The Town FilesSmith Center, Kansas
City in Smith County · population 1,571 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,400
- Household income
- $56,007
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 44.7
Smith Center is a city of 1,571 people in Smith County, Kansas. The median home is worth $90,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 87% of Kansas towns, quieter than 78% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 71% of Kansas towns.
How Smith Center 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 Smith Center is worth $90,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $56,007, which is more affordable than 81% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $678 a month. 82.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smith Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,400 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $678 | $815 |
| Median household income | $56,007 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Smith Center
| People | Smith Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 10.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 12.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Smith Center
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 26.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smith Center since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 15, 1957 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 12, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 6, 1987.
Severe weather in Smith County since 1996
Smith County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 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 Smith County
Smith County had 1,363 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,908 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Smith Center itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Smith Center
2 public schools with 455 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Center Elem | PK-6 | 255 | 14.2 |
| Smith Center Jr Sr High | 7-12 | 200 | 11.1 |
Towns near Smith Center
- Downs, KS22.5 mi · 800 people · home $102,700
- Osborne, KS23.5 mi · 1,335 people · home $84,400
- Franklin, NE24.0 mi · 941 people · home $89,200
- Red Cloud, NE25.6 mi · 962 people · home $74,200
- Phillipsburg, KS28.6 mi · 2,337 people · home $98,300
Smith Center questions
Is Smith Center, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smith Center scores better for retirees than 71% of Kansas towns and quieter than 78%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.7).
How much does a house cost in Smith Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Smith Center is valued at $90,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,007, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $678 a month.
What is the weather like in Smith Center?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.1 inches of precipitation a year and 18.3 inches of snow.
Does Smith Center get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smith Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 15, 1957. 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)