The Town FilesDowns, Kansas
City in Osborne County · population 800 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,700
- Household income
- $62,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 50.9
Downs is a city of 800 people in Osborne County, Kansas. The median home is worth $102,700, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 94% of Kansas towns, better transit than 85% of Kansas towns.
How Downs 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 Downs is worth $102,700, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $62,333, which is more affordable than 81% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $582 a month. 76.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Downs | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,700 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $582 | $815 |
| Median household income | $62,333 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 76.9% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.0% | — |
Who lives in Downs
| People | Downs | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.0% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 13.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Downs
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 26.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.9 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downs since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 4, 1955 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 7, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 83 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 3, 1996.
Severe weather in Osborne County since 1996
Osborne County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 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 Osborne County
Osborne County had 1,251 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,453 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Downs itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Downs
1 public school with 135 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Junior/Senior High School | 6-12 | 135 | 11.3 |
Towns near Downs
- Osborne, KS9.2 mi · 1,335 people · home $84,400
- Smith Center, KS22.5 mi · 1,571 people · home $90,400
- Beloit, KS23.6 mi · 3,404 people · home $125,600
- Mankato, KS26.6 mi · 836 people · home $55,800
Downs questions
Is Downs, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Downs scores better for retirees than 94% of Kansas towns and quieter than 79%. 36.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.9).
How much does a house cost in Downs?
The median owner-occupied home in Downs is valued at $102,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,333, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $582 a month.
What is the weather like in Downs?
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.3 inches of precipitation a year and 17.9 inches of snow.
Does Downs get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 4, 1955. 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)