A recent study by the U. S. Census Bureau identified 341 counties across the country, including one in Kansas, as places where people are living in persistent poverty. These are counties where poverty rates have been at levels of 20% or more for the past 30 years. Riley County was selected as the only one from kansas where persistent poverty exists.
According to the study, people living in places of higher poverty experience more severe problems than those living in lower poverty areas. This can consist of limited access to medical services, healthy and affordable food, quality education and civic engagement opportunities. Riley County has a poverty rate of 17.6%, the second highest in the state, just behind Crawford County in southeast Kansas. The large transient population of Riley County, students, and soldiers from Fort Riley contribute to the poverty level.
