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Living in
Emporia.
About
Life in Emporia
Emporia is a community of 24,098 people in Kansas. The median household income is $52,787, median rent runs about $815 per month, and median home values are around $132,700. The average commute is 12.4 minutes.
Emporia at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.8%
Foreign-Born
13.6%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Population Growth
0.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Emporia: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Emporia, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (58.1%), and 18.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.4%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.5%
of households
Married Couples
35.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.22
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% below KS average
Rent, home values, and income in Emporia
In Emporia, rent runs 23% below the KS average, and home values are 39% below the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,257
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $175,396 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts above KS average
Unemployment in Emporia
Unemployment in Emporia is 1.3 percentage points higher than the KS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Emporia Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.3 min avg
How Emporia residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Emporia, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 91% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 mi
Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK)
Regional airport · few flights89k passengers boarded in 2025
- 101 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 19% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Emporia runs 19% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
266.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,863.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Emporia Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
47.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lyon County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lyon County, which includes Emporia, the most common type is hail, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 12 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lyon County, county-wide
Air Quality31 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Chase County, KS (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Emporia) is typically good — 82 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
31
Good Days
82
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Chase County, KS (23 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Emporia has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.8"
Annual Snowfall
16.3"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
115
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 18°F | 0.80" |
| Feb | 44°F | 22°F | 1.21" |
| Mar | 55°F | 31°F | 2.30" |
| Apr | 65°F | 41°F | 3.40" |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 5.39" |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.83" |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 4.61" |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 4.05" |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.21" |
| Oct | 68°F | 44°F | 2.89" |
| Nov | 54°F | 32°F | 1.77" |
| Dec | 43°F | 22°F | 1.36" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Emporia
Emporia has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Newman Regional Health
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Emporia
Emporia's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Emporia
Public · 4-year · 2,239 students · in-state tuition $7,226 · 57% graduate · median earnings $50,860 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, 20 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Emporia
Emporia has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (20 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Preserve
20 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
52 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
90 mi awayHarry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Emporia
Emporia Public Library
110 E. Sixth Avenue, Emporia
Cities Near Emporia
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Emporia?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Emporia FAQ
Is Emporia, Kansas affordable?⌄
Emporia's median rent is $815/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,704/year. Median home value is $132,700.
Is Emporia, Kansas safe?⌄
Emporia's violent crime rate was 266 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1863 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Emporia, Kansas?⌄
Emporia has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Emporia, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Emporia is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $815/month and median household income is $52,704/year. The median home value is $132,700. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Emporia, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Emporia is 12 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from