| Douglas County | 119,094 | $259,500 | $3,249 | 85 | Relatively Low |
| Edwards County | 2,849 | $65,500 | $1,145 | 90 | Very Low |
| Elk County | 2,453 | $57,100 | $1,237 | 92 | Very Low |
| Ellis County | 28,921 | $199,100 | $2,478 | 85 | Very Low |
| Ellsworth County | 6,374 | $109,400 | $1,613 | 86 | Very Low |
| Finney County | 38,187 | $183,900 | $2,590 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Ford County | 34,212 | $121,500 | $2,046 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Franklin County | 25,968 | $175,500 | $2,587 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Geary County | 36,247 | $162,400 | $2,576 | 84 | Very Low |
| Gove County | 2,758 | $112,800 | $1,578 | 85 | Very Low |
| Graham County | 2,430 | $87,400 | $1,459 | 83 | Very Low |
| Grant County | 7,336 | $147,800 | $1,832 | 91 | Very Low |
| Gray County | 5,719 | $162,400 | $2,418 | 90 | Very Low |
| Greeley County | 1,279 | $115,700 | $2,026 | 87 | Very Low |
| Greenwood County | 6,001 | $64,900 | $1,162 | 90 | Very Low |
| Hamilton County | 2,520 | $116,800 | $2,068 | 89 | Very Low |
| Harper County | 5,457 | $81,000 | $1,474 | 93 | Very Low |
| Harvey County | 33,959 | $160,100 | $2,425 | 89 | Very Low |
| Haskell County | 3,735 | $132,500 | $2,194 | 91 | Very Low |
| Hodgeman County | 1,770 | $86,100 | $1,575 | 89 | Very Low |
| Jackson County | 13,274 | $169,100 | $2,234 | 82 | Very Low |
| Jefferson County | 18,387 | $193,000 | $2,515 | 83 | Very Low |
| Jewell County | 2,929 | $58,400 | $1,169 | 81 | Very Low |
| Johnson County | 610,742 | $343,300 | $4,000 | 85 | Relatively High |
| Kearny County | 3,964 | $143,200 | $1,830 | 89 | Very Low |
| Kingman County | 7,369 | $97,500 | $1,832 | 91 | Very Low |
| Kiowa County | 2,445 | $121,600 | $1,622 | 91 | Very Low |
| Labette County | 20,096 | $94,600 | $1,653 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Lane County | 1,528 | $82,300 | $1,455 | 87 | Very Low |
| Leavenworth County | 82,050 | $240,800 | $2,925 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Lincoln County | 2,929 | $94,100 | $1,442 | 84 | Very Low |
| Linn County | 9,696 | $148,200 | $1,569 | 88 | Very Low |
| Logan County | 2,752 | $116,100 | $1,970 | 85 | Very Low |
| Lyon County | 32,182 | $136,100 | $2,043 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| McPherson County | 30,085 | $180,900 | $2,600 | 87 | Very Low |
| Marion County | 11,867 | $114,700 | $1,916 | 88 | Very Low |
| Marshall County | 10,014 | $112,300 | $1,476 | 81 | Very Low |
| Meade County | 4,019 | $137,500 | $1,753 | 93 | Very Low |
| Miami County | 34,312 | $253,100 | $3,060 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Mitchell County | 5,829 | $100,700 | $1,911 | 82 | Very Low |
| Montgomery County | 31,448 | $90,200 | $1,506 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Morris County | 5,385 | $111,700 | $1,767 | 86 | Very Low |
| Morton County | 2,688 | $96,000 | $1,802 | 93 | Very Low |
| Nemaha County | 10,219 | $174,500 | $1,759 | 81 | Very Low |
| Neosho County | 15,826 | $99,400 | $1,461 | 91 | Very Low |
| Ness County | 2,677 | $80,400 | $1,500 | 87 | Very Low |
| Norton County | 5,431 | $109,800 | $1,759 | 81 | Very Low |
| Osage County | 15,787 | $138,400 | $2,205 | 86 | Very Low |
| Osborne County | 3,493 | $80,600 | $1,392 | 83 | Very Low |
| Ottawa County | 5,768 | $157,800 | $2,554 | 84 | Very Low |
| Pawnee County | 6,288 | $93,800 | $1,556 | 88 | Very Low |
| Phillips County | 4,960 | $95,400 | $1,615 | 81 | Very Low |
| Pottawatomie County | 25,482 | $221,600 | $2,444 | 82 | Very Low |
| Pratt County | 9,175 | $111,100 | $2,000 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Rawlins County | 2,544 | $108,500 | $1,596 | 81 | Very Low |
| Reno County | 61,881 | $119,200 | $2,059 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Republic County | 4,686 | $71,000 | $1,270 | 80 | Very Low |
| Rice County | 9,441 | $87,700 | $1,546 | 88 | Very Low |
| Riley County | 72,105 | $231,000 | $3,383 | 83 | Relatively Low |
| Rooks County | 4,925 | $88,200 | $1,629 | 83 | Very Low |
| Rush County | 2,939 | $74,900 | $1,507 | 87 | Very Low |
| Russell County | 6,702 | $103,500 | $1,872 | 85 | Very Low |
| Saline County | 54,160 | $161,900 | $2,223 | 85 | Relatively Low |
| Scott County | 5,128 | $166,100 | $2,675 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| Sedgwick County | 522,700 | $175,700 | $2,232 | 91 | Relatively High |
| Seward County | 21,942 | $126,000 | $2,206 | 93 | Very Low |
| Shawnee County | 178,625 | $159,900 | $2,372 | 84 | Relatively Moderate |
| Sheridan County | 2,450 | $134,900 | $2,150 | 83 | Very Low |
| Sherman County | 5,940 | $123,900 | $1,785 | 83 | Very Low |
| Smith County | 3,561 | $83,900 | $1,443 | 81 | Very Low |
| Stafford County | 4,054 | $96,100 | $1,475 | 89 | Very Low |
| Stanton County | 2,060 | $74,000 | $1,681 | 91 | Very Low |
| Stevens County | 5,275 | $133,800 | $2,145 | 93 | Very Low |
| Sumner County | 22,517 | $116,400 | $1,900 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Thomas County | 7,907 | $165,300 | $2,331 | 83 | Very Low |
| Trego County | 2,798 | $114,900 | $1,722 | 85 | Very Low |
| Wabaunsee County | 6,922 | $169,600 | $2,236 | 85 | Very Low |
| Wallace County | 1,489 | $96,200 | $1,736 | 85 | Very Low |
| Washington County | 5,529 | $106,100 | $1,509 | 81 | Very Low |
| Wichita County | 2,131 | $96,700 | $1,872 | 87 | Very Low |
| Wilson County | 8,667 | $91,700 | $1,285 | 91 | Very Low |
| Woodson County | 3,134 | $85,300 | $1,371 | 90 | Very Low |
| Wyandotte County | 167,989 | $139,800 | $2,159 | 84 | Relatively Moderate |
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