The Town FilesAmericus, Kansas
City in Lyon County · population 776 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,100
- Household income
- $73,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 30.8
Americus is a city of 776 people in Lyon County, Kansas. The median home is worth $124,100, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more upscale than 81% of Kansas towns.
How Americus ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Americus is worth $124,100, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $73,542, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 80.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Americus | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,100 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $756 | $815 |
| Median household income | $73,542 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 80.5% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Americus
| People | Americus | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Americus
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.1 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Americus since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 8, 1974 about 5.2 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 196 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 23, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 140 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 3, 2011.
Severe weather in Lyon County since 1996
Lyon County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | EM-3412: Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lyon County
Lyon County had 15,357 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,458 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Americus itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Americus
1 public school with 225 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLC Elementary School | PK-8 | 225 | 11.8 |
Towns near Americus
- Emporia, KS8.1 mi · 24,139 people · home $132,700
- Council Grove, KS16.5 mi · 2,140 people · home $134,900
- Olpe, KS17.5 mi · 519 people · home $163,300
- Cottonwood Falls, KS18.0 mi · 851 people · home $85,100
- Lebo, KS22.5 mi · 885 people · home $123,300
- Osage City, KS25.4 mi · 2,861 people · home $155,800
- Madison, KS26.6 mi · 689 people · home $51,600
- Burlingame, KS28.6 mi · 971 people · home $86,700
Americus questions
Is Americus, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Americus scores better for retirees than 25% of Kansas towns and quieter than 53%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.8).
How much does a house cost in Americus?
The median owner-occupied home in Americus is valued at $124,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,542, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.
What is the weather like in Americus?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 10.1 inches of snow.
Does Americus get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Americus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 8, 1974. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)