The Town FilesCarbondale, Kansas
City in Osage County · population 1,352 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,400
- Household income
- $75,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 36.1
Carbondale is a city of 1,352 people in Osage County, Kansas. The median home is worth $119,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Kansas towns, quieter than 70% of Kansas towns.
How Carbondale 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 Carbondale is worth $119,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $75,750, which is more affordable than 81% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $617 a month. 71.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carbondale | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,400 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $617 | $815 |
| Median household income | $75,750 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 71.9% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carbondale
| People | Carbondale | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Carbondale
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 36.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carbondale since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 6, 1983 about 9.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 26 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 9, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 190 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on July 4, 1992.
Severe weather in Osage County since 1996
Osage County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4926: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 28, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4774: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Osage County
Osage County had 2,941 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,780 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Carbondale itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Carbondale
2 public schools with 721 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbondale Attendance Center | 4-8 | 398 | 15.9 |
| Santa Fe Trail High | 9-12 | 323 | 17.0 |
Towns near Carbondale
- Scranton, KS4.0 mi · 653 people · home $75,900
- Overbrook, KS7.9 mi · 1,005 people · home $146,300
- Auburn, KS8.9 mi · 1,273 people · home $151,200
- Burlingame, KS9.1 mi · 971 people · home $86,700
- Vassar, KS12.8 mi · 584 people · home $176,300
- Lyndon, KS14.5 mi · 1,037 people · home $114,400
- Osage City, KS14.7 mi · 2,861 people · home $155,800
- Topeka, KS14.7 mi · 126,587 people · home $144,200
Carbondale questions
Is Carbondale, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carbondale scores better for retirees than 59% of Kansas towns and quieter than 70%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Carbondale?
The median owner-occupied home in Carbondale is valued at $119,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,750, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $617 a month.
What is the weather like in Carbondale?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.7 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does Carbondale get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carbondale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 6, 1983. 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)