Hard Water Map

Kansas Water Hardness by County

Water in Kansas has a median hardness of 260 mg/L as CaCO₃ — "very hard" on the USGS scale — based on 103,475 measurements at 11,195 monitoring stations. Hamilton County has the state's hardest measured water (1500 mg/L); Scott County the softest (1.2). Rank: #9 of the 50 states and D.C.

Kansas water hardness map — what the numbers mean. Data verified 2026-07-22.

Of Kansas's 105 measured counties, 93 very hard, 9 hard, 1 moderately hard, and 2 soft. The hardest are Hamilton County (1500 mg/L), Gove County (550), and Russell County (540). Scott County is the softest at 1.2 mg/L (soft).

About 98% of Kansas's roughly 2.9 million residents in counties with gate-passing hardness data live where tap water is hard or worse.

Statewide, Kansas's median works out to 15.2 grains per gallon and ranks #9 of the 50 states and D.C. Across 103,475 measurements at 11,195 stations — 28,016 of them since 2000 — the middle 80% of readings fall between 130 and 540 mg/L. The public record runs from 1913 to 2023.

See where Kansas sits nationally on the national map, or what its number means on the hardness scale.

Download the Kansas water hardness map (PNG) — Water hardness by county in Kansas: 105 counties mapped from USGS/EPA data, statewide median 260 mg/L (very hard); darker counties have harder water.

By county

Water hardness by county

The table lists all 105 measured Kansas counties, hardest first. Their medians span 1500 mg/L in Hamilton County to 1.2 in Scott County — a 1250× range.

County water hardness, hardest first — median mg/L as CaCO₃.
CountyMedianBandResultsSitesNewest
Hamilton County1500Very hard874952023
Gove County550Very hard214912016
Russell County540Very hard2,3901122016
Lincoln County520Very hard657642016
Edwards County510Very hard269632016
Clark County500Very hard198632015
Ford County485Very hard6461652016
Kearny County468Very hard291992016
Barber County440Very hard1,0261082016
Ellis County440Very hard1,7332012018
Finney County440Very hard2971082021
Rooks County440Very hard773692018
Osborne County430Very hard1,416602018
Dickinson County420Very hard1,582752018
Ness County420Very hard302722018
Smith County420Very hard192272016
Logan County415Very hard279782016
Comanche County410Very hard787422016
Trego County400Very hard1,0491252018
Meade County390Very hard6961092016
Rice County390Very hard1,1201882016
Barton County380Very hard1,1371272016
Ellsworth County370Very hard1,145722016
Marion County370Very hard872892017
Phillips County370Very hard836982018
Butler County360Very hard3,1306842017
Rush County360Very hard339882016
Saline County350Very hard1,610822016
Jewell County340Very hard434802016
Mitchell County340Very hard864862016
Ottawa County340Very hard1,8151492016
Cloud County330Very hard1,1811032016
McPherson County330Very hard3691612017
Graham County320Very hard100382016
Jackson County320Very hard7511022017
Chase County310Very hard1,430692018
Clay County310Very hard771572016
Cowley County300Very hard3,4061722017
Nemaha County290Very hard1,3191302016
Republic County290Very hard8121162018
Wabaunsee County290Very hard1,044652017
Decatur County280Very hard349672011
Morton County280Very hard137662014
Reno County278Very hard3,1503272023
Riley County272Very hard1,7741172016
Hodgeman County270Very hard2021102016
Norton County270Very hard562872016
Pottawatomie County270Very hard1,2371042023
Geary County260Very hard1,434612018
Lane County260Very hard92642015
Lyon County260Very hard1,439822016
Brown County250Very hard9931042017
Marshall County250Very hard1,606832016
Sedgwick County250Very hard5,8314932023
Seward County250Very hard136802015
Shawnee County250Very hard2,8831642023
Stevens County250Very hard131732015
Sumner County250Very hard1,8971802018
Wyandotte County250Very hard9631432018
Grant County240Very hard2201762010
Harper County240Very hard446552016
Johnson County240Very hard2,5711752019
Kiowa County240Very hard384782021
Rawlins County240Very hard119602014
Doniphan County230Very hard557742016
Greenwood County230Very hard1,525522016
Harvey County230Very hard5,2464332023
Leavenworth County230Very hard8681282023
Pawnee County230Very hard460992016
Stafford County230Very hard3341082017
Atchison County221Very hard845832017
Douglas County220Very hard1,7871772017
Jefferson County220Very hard1,096942016
Kingman County220Very hard1,003842017
Stanton County220Very hard2061402000
Bourbon County210Very hard1,206372017
Coffey County210Very hard862452017
Wichita County210Very hard131892021
Chautauqua County200Very hard733502017
Cheyenne County200Very hard414742016
Gray County200Very hard1621072021
Sheridan County200Very hard164852014
Washington County200Very hard811622017
Cherokee County190Very hard2,5282622016
Greeley County190Very hard87602015
Thomas County190Very hard129852015
Allen County180Very hard175642016
Anderson County180Very hard184362017
Elk County180Very hard176432017
Franklin County180Very hard964332017
Montgomery County180Very hard1,898842016
Neosho County180Very hard664662016
Wilson County180Very hard951412016
Haskell County170Hard94602010
Labette County170Hard1,151712016
Linn County170Hard886812017
Morris County170Hard557272017
Osage County170Hard1,200622017
Pratt County170Hard4751342015
Wallace County170Hard209812021
Miami County150Hard722482017
Sherman County150Hard147912005
Woodson County87Moderately hard188232016
Crawford County1.8Soft1,7711132016
Scott County1.2Soft1,197782021

ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Kansas

The ZIP codes below are grouped by the Kansas county they fall in. Each ZIP takes its county's measured median — shown in the group header — so this is a ZIP-to-county guide, not a separate reading for every ZIP. To check the water system serving a specific address, use the lookup.

Hamilton County · 1500 mg/L · Very hard

67836†67857†67878†

Gove County · 550 mg/L · Very hard

67736†67737†67738†67751†67752†

Russell County · 540 mg/L · Very hard

6762667634676486764967658†67665

Lincoln County · 520 mg/L · Very hard

67418674236745567481

Edwards County · 510 mg/L · Very hard

67519†67547†67552†67563†

Clark County · 500 mg/L · Very hard

67831†67840†67865†

Ford County · 485 mg/L · Very hard

67801†67834†67842†67843†67876†67882†

Kearny County · 468 mg/L · Very hard

67838†67860†

Barber County · 440 mg/L · Very hard

67057670616707067071†67104†67138†67143†

Ellis County · 440 mg/L · Very hard

67601676276763767640†67660†6766767671†67674

Finney County · 440 mg/L · Very hard

67846†67851†67868†

Rooks County · 440 mg/L · Very hard

6763267657†6766367669†67675

Osborne County · 430 mg/L · Very hard

6743767473†6748567623†6765167673

Dickinson County · 420 mg/L · Very hard

6741067431†67441†674516748267492†

Ness County · 420 mg/L · Very hard

67515†67516†67518†6752167560†67572†67584†

Smith County · 420 mg/L · Very hard

6693266951669526696767474†6762867638†

Logan County · 415 mg/L · Very hard

67747†67748†67764†

Comanche County · 410 mg/L · Very hard

67029†6712767155†

Trego County · 400 mg/L · Very hard

67631†67656†67672†

Meade County · 390 mg/L · Very hard

67844†67864†67869†

Rice County · 390 mg/L · Very hard

67427†6745767512†67524†6755467573†67579†

Barton County · 380 mg/L · Very hard

67525†67526†67530†67544†67564

Ellsworth County · 370 mg/L · Very hard

674396744467450674546745967490

Marion County · 370 mg/L · Very hard

66851†66858†66859†6686166866670536706367073†6743867475†67483

Phillips County · 370 mg/L · Very hard

6762167639†67644†67646†67647†6766167664†

Butler County · 360 mg/L · Very hard

66840†668426700267010670126701767039670416704267072†670746712367132671336714467154

Rush County · 360 mg/L · Very hard

67511†67513†67520†67548†675536755667559†67565†67575†

Saline County · 350 mg/L · Very hard

67401†6741667425674426744867470

Jewell County · 340 mg/L · Very hard

6693666941669426694966956669636697067430

Mitchell County · 340 mg/L · Very hard

67420674466745267478

Ottawa County · 340 mg/L · Very hard

6742267436†67467†6748067484†

Cloud County · 330 mg/L · Very hard

66901†66938†6694867417†6744567466†

McPherson County · 330 mg/L · Very hard

6710767428†674436745667460†67464†674766749167546†

Graham County · 320 mg/L · Very hard

67625†67642†67650†67659†

Jackson County · 320 mg/L · Very hard

664166641866419664366644066509665166654066552

Chase County · 310 mg/L · Very hard

66843†66845†66850†66862†66869†

Clay County · 310 mg/L · Very hard

6743267447†6745867468†67487

Cowley County · 300 mg/L · Very hard

67005670086701967023†6703867102671316714667156

Nemaha County · 290 mg/L · Very hard

66404664086641566417664286652266534†6653866550

Republic County · 290 mg/L · Very hard

6693066935669396694066959669606696166964†66966†

Wabaunsee County · 290 mg/L · Very hard

66401†66423†6643166501665076652666834

Decatur County · 280 mg/L · Very hard

67635†67643†67653†67749†

Morton County · 280 mg/L · Very hard

67950†67953†67954†

Reno County · 278 mg/L · Very hard

67501†67502†6750567510†67514†67522†67543†67561†67566†67568†67570†67581†67583†

Riley County · 272 mg/L · Very hard

66442†66449†6650266503665066651766531†66554†

Hodgeman County · 270 mg/L · Very hard

67849†67854†

Norton County · 270 mg/L · Very hard

67622†67629†67645†67654†

Pottawatomie County · 270 mg/L · Very hard

664076642266432665206652166535665366654766549†

Geary County · 260 mg/L · Very hard

6644166514

Lane County · 260 mg/L · Very hard

67839†67850†

Lyon County · 260 mg/L · Very hard

668016683066833668356685466864†6686566868

Brown County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

66094†664246642566434†66439665156652766532

Marshall County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

664036640666411†66412664276643866508†665186654166544†66548†

Sedgwick County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

67001†6701667025†67026†67030†6703767050†670526705567060†6706767101†67108†6714767149†6720267203672046720567206†672076720867209672106721167212672136721467215†67216672176721867219†672206722167223†67226672276722867230†672326723567260

Seward County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

67859†67901†

Shawnee County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

664026640966533665396654266546666036660466605†66606666076660866609†6661066611666126661466615†666166661766618†66619†6662166622

Stevens County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

67951†67952†

Sumner County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

67004†67013†67022†67031†6705167103†67105†67106†67110671196712067140†67152

Wyandotte County · 250 mg/L · Very hard

661016610266103661046610566106661096611166112661156611866160

Grant County · 240 mg/L · Very hard

67880†

Harper County · 240 mg/L · Very hard

6700367009†6701867036†670496705867150†

Johnson County · 240 mg/L · Very hard

6601866021660306603166061660626608566202662036620466205662066620766208662096621066211662126621366214662156621666217662186621966220662216622366224662266622766251

Kiowa County · 240 mg/L · Very hard

67028†67054†67059†67109†

Rawlins County · 240 mg/L · Very hard

67730†67739†67744†67745†

Doniphan County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

66008660176602466035†66087†66090

Greenwood County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

66777†66853†668606686366870†6704567047†67122†67137

Harvey County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

67020†67056†67062671146711767135†67151

Leavenworth County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

6600766012660206602766043660486605266086

Pawnee County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

67523†67529†67550†67567†67574†

Stafford County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

67545†67557†67576†67578†

Atchison County · 221 mg/L · Very hard

66002†66016660236604166058†

Douglas County · 220 mg/L · Very hard

6600666025660446604566046†660476604966050

Jefferson County · 220 mg/L · Very hard

660546606066066660706607366088660976642966512†

Kingman County · 220 mg/L · Very hard

67035†67068†6711167112†67118†67142†67159†

Stanton County · 220 mg/L · Very hard

67855†67862†

Bourbon County · 210 mg/L · Very hard

66701667166673866741667546676966779

Coffey County · 210 mg/L · Very hard

66839†66852668566685766871

Wichita County · 210 mg/L · Very hard

67861†67863†

Chautauqua County · 200 mg/L · Very hard

6702467334673556736067361

Cheyenne County · 200 mg/L · Very hard

67731†67756†

Gray County · 200 mg/L · Very hard

67835†67841†67853†67867†

Sheridan County · 200 mg/L · Very hard

67740†67757†

Washington County · 200 mg/L · Very hard

66933†669376694366944†6694566946†6695366955†66958†6696266968

Cherokee County · 190 mg/L · Very hard

667136672566739667706677366778†667816678267336†

Greeley County · 190 mg/L · Very hard

67879†

Thomas County · 190 mg/L · Very hard

6770167732†67734†67743†67753†

Allen County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

66732†6674266748†66749†66751†6675566772†

Anderson County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

660156603266033660396609166093†

Elk County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

6734567346†673496735267353

Franklin County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

660426606766076†660786607966080†6609266095

Montgomery County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

673016733367335†67337†6734067344†67347†673516736367364

Neosho County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

66720667336674066771†6677566776†

Wilson County · 180 mg/L · Very hard

667106671466717†6673666757†

Haskell County · 170 mg/L · Hard

67837†67870†67877†

Labette County · 170 mg/L · Hard

6733067332673416734267354†67356†67357

Linn County · 170 mg/L · Hard

66010660146604066056660726607566767

Morris County · 170 mg/L · Hard

66838†668466684966872†66873†67449†

Osage County · 170 mg/L · Hard

664136641466451665106652366524†66528†6653766543

Pratt County · 170 mg/L · Hard

67021†67065†67066†67124†67134†

Wallace County · 170 mg/L · Hard

67758†67761†67762†

Miami County · 150 mg/L · Hard

660136602666053660646607166083

Sherman County · 150 mg/L · Hard

67733†67735†67741†

Woodson County · 87 mg/L · Moderately hard

667586676166783

Crawford County · 1.8 mg/L · Soft

667116671266724†667346673566743667466675366756†667606676266763†66780†

Scott County · 1.2 mg/L · Soft

67871†

† 297 ZIP codes are not served by a mapped community water system — most are private-well areas. See well water hardness.

Check any ZIP's utility and hardness →

Source

Groundwater vs surface water

Kansas's groundwater measures harder than its surface water — 280 mg/L across 22,008 samples versus 260 across 79,007, about 1.1× harder. Wells draw from groundwater, so well owners in Kansas tend to see the harder number — 280 mg/L, very hard. Groundwater readings there run 137 to 600 mg/L across the middle 80% of samples. The comparison draws on 9,132 groundwater and 2,019 surface-water monitoring sites; 234 readings above 2,000 mg/L were logged but held out of the medians as outliers.

Groundwater (wells)

280 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 22,008 results at 9,132 stations.

Surface water (rivers, lakes)

260 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 79,007 results at 2,019 stations.

Groundwater measures about 1.1× harder than surface water here.

Chemistry

Water chemistry in Kansas

Beyond the hardness number, Kansas's water carries a fuller chemical signature — here is how its measured parameters compare to national benchmarks.

TDS

470 mg/L · n=6,776

470 mg/L — about 2.1× the national county median of 226, consistent with hard, mineral-rich water.

pH

7.9 pH · n=5,252

pH 7.9 — within the EPA secondary range of 6.5–8.5, on the alkaline side.

Alkalinity

197 mg/L as CaCO3 · n=28,932

197 mg/L — substantial buffering capacity, which resists pH swings.

Calcium : Magnesium

74 : 15 mg/L ≈ 4.93 : 1 · n=29,317

Calcium is about 75% of Kansas's hardness (74 mg/L Ca to 15 mg/L Mg), a little more calcium-rich than the national ~68% calcium share.

Parameter medians may include a small share of quality-control samples; the hardness lane is fully QC-filtered.

Aquifers

Major aquifers under Kansas

3 aquifer systems supply much of Kansas's measured groundwater.

  • Alluvial aquifers — median 390 mg/L across 2,045 samples at 1,195 sites: very hard.
  • Ozark Plateaus aquifer system — median 300 mg/L across 241 samples at 100 sites: very hard.
  • Sand and gravel aquifers (glaciated regions) — median 300 mg/L across 260 samples at 163 sites: very hard.

Together these systems account for 2,546 measured samples at 1,458 sites. Aquifer medians pool samples across a whole system and can mask local variation — see the national aquifer map for how these compare across states.

Trend

Hardness over time

1930s2020s300

Kansas's decade median moved from 220 mg/L in the 1930s to 256.5 in the 2020s. Over the series, the decade median peaked at 300 mg/L in the 1940s and bottomed at 220 in the 1930s. Decade medians reflect where and what agencies sampled in each era, not just changes in the water itself.

Scale

Where Kansas sits on the scale

On the USGS scale, Kansas's 260 mg/L is very hard — 15.2 grains per gallon, well above the 180 mg/L very-hard cutoff — among the hardest water measured in the US.

SoftModerately hardHardVery hard60 · 3.5 gpg120 · 7.0 gpg180 · 10.5 gpg260 mg/L — Very hard
Harder than 76% of the 2,977 measured county medians.

At 260 mg/L (15.2 gpg), water-softener owners in Kansas typically set their unit to this hardness — settings calculator.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Kansas's water hard?
Kansas's median hardness is 260 mg/L as CaCO₃, "very hard" on the USGS scale and 1.86× the national county median of 140 mg/L. About 98% of residents in measured counties have hard-or-worse water.
Which county in Kansas has the hardest water?
Hamilton County, with a median of 1500 mg/L as CaCO₃ across 874 measurements.
Is well water harder than city water in Kansas?
Groundwater measures harder here — about 1.1× the surface water — so wells tend to run harder (groundwater 280 vs surface water 260 mg/L).
How do I find my exact hardness in Kansas?
Search your ZIP on the lookup tool, read your utility's Consumer Confidence Report, or test at home with a kit.
Is Kansas's water harder than the national average?
Yes. Kansas's median of 260 mg/L is 1.86× the national county median of 140 mg/L, and Kansas ranks #9 of the 50 states and D.C.

Compare

States with similar hardness

Two states measure closest to Kansas's 260 mg/L: Oklahoma at 260 mg/L and Ohio at 270 mg/L. Kansas measures harder than 84% of states. Browse the full ranking on the statistics page.

More: hardness scale · check your address · national statistics · the national map.

By . Source: USGS/EPA Water Quality Portal — 103,475 Kansas measurements. Data last verified . Methodology.

Cite this page: “Kansas Water Hardness by County.” Hard Water Map. Retrieved 2026-07-22, https://hardwatermap.com/water-hardness/kansas/