Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety35#599/924
Economy15#790/925
Housing31#639/925
Health32#626/925
Healthcare55#416/923
Environment31#634/917
Education77#215/925
Infrastructure49#475/925
Community55#418/925
Leisure & amenities57#400/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Distance to an emergency room · low3.1 mi
98/100Kansas 5.2 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high1.8 /10k
94/100Kansas 1.3 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Average commute time · low17.8 min
91/100Kansas 19.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Child care cost burden · low21.3%
91/100Kansas 18.9%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · low1,862 /100k
87/100Kansas 2,534 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Home price to income ratio · low2.5×
85/100Kansas 2.9×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

Suicide rate · high33.5 /100k
3/100Kansas 18.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100k2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · low$919
6/100Kansas $1,216United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Public transit commuters · low0.0%
8/100Kansas 0.4%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty
Median household income · low$52,844
10/100Kansas $75,402United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Poverty rate · high20.6%
10/100Kansas 10.9%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Property crime rate · high1,992 /100k
12/100Kansas 1,797 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 54% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+54 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New business applicationsImproving
4.7 /1k (2020) → 9.2 /1k (2025)
+93%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
77.0% (2015-2019) → 88.5% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Preventable hospital staysImproving
3,730 /100k (2019) → 1,862 /100k (2023)
−50%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k
Property crime rateImproving
3,977 /100k (2020) → 1,992 /100k (2025)
−50%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k
Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
2.3 /10k (2020) → 3.3 /10k (2025)
+44%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area improved on 11 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 9 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Libraries+16%1.5 /10k → 1.8 /10k
Arts & recreation+44%2.3 /10k → 3.3 /10k
New businesses+93%4.7 /1k → 9.2 /1k
Traffic deaths−20%15.4 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Property crime−50%3,977 /100k → 1,992 /100k

Declined3

Uninsured+3.5 points11.7% → 15.2%
Overdose deaths+28%9.3 /100k → 11.9 /100k
Firearm deaths+13%15.8 /100k → 17.8 /100k

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.3 /10k2020	3.3 /10k2025	+44%	Improved	95%
Average commute time	16.9 min2015-2019	17.8 min2020-2024	+0.9 min	Within the margin of error	33%
Average weekly wage	$7502020	$9192025	+23%	Improved	42%
Bachelor's degree or higher	29.9%2015-2019	32.2%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Broadband subscriptions	77.0%2015-2019	88.5%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	74%
Child poverty rate	22.1%2015-2019	25.2%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Distance to an airport	75 mi2020	75 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	9.3 /100k2020	11.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+28%	Declined	14%
Effective property tax rate	1.28%2015-2019	1.06%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	78%
Firearm deaths	15.8 /100k2020	17.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+13%	Declined	32%
Grocery stores	1.5 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−0.1%	Little change	50%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.8 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	−0.1%	Little change	41%
High school diploma or higher	92.1%2015-2019	92.3%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Home price to income ratio	2.3×2015-2019	2.5×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	79%
Homicide rate	6.4 /100k2020	3.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−47%	Improved	74%
Income adjusted for local prices	$46,5782019	$57,9172024	+24%	Improved	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4632015-2019	0.4642020-2024	+0.001	Within the margin of error	50%
Median household income	$41,0042015-2019	$52,8442020-2024	+29%	Improved	60%
New business applications	4.7 /1k2020	9.2 /1k2025	+93%	Improved	93%
Pharmacies	1.0 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−0.1%	Little change	72%
Poverty rate	20.3%2015-2019	20.6%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Property crime rate	3,977 /100k2020	1,992 /100k2025	−50%	Improved	85%
Public libraries	1.5 /10k2019	1.8 /10k2024	+16%	Improved	94%
Rent as share of income	32.9%2015-2019	30.3%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Rent-burdened households	55.4%2015-2019	50.7%2020-2024	−4.7 points	Within the margin of error	87%
Restaurants and bars	11.0 /10k2020	11.3 /10k2025	+2.2%	Little change	55%
Traffic deaths	15.4 /100k2015-2019	12.3 /100k2020-2024	−20%	Improved	88%
Unemployment rate	5.3%2020	4.6%2025	−0.7 points	Little change	2%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.7%2015-2019	15.2%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Declined	2%
Violent crime rate	491 /100k2020	308 /100k2025	−37%	Improved	84%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area itself moved +0.1 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

39,008 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 men (−1.2 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

39,008 residents

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

White83%32,530
Black1.5%585
Hispanic or Latino7.5%2,936

Education

23,380 residents (±142)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma7.7%1,803
High school or GED27%6,323
Some college24%5,615

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

15,838 households (±311)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k23%3,572
$25k–50k25%3,980
$50k–75k18%2,925
$75k–100k12%1,932
$100k–150k13%2,135
$150k–200k4.2%672
$200k or more3.9%622

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−8.7 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

15,838 households (±311)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Own61%9,628
Rent39%6,210

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

5,760 households (±467)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75037%2,120
$750–1,00032%1,826
$1,000–1,50027%1,579

Home values

9,628 homes (±384)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k54%5,211
$150k–250k28%2,656
$250k–400k12%1,196
$400k–750k

Age of homes

18,126 homes (±45)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later7.6%1,384
2000–200910%1,896
1980–199920%3,622

Size of homes

18,126 homes (±45)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Studio6.6%1,191
1 bedroom8.0%1,455
2 bedrooms28%5,107
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

19,151 workers (±566)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone80%15,271
Carpool10%2,003
Public transit0.0%†4
Walk2.1%†410
Bike0.5%†88
Work from home5.9%1,136
Other1.2%†239

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−6.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

18,015 workers (±572)

Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min57%10,252
15–29 min26%4,708
30–44 min9.3%1,673

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Pittsburg, KS has 901 employer establishments, 231 for every 10,000 residents (0.93× the US rate of 248), with 15,708 paid employees at an average annual pay of $44,122. The Census Bureau also counts 2,377 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 901; 2,377 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 231; US 248
Paid employees: 15,708
Average annual pay: $44,122; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Pittsburg, KS by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	82	21.1	1.01×About typical	1,127	$49,022	91
Restaurants and other eating places	65	16.7	0.91×About typical	1,295	$14,977	18
Specialty trade contractors	63	16.2	1.05×About typical	937	$44,739	229
Religious organizations	38	9.8	1.76×More than typical	237	$20,143	—
Full-service restaurants	36	9.2	1.20×About typical	651	$15,330	8
Offices of physicians	26	6.7	1.03×About typical	216	$38,546	27
Banks and credit unions	24	6.2	1.91×More than typical	250	$57,624	4
Building equipment contractors	24	6.2	1.02×About typical	607	$44,853	54
Lessors of real estate	23	5.9	0.48×Fewer than typical	63	$36,746	227
Limited-service restaurants	23	5.9	0.74×Fewer than typical	586	$14,454	3
Services to buildings and dwellings	23	5.9	0.88×About typical	99	$29,475	166
Automotive repair and maintenance	22	5.7	1.12×About typical	103	$34,029	44

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 38,938 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $799.3K on contracts performed in Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area: $20.49 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $799.3K; +3,691% vs FY2025
Per resident: $20.49; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.9%; US 30%
Single offer: 69%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

PIONEER, LLC$790.3K99%
JOSHUA L JAGELS$7,0000.9%
SHIELD SERVICES LLC$2,0150.3%

Spending by fiscal year

110.2KFY2017
578.9KFY2018
1.6MFY2019
3.6MFY2020
867.8KFY2021
476.3KFY2022
559.5KFY2023
185.2K

Top industries (NAICS)

Support activities for animal production · 1152$790.3K99%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$7,0000.9%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$2,0150.3%

Largest awards

ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON OPTION YEAR 4 FULL FUNDING FOR OPTION YEAR 5$561.2K
PIONEER, LLC· Crawford County, KS· Facilities & utilities· Nov 24, 2025 – Nov 24, 2025· 140L0126F0008
PIONEER LLC - FUND OPTION YEAR 3$531.1K
PIONEER, LLC· Crawford County, KS· Facilities & utilities· Sep 20, 2023 – Feb 5, 2026· 140L0123F0151
PIONEER LLC - OFF-RANGE PASTURE (ORP) TASK ORDER (TO)$238.3K
PIONEER, LLC· Crawford County, KS· Facilities & utilities· Sep 1, 2026 – Sep 1, 2026· 140L0126F0117
JOSH JAGELS - PRECIPITATION COLLECTION STATION OPERATOR (FARLINGTON FISH HATCHERY) SITE KS07

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $238.1M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area: $6,104 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $238.1M; −4.3% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,104; US $12,955
Loan face value: $8.5M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 2.6%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$131M55%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$17.8M7.5%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$13.5M5.7%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$13.3M5.6%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$9.6M4.0%
93.224 · Health Center Program$8.5M3.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$8.2M3.4%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$5.3M2.2%

Top recipients (organizations)

PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY$15.3M6.4%
PITTSBURG, KS
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS INC$10.9M4.6%
PITTSBURG, KS
KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$5.4M2.3%
TOPEKA, KS
SEK-CAP, INC.$2.3M1.0%
GIRARD, KS
CITY OF PITTSBURG KS$1.8M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$170.5M72%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$15.7M6.6%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Health Resources and Services Administration$11.1M4.6%
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Education$10.3M4.3%
Federal Highway Administration$5.4M

Assistance by fiscal year

264.3MFY2021
212.7MFY2022
231.1MFY2023
235.8MFY2024
248.9MFY2025
238.1MFY2026

County aggregates

81%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Pittsburg, KS

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Crawford CountyCentral county4839,008

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

PittsburgPrincipal city20,637

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Kansas

Areas based in Kansas, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Joplin, MO-KS31

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M38260

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Pittsburg, KS micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Pittsburg, KS

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Kansas

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined3

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type