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Fort Scott, KS

Full City Profile · Kansas · Bourbon County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
7,551 Population 1,353/sq mi density
$60,799 Median Income $31,273 per capita
$89,400 Home Value $124,431 Zillow
$796 Median Rent 27.3% income on rent
57°F Avg Temperature 305 sunny days/yr
505 Violent Crime/100K 1,009 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.1 / 5.0
$60,799 median income, 2.4% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$89,400 home value, $796/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
505 violent crimes/100K (33% above avg)
C+
Education
2.7 / 5.0
21.7% bachelor's degree or higher

Fort Scott, KS

At a Glance

Median Income
$60,799
19% below
$31,273 per capita
Home Value
$89,400
68% below
Zillow: $124,431
Median Rent
$796/mo
32% below
27.3% of income on rent
Violent Crime
505/100K
33% above
1,009/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%
36% below
91.2% high school+
Unemployment
2.4%
33% below
6.9% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
38.1%
19% above
18.4% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
57°F
305 sunny days/yr

How Fort Scott Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Fort Scott's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
81%
Home Value
32%
Rent
68%
Poverty
56%
Bachelor's
64%
Unemployment
67%
Crime
133%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Fort Scott a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Fort Scott residents earn a median household income of $60,799 , which is 19% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $31,273. The unemployment rate stands at 2.4% (33% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 6.9% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 406 business establishments, including 39 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Fort Scott is $89,400 , 68% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $124,431. Median rent is $796/month, with 27.3% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 90.1 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1954.

Safety & Crime

Fort Scott reports 505 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 33% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,009/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

21.7% of adults in Fort Scott hold a bachelor's degree or higher (36% below the national average). 91.2% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.2/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Fort Scott has an average annual temperature of 57°F (14°C). Winters average 32°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 305 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 44.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 39.

Data Overview

People

Population7,551
Median Age39.2 yrs
Density1,353/mi²
Male / Female46% / 55%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.4%

Economy

A
Median Income$60,799
Per Capita$31,273
Unemployment2.4%
Poverty6.9%
County GDP$749M
Avg Weekly Wage$824

Housing

A+
Home Value$89,400
Rent$796
Ownership65.1%
Zillow$124,431
Housing Units3,896
Rent Burden27.3%

Crime

F
Violent505/100K
Property1,009/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault453/100K
Burglary39/100K

Health

Obesity38.1%
Diabetes10.7%
Smoking18.4%
Heart Disease6.2%
Premature Death11,705/100K

Climate

Avg Temp57°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain44.5 in/yr
AQI39 (Good)
Elevation849 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+21.7%
High School+91.2%
Graduate+9.1%
School Score5.2/10

Community

2024 VoteR 76% / D 22%
Commute16 min
Broadband88.0%
Internet Speed25 Mbps
EV Stations3
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Fort Scott was built in 1954.
The nearest airport is Joplin Regional (45 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.423 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
22.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 1 fatal vehicle crashes.