The Town FilesChanute, Kansas
City in Neosho County · population 8,722 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $78,000
- Household income
- $50,882
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 36.1
Chanute is a city of 8,722 people in Neosho County, Kansas. The median home is worth $78,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more walkable than 81% of Kansas towns, more vibrant than 75% of Kansas towns, hipper than 75% of Kansas towns.
How Chanute 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 Chanute is worth $78,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $50,882, which is more affordable than 86% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 69.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chanute | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $78,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $717 | $815 |
| Median household income | $50,882 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 69.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Chanute
| People | Chanute | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 12.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Chanute
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 23.2°F. About 40.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.7 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chanute since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 11, 1973 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 7, 1986.
Severe weather in Neosho County since 1996
Neosho County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4800: 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 Neosho County
Neosho County had 6,502 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,327 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Chanute itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Chanute
3 public schools with 1,709 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chanute Elementary School | PK-5 | 748 | 16.3 |
| Chanute High | 9-12 | 568 | 16.7 |
| Royster Middle School | 6-8 | 393 | 17.1 |
Towns near Chanute
- Iola, KS18.2 mi · 5,396 people · home $78,300
- Parsons, KS25.6 mi · 9,600 people · home $71,700
Chanute questions
Is Chanute, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chanute scores better for retirees than 8% of Kansas towns and quieter than 21%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Chanute?
The median owner-occupied home in Chanute is valued at $78,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,882, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Chanute?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 23.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 9.7 inches of snow.
Does Chanute get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chanute since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 11, 1973. 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)