BurdenKansasWaterTower, 2015
Burden’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 157 in 1880, 512 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1889 on.
- 1884Burden is settled
Photo: Art davis · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
509
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$139K
+6.1% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
33.2
years
Jobs based here
30
A commuter town
Is Burden a good place to live?
34% of residents are under 18 in Burden, against 24% in Kansas’ towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Only 4 of the 150 Kansas towns we compare have a lower median rent than Burden. Burden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
509 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Burden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Burden, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Burden water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerThe town’s contract hauler picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCowley County ClerkCowley County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code6701967019 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Burden.
Housing
A typical Burden home is worth about $139K
The typical Burden home is worth about $139,000, up 6.1% in a year, 44% below the Kansas typical home.
$139KZillow home value
Typical home value
Burden$139K
Kansas$246K
+6.1%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Burden is higher than in most of Kansas or the rest of the country
Burden’s FEMA risk score is 83 of 100, above both Kansas’ towns (49 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100).
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Burden has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Burden for work: only 0% work in town. The average trip to work in Burden is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Winfield (33%), Arkansas City (10%) and Wichita (7%).
0%work in town
| Burden | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Burden0%
Winfield33%
Arkansas City10%
Wichita7%
Pleasant Valley Township4%
22 mi
median commute distance
30
jobs based in Burden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Burden
Burden has chilly winters and warm summers. Burden’s July high is 91°F.
8″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–46°
Spring45–68°
Summer67–89°
Fall47–70°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Burden’s adults smoke cigarettes than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
20% of Burden adults smoke cigarettes. Burden beats the Kansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 30% of Burden adults get no exercise outside work.
| Burden | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better16 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Burden | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.7% | 11.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.9% | 6.7% |
| More smokers | 19.5% | 14% |
William Newton Hospital
13.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Burden
16pages on Burden
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Burden
About 5 of every 100 Burden residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Burden for work
Where Burden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
30jobs based in Burden
0%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Burden
City in Cowley County, Kansas
Burden is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 512.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,381 ft
- ZIP code
- 67019
Questions about Burden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Burden, KS a good place to live?
Burden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.