Jobs, pay and daily life in Fort Scott, 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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Fort Scott is a city in Kansas with 7,555 residents. The median household earns $52,159 a year and the median rent is $755 a month, which is 17.4% 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 Fort Scott compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Fort Scott is #49 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #54 for household income (#1 = highest), #54 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Bourbon County, is #83 of 105 counties for average pay ($42,850).
Fort Scott has 7,555 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Kansas. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,353 people per square mile. The median age is 41.0, 10% older than the state median (41.0 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $755 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($755 against $1,060). Over a year that is 17.4% 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 $100,500, which is 1.9 times the median household income ($52,159); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.4% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (66.4% against 67.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bourbon County was 5.5%. 58.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bourbon County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 65.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 11.2% work from home. 12.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 72% above the state average (12.7% against 7.4%).
23.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 35% below the state share (23.0% against 35.6%). 1.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 85% below the state share (1.1% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 13.5%, 20% above the state rate (13.5% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 31°F (-0.8°C). About 1,107 mm (44 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (162 mm) and Jan the driest (39 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: Pittsburg (29 miles, rent 13% higher); Chanute (43 miles, rent 5% lower); Parsons (46 miles, similar rent); Webb City (49 miles, rent 34% higher). Rent differences are against Fort Scott; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideBourbon 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 28.6% |
| Education and health care | 19.2% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 9.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.8% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.2% |
| Public administration | 5.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 4.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.5% |
| Other services | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fort Scott 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourbon County | 14,394 | $749 million | $52,002 | 5,529 | 406 | $42,850 | -2.0% | 5.5% | 5,912 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,099 | 41.4% | $50,123 | 2.42 |
| Retail trade | 645 | 24.3% | $30,659 | 1.17 |
| Finance and insurance | 288 | 10.8% | $50,543 | 1.28 |
| Construction | 224 | 8.4% | $61,146 | 0.77 |
| Wholesale trade | 183 | 6.9% | $59,229 | 0.84 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 97 | 3.7% | $32,660 | 0.58 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 43 | 1.6% | $60,393 | 0.96 |
| Information | 35 | 1.3% | $28,702 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 22 | 0.8% | $30,390 | 0.26 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 20 | 0.8% | $38,656 | 0.96 |
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 | 65.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.5% |
| Work from home | 11.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,159 |
| Income per person | $31,563 |
| Median gross rent per month | $755 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.4% |
| Median home value | $100,500 |
| Homeowners | 66.4% |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% |
| 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 | 41.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.0% |
| Born abroad | 1.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.8 | 31 | 39 |
| Feb | 1.1 | 34 | 48 |
| Mar | 7.6 | 46 | 77 |
| Apr | 13.5 | 56 | 116 |
| May | 18.6 | 65 | 162 |
| Jun | 23.8 | 75 | 144 |
| Jul | 26.3 | 79 | 102 |
| Aug | 25.6 | 78 | 121 |
| Sep | 20.9 | 70 | 98 |
| Oct | 13.7 | 57 | 97 |
| Nov | 7.2 | 45 | 56 |
| Dec | 1.2 | 34 | 47 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburg | KS | 29 mi | 20,637 | $43,419 | $854 |
| Chanute | KS | 43 mi | 8,598 | $50,882 | $717 |
| Parsons | KS | 46 mi | 9,425 | $52,428 | $774 |
| Webb City | MO | 49 mi | 13,221 | $65,469 | $1,008 |
| Carthage | MO | 51 mi | 15,574 | $51,328 | $975 |
| Paola | KS | 53 mi | 5,770 | $74,662 | $1,091 |
| Joplin | MO | 53 mi | 52,593 | $52,097 | $962 |
| Ottawa | KS | 61 mi | 12,678 | $71,699 | $1,032 |
| Spring Hill | KS | 64 mi | 9,120 | $112,428 | $1,108 |
| Miami | OK | 66 mi | 12,926 | $46,410 | $835 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,555 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$755 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.4% of the median household income.
$52,159 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.5% (BLS county, Bourbon County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.