The Town FilesMadison, Kansas
City in Greenwood County · population 689 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $51,600
- Household income
- $52,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 34.9
Madison is a city of 689 people in Greenwood County, Kansas. The median home is worth $51,600, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for retirees than 84% of Kansas towns, more of a college town than 81% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 79% of Kansas towns.
How Madison 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 Madison is worth $51,600, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.0 times the median household income of $52,500, which is more affordable than 99% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $582 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Madison | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $51,600 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $582 | $815 |
| Median household income | $52,500 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.0× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Madison
| People | Madison | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 12.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Madison
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 7, 1986 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on March 28, 2012.
Severe weather in Greenwood County since 1996
Greenwood County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Greenwood County
Greenwood County had 1,570 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,426 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Madison itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Madison
2 public schools with 230 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Elem | PK-6 | 132 | 12.0 |
| Madison High | 7-12 | 98 | 8.9 |
Towns near Madison
- Olpe, KS9.2 mi · 519 people · home $163,300
- Emporia, KS18.8 mi · 24,139 people · home $132,700
- Burlington, KS21.7 mi · 2,634 people · home $149,300
- Eureka, KS22.8 mi · 2,332 people · home $79,200
- Lebo, KS24.6 mi · 885 people · home $123,300
- Americus, KS26.6 mi · 776 people · home $124,100
- Cottonwood Falls, KS27.3 mi · 851 people · home $85,100
- Yates Center, KS27.8 mi · 1,352 people · home $65,000
Madison questions
Is Madison, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Madison scores better for retirees than 84% of Kansas towns and quieter than 66%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in Madison?
The median owner-occupied home in Madison is valued at $51,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,500, so homes cost about 1.0 times income. Median rent is $582 a month.
What is the weather like in Madison?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does Madison get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Madison since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 7, 1986. 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)