The Town Files

Barber County, Kansas

4,069 people. The median home is worth $97,000 (typical Kansas town: $128,200) and the median household earns $61,926.

Towns in Barber County

Towns in Barber County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Medicine Lodge1,781$97,100$59,39243.1
Kiowa902$69,100$50,83338.7

People and housing

Barber CountyTypical Kansas town
Median home value$97,000$128,200
Median rent$830$815
Median household income$61,926$63,857
Median age42.538.5
Bachelor's degree or higher27.3%24.0%
Below the poverty line11.8%10.6%

Jobs and pay

1,568 jobs in 2024, average pay $44,619 a year.

Largest industries in Barber CountyRetail187 jobs · $25,451Manufacturing181 jobs · $80,082Mining, oil & gas95 jobs · $54,980Wholesale trade45 jobs · $70,529Other services42 jobs · $33,620Professional & technical serv…39 jobs · $53,266
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Barber County0%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023 2.4%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 784 storm events in Barber County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Barber County by type since 1996Hail369Flood14Tornado25Blizzard7High Wind60Ice Storm6Heavy Rain32Heavy Snow17Flash Flood9Winter Storm16
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Barber County has been included in 19 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 11, 2025Severe StormDR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 29, 2020BiologicalDR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3481: Covid-19
June 20, 2019Severe StormDR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides
February 25, 2019Severe StormDR-4417: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
October 19, 2018Severe StormDR-4403: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).