Jobs, pay and daily life in Emporia, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Emporia is a city in Kansas with 24,131 residents. The median household earns $52,704 a year and the median rent is $815 a month, which is 18.6% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Emporia compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Emporia is #18 by population, #55 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #52 for household income (#1 = highest), #12 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Lyon County, is #53 of 105 counties for average pay ($47,458).
Emporia has 24,131 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Kansas. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,938 people per square mile. The median age is 30.2, 19% younger than the state median (30.2 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $815 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($815 against $1,060). Over a year that is 18.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $132,700, which is 2.5 times the median household income ($52,704); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 49.9% of households own their home, 26% below the state average (49.9% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lyon County was 4.5%. 69.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lyon County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 4.7% walk, 6.1% work from home. 6.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 17% below the state average (6.1% against 7.4%).
24.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 31% below the state share (24.4% against 35.6%). 13.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 85% above the state share (13.6% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 17.8%, 57% above the state rate (17.8% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.4°C). About 949 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (141 mm) and Jan the driest (26 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Topeka (51 miles, rent 20% higher); Ottawa (52 miles, rent 27% higher); El Dorado (54 miles, rent 4% higher); Junction City (56 miles, rent 26% higher). Rent differences are against Emporia; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideLyon CountyKansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 341 federal postings open in Kansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.6% |
| Manufacturing | 24.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.6% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.3% |
| Construction | 2.7% |
| Public administration | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Emporia lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon County | 32,186 | $1,975 million | $61,376 | 15,357 | 878 | $47,458 | -1.3% | 4.5% | 16,544 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,085 | 36.1% | $59,894 | 3.24 |
| Retail trade | 1,709 | 15.1% | $29,127 | 1.11 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,353 | 12.0% | $40,112 | 0.61 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,342 | 11.9% | $17,849 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 534 | 4.7% | $46,710 | 0.59 |
| Wholesale trade | 499 | 4.4% | $66,428 | 0.82 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 379 | 3.4% | $56,276 | 0.58 |
| Construction | 333 | 2.9% | $57,690 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 302 | 2.7% | $30,502 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 265 | 2.3% | $59,921 | 0.43 |
| Information | 168 | 1.5% | $44,086 | 0.58 |
| Real estate and rental | 134 | 1.2% | $43,068 | 0.56 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 109 | 1.0% | $13,922 | 0.42 |
| Utilities | 50 | 0.4% | $128,309 | 0.86 |
| Educational services | 46 | 0.4% | $50,498 | 0.14 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 4.7% |
| Work from home | 6.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,704 |
| Income per person | $27,304 |
| Median gross rent per month | $815 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.6% |
| Median home value | $132,700 |
| Homeowners | 49.9% |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.58%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 30.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.4% |
| Born abroad | 13.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.4 | 29 | 26 |
| Feb | 0.2 | 32 | 37 |
| Mar | 6.9 | 44 | 60 |
| Apr | 13.0 | 55 | 93 |
| May | 18.4 | 65 | 141 |
| Jun | 23.9 | 75 | 133 |
| Jul | 26.5 | 80 | 102 |
| Aug | 25.5 | 78 | 122 |
| Sep | 20.8 | 69 | 85 |
| Oct | 13.3 | 56 | 81 |
| Nov | 6.5 | 44 | 34 |
| Dec | 0.3 | 33 | 35 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | KS | 51 mi | 125,786 | $56,956 | $979 |
| Ottawa | KS | 52 mi | 12,678 | $71,699 | $1,032 |
| El Dorado | KS | 54 mi | 12,769 | $59,180 | $844 |
| Junction City | KS | 56 mi | 22,331 | $61,181 | $1,024 |
| Manhattan | KS | 59 mi | 54,239 | $60,172 | $1,003 |
| Fort Riley | KS | 59 mi | 8,606 | $54,362 | $1,234 |
| Lawrence | KS | 63 mi | 96,051 | $65,009 | $1,091 |
| Chanute | KS | 64 mi | 8,598 | $50,882 | $717 |
| Augusta | KS | 65 mi | 9,216 | $64,919 | $865 |
| Abilene | KS | 67 mi | 6,449 | $57,924 | $1,022 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
24,131 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$815 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.6% of the median household income.
$52,704 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.5% (BLS county, Lyon County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.