The Town FilesSedan, Kansas
City in Chautauqua County · population 1,000 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $41,200
- Household income
- $46,827
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 42.8
Sedan is a city of 1,000 people in Chautauqua County, Kansas. The median home is worth $41,200, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Kansas towns, better for families than 83% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 73% of Kansas towns.
How Sedan 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 Sedan is worth $41,200, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 0.9 times the median household income of $46,827, which is more affordable than 100% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 70.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sedan | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $41,200 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $775 | $815 |
| Median household income | $46,827 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 70.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Sedan
| People | Sedan | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.5% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sedan
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 21.6°F. About 40.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 58 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sedan since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 24, 1973 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 30, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 14, 1990.
Severe weather in Chautauqua County since 1996
Chautauqua County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 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 Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County had 754 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $35,811 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Sedan itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Sedan
2 public schools with 380 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan Elem | PK-5 | 192 | 12.8 |
| Sedan High | 6-12 | 188 | 12.5 |
Towns near Sedan
- Caney, KS16.0 mi · 1,788 people · home $81,500
- Copan, OK21.3 mi · 710 people · home $107,400
- Howard, KS23.9 mi · 570 people · home $52,600
- Independence, KS26.8 mi · 8,548 people · home $88,800
- Dewey, OK27.2 mi · 3,372 people · home $119,000
- Bartlesville, OK30.0 mi · 37,290 people · home $167,200
Sedan questions
Is Sedan, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sedan scores better for retirees than 73% of Kansas towns and quieter than 58%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Sedan?
The median owner-occupied home in Sedan is valued at $41,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,827, so homes cost about 0.9 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Sedan?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 21.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.5 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Sedan get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sedan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 24, 1973. 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)