KU institute to publish 60th edition of Kansas Statistical Abstract
LAWRENCE — A comprehensive data resource from the University of Kansas that helps policymakers, scholars and media understand changes across the Sunflower State will turn 60 this year.
The 2025 Kansas Statistical Abstract will be available online Sept. 1. The data compendium is published annually by KU's Institute for Policy & Social Research and includes information on a wide range of topics about Kansas with information in downloadable tables, maps and graphs.
To commemorate the milestone, IPSR will offer public programming in September tied with the new publication, including a how-to webinar Sept. 3.
“Data is essential for making informed decisions. For the past 60 years, the Institute for Policy & Social Research has provided essential data on the state of Kansas in the Kansas Statistical Abstract,” said Donna Ginther, Roy A. Roberts and Regents Distinguished Professor of Economics and IPSR director. “This valuable resource provides annual updates on state, county and city-level data on topics ranging from agriculture to vital population statistics, including education, energy and income.
“As data becomes more important in shaping our economy, the KSA provides a wealth of information on how the state has grown and changed over time,” she said.
Source: Institute for Policy & Social Research, the University of Kansas, data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with solar farm data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Available in the Kansas Statistical Abstract, 60th edition, 2026.
Among stories found in the updated data in the 2025 KSA is Kansas’ expansion of solar energy. New 2024 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show the state has expanded to 33 solar power plants with a nameplate capacity of 65.9MW, representing a 63.9% growth over the capacity of 40.2MW from 14 plants in 2023.
Nameplate capacity refers to the maximum output of energy under ideal conditions, such as when there is high sun on a summer day.
Kansas has seven new proposed solar plants that represent a nameplate capacity of 668.5MW, with the largest, Bourbon County’s Kingbird Solar, representing a potential of 300MW.
This information is featured in the map Solar Farms and Direct Normal Solar Resource in Kansas. Kansas is one of the sunniest states, with flat terrain and high-quality transmission corridors offering prime ground for rising investments in utility-scale solar. Solar power is beneficial because it is a steady-priced source of energy that is most abundant at high-demand times of the day.
This work ties in with IPSR’s role as the lead agency for the Kansas State Data Center, a partnership among the U.S. Census Bureau and a network of coordinating and affiliate agencies in Kansas.
“The Kansas Statistical Abstract has always been a great source of baseline and comparative information for communities and counties. As a trusted resource, you know that you’re not comparing apples to oranges,” said Janet McRae, former Miami County economic development director and owner of JLM Solutions.
“The staff at IPSR has vetted trusted resources with tested methodologies,” she said. “As other data sources become less reliable or change, the value of this data becomes even more important. We’ve used it for retail recruitment, comprehensive planning, grant solicitations and decisions regarding housing development.”
Kansas Statistical Abstract topics
The KSA includes state, county and city-level data for Kansas on the following topics:
- Agriculture
- Banking and finance
- Business, industry and exports
- Climate
- Communications and information
- Courts, crime and public safety
- Education
- Employment and earnings
- Energy and natural resources
- Government
- Housing and construction
- Income
- Parks and recreation
- Population
- Transportation
- Vital statistics and health.
The KSA is available for download at no cost to users, and users can download the entire document or individual tables, maps and graphs at the IPSR Data Library.
Upcoming events
IPSR will celebrate this anniversary in the first week of September with a series of events related to the publication:
- IPSR will host a 60th anniversary celebration in its office Sept. 1 for an afternoon gathering.
- IPSR data engineer Xan Wedel will lead a virtual webinar on the KSA, with tips for accessing the data and use cases for teaching, planning and research, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 3.
- IPSR will host a research luncheon on the KSA from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 4. Speakers Wedel and Zach Mohr, a professor in KU’s School of Public Affairs & Administration, will discuss how they use the KSA for research and teaching. The event will take place in Watson Library’s West Reading Room on the third floor.
Community members interested in joining these events can register to attend or email IPSR@ku.edu with questions.