Topeka ? Much of rural Kansas continues to age as those areas decrease in population, according to new figures released Wednesday night by the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the figures, the median age in Kansas was 36 in 2010, up from 35.2 in 2000. The median age ranged from 24.3 in Riley County to 52.5 in Jewell County along the Kansas-Nebraska border.

The median age means that half of the state’s 2.8 million residents are older and half is younger than 36.

Julie Govert Walter, executive director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, wasn’t surprised by the new figures. The agency covers 18 counties, including Jewell and Riley. Fewer residents and older residents in rural communities bring challenges and opportunities, she said.

Jewell County had a population of 3,077 in 2010, with 2,500 residents 18 years old or older.