The Town FilesFredonia, Kansas
City in Wilson County · population 2,151 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,000
- Household income
- $59,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 43.4
Fredonia is a city of 2,151 people in Wilson County, Kansas. The median home is worth $76,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 94% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 79% of Kansas towns.
How Fredonia 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 Fredonia is worth $76,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $59,125, which is more affordable than 96% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $729 a month. 66.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fredonia | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $729 | $815 |
| Median household income | $59,125 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 66.0% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Fredonia
| People | Fredonia | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.3% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 13.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Fredonia
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.5 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fredonia since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 26, 2024 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 82 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 11, 1958.
Severe weather in Wilson County since 1996
Wilson County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4800: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | EM-3412: Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wilson County
Wilson County had 3,149 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,496 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Fredonia itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.
Public schools in Fredonia
3 public schools with 620 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fredonia Jr./Sr. High School | 7-12 | 294 | 13.4 |
| Lincoln Elementary | 1-6 | 261 | 11.3 |
| Fredonia Early Learning Center | PK-K | 65 | 16.3 |
Towns near Fredonia
- Neodesha, KS10.7 mi · 2,275 people · home $91,400
- Independence, KS21.5 mi · 8,548 people · home $88,800
- Chanute, KS21.8 mi · 8,722 people · home $78,000
- Yates Center, KS23.4 mi · 1,352 people · home $65,000
- Cherryvale, KS23.5 mi · 2,192 people · home $62,400
- Howard, KS24.6 mi · 570 people · home $52,600
- Humboldt, KS28.6 mi · 1,847 people · home $90,900
Fredonia questions
Is Fredonia, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fredonia scores better for retirees than 35% of Kansas towns and quieter than 50%. 26.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.4).
How much does a house cost in Fredonia?
The median owner-occupied home in Fredonia is valued at $76,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,125, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $729 a month.
What is the weather like in Fredonia?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 6.5 inches of snow.
Does Fredonia get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fredonia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 26, 2024. 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)