The Town FilesCottonwood Falls, Kansas
City in Chase County · population 851 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,100
- Household income
- $50,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 40.2
Cottonwood Falls is a city of 851 people in Chase County, Kansas. The median home is worth $85,100, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more of a college town than 78% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 77% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Kansas towns.
How Cottonwood Falls 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 Cottonwood Falls is worth $85,100, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $50,750, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 84.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottonwood Falls | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,100 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $838 | $815 |
| Median household income | $50,750 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 84.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.2% | — |
Who lives in Cottonwood Falls
| People | Cottonwood Falls | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Cottonwood Falls
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 17.9°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.6 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood Falls since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 2, 1956 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Chase County since 1996
Chase County has been included in 22 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 |
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4824: 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Chase County
Chase County had 777 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,605 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Cottonwood Falls itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Cottonwood Falls
1 public school with 170 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase County Junior Senior High School | 7-12 | 170 | 12.1 |
Towns near Cottonwood Falls
- Americus, KS18.0 mi · 776 people · home $124,100
- Emporia, KS19.2 mi · 24,139 people · home $132,700
- Council Grove, KS20.6 mi · 2,140 people · home $134,900
- Olpe, KS21.7 mi · 519 people · home $163,300
- Marion, KS25.2 mi · 1,922 people · home $108,500
- Herington, KS26.8 mi · 2,109 people · home $85,200
- Madison, KS27.3 mi · 689 people · home $51,600
Cottonwood Falls questions
Is Cottonwood Falls, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottonwood Falls scores better for retirees than 77% of Kansas towns and quieter than 44%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).
How much does a house cost in Cottonwood Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottonwood Falls is valued at $85,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,750, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottonwood Falls?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 17.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 10.6 inches of snow.
Does Cottonwood Falls get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cottonwood Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 2, 1956. 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)