The Town FilesEl Dorado, Kansas
City in Butler County · population 12,870 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,300
- Household income
- $59,180
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 36.2
El Dorado is a city of 12,870 people in Butler County, Kansas. The median home is worth $120,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Kansas towns, more of a college town than 95% of Kansas towns, more vibrant than 94% of Kansas towns.
How El Dorado 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 El Dorado is worth $120,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $59,180, which is more affordable than 55% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $844 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Dorado | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,300 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $844 | $815 |
| Median household income | $59,180 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in El Dorado
| People | El Dorado | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in El Dorado
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 20.2°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Dorado since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 26, 1991 about 4.3 miles from the town center and killed 13. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 28 deaths and 157 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 163 times; the largest was 6.00 inches on May 17, 1959.
Severe weather in Butler County since 1996
Butler County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4943: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: 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 Butler County
Butler County had 19,881 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,462 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in El Dorado itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in El Dorado
6 public schools with 2,049 students, about 18.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado High | 9-12 | 508 | 25.4 |
| El Dorado Middle | 6-8 | 425 | 14.7 |
| Blackmore Elementary | PK-5 | 332 | 18.4 |
| Circle Oil Hill Elementary | PK-6 | 273 | 15.2 |
| Grandview Elem | PK-5 | 265 | 18.9 |
| Skelly Elementary School | PK-5 | 246 | 16.4 |
Towns near El Dorado
- Augusta, KS10.4 mi · 9,256 people · home $175,500
- Andover, KS17.4 mi · 14,892 people · home $291,400
- Bel Aire, KS21.2 mi · 8,262 people · home $238,100
- Rose Hill, KS22.8 mi · 4,185 people · home $219,900
- Park City, KS25.2 mi · 8,333 people · home $177,100
- Valley Center, KS27.6 mi · 7,340 people · home $227,700
- Wichita, KS27.9 mi · 397,532 people · home $190,800
- Oaklawn-Sunview, KS27.9 mi · 2,880 people · home $54,200
El Dorado questions
Is El Dorado, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Dorado scores better for retirees than 25% of Kansas towns and quieter than 6%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in El Dorado?
The median owner-occupied home in El Dorado is valued at $120,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,180, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $844 a month.
What is the weather like in El Dorado?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 20.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does El Dorado get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Dorado since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 26, 1991. 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)