The Town FilesHorton, Kansas
City in Brown County · population 1,523 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,600
- Household income
- $41,471
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 40.1
Horton is a city of 1,523 people in Brown County, Kansas. The median home is worth $79,600, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 76% of Kansas towns.
How Horton 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 Horton is worth $79,600, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $41,471, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $642 a month. 55.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Horton | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,600 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $642 | $815 |
| Median household income | $41,471 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 55.5% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Horton
| People | Horton | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.6% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.4% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Horton
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.7 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Horton since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 11, 1967 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 75 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 30, 1960.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Brown County
Brown County had 4,493 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,553 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Horton itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Horton
2 public schools with 389 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horton Elem | PK-4 | 229 | 12.1 |
| Horton High | 9-12 | 160 | 12.3 |
Towns near Horton
- Hiawatha, KS13.0 mi · 3,280 people · home $121,800
- Holton, KS17.1 mi · 3,401 people · home $142,800
- Highland, KS19.6 mi · 903 people · home $114,400
- Nortonville, KS20.3 mi · 601 people · home $102,000
- Sabetha, KS21.9 mi · 2,545 people · home $170,800
- Atchison, KS22.2 mi · 10,885 people · home $129,700
- Valley Falls, KS22.7 mi · 1,092 people · home $122,700
- Troy, KS24.8 mi · 964 people · home $108,100
Horton questions
Is Horton, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Horton scores better for retirees than 67% of Kansas towns and quieter than 51%. 25.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Horton?
The median owner-occupied home in Horton is valued at $79,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,471, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $642 a month.
What is the weather like in Horton?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.7 inches of snow.
Does Horton get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Horton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 11, 1967. 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)