The Town FilesPeabody, Kansas
City in Marion County · population 937 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,800
- Household income
- $54,653
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 38.6
Peabody is a city of 937 people in Marion County, Kansas. The median home is worth $77,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for cycling than 87% of Kansas towns, quieter than 79% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Kansas towns.
How Peabody 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 Peabody is worth $77,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $54,653, which is more affordable than 92% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $733 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Peabody | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,800 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $733 | $815 |
| Median household income | $54,653 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Peabody
| People | Peabody | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Peabody
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.5 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Peabody since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 13, 1974 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 23, 2026.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| July 20, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4230: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Marion County
Marion County had 3,615 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,013 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Peabody itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Peabody
2 public schools with 219 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peabody-Burns Elementary | PK-5 | 113 | 11.3 |
| Peabody-Burns Jr/Sr High School | 6-12 | 106 | 9.6 |
Towns near Peabody
- Hillsboro, KS13.7 mi · 2,732 people · home $120,500
- Marion, KS13.8 mi · 1,922 people · home $108,500
- Goessel, KS14.2 mi · 556 people · home $103,000
- Whitewater, KS14.3 mi · 661 people · home $124,500
- North Newton, KS14.6 mi · 1,814 people · home $217,800
- Newton, KS15.9 mi · 18,602 people · home $156,400
- Hesston, KS17.6 mi · 3,505 people · home $204,800
- Moundridge, KS22.4 mi · 1,974 people · home $177,800
Peabody questions
Is Peabody, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Peabody scores better for retirees than 68% of Kansas towns and quieter than 79%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Peabody?
The median owner-occupied home in Peabody is valued at $77,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,653, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $733 a month.
What is the weather like in Peabody?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 10.5 inches of snow.
Does Peabody get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Peabody since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 13, 1974. 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)