The Town FilesDighton, Kansas
City in Lane County · population 960 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $51,932
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 50.2
Dighton is a city of 960 people in Lane County, Kansas. It ranks quieter than 99% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 70% of Kansas towns.
How Dighton 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
97.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dighton | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $128,200 |
| Median rent | — | $815 |
| Median household income | $51,932 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 97.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.5% | — |
Who lives in Dighton
| People | Dighton | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 8.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Dighton
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 16.5°F. About 22.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.7 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 71 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dighton since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 30, 1972 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 110 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on June 14, 1967.
Severe weather in Lane County since 1996
Lane County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4943: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 25, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lane County
Lane County had 605 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,079 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Dighton itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Dighton
2 public schools with 243 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dighton Elem | PK-6 | 152 | 16.9 |
| Dighton High | 7-12 | 91 | 11.4 |
Towns near Dighton
- Scott City, KS23.6 mi · 4,113 people · home $162,200
Dighton questions
Is Dighton, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dighton scores better for retirees than 70% of Kansas towns and quieter than 99%. 31.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.2).
What is the weather like in Dighton?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 16.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.7 inches of snow.
Does Dighton get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dighton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 30, 1972. 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)