Downs Carnegie Library · National Register of Historic Places
Downs’s story
147 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1879Downs is settled
DownsKS
Settled in 1879, this town now has 759 residents.
Downs Missouri Pacific Depot · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
759
2025 Census estimate · −5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$98K
−2.6% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
50.9
years
Jobs based here
277
Balanced
Is Downs a good place to live?
36% of residents are 65 or older in Downs, above both Kansas’ towns (17%) and U.S. towns (18%). Among 150 Kansas towns, just one has a lower median rent than Downs. Downs has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Downs Missouri Pacific Depot and Downs Carnegie Library. Downs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
759 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 Downs: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Downs, and how to reach them.
PowerPrairie Land Electric Coop14.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Downs water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Downs’ trash rules yet
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 hereOsborne County ClerkOsborne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6743767437 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 Downs.
Housing
Downs’ typical home value is about $98K
Values fell 2.6% in the year to September 2026. The share of households in Downs who own their home: 77%.
$98KZillow home value
Typical home value
Downs$98K
Kansas$246K
−2.6%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Downs stands out in Kansas and nationally: the median age there is higher
People 65 and older are 37% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 13% of residents (23% statewide). The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Downs at 759 residents, down 5.7% since 2020. Among adults 25 and older, 28% have a four-year degree or more, against 36% across Kansas.
50.9median age · KS 37.4
| Downs | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 29% | 29% |
DownsKansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma11%
High school25%
Some college22%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.1 points. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Downs | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.1% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.3% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.3% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.1% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.4% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 19.5% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.5% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 22% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.8% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.5% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.3% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Top of a high hazard risk in Downs: hail
Expected losses in Downs break down as 33% from hail and 29% from inland flooding. Downs’ risk rating from FEMA stands at 69 of 100.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailInland floodingDrought
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
18″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–43°
Spring39–66°
Summer64–90°
Fall41–68°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About one in eight working residents works right in Downs
For Downs, the median household income is $62,000. The town had 277 jobs in 2023, down 72 from 2013. 5.8% of residents live below the poverty line here. Half commute less than 23 miles.
13%work in town
| Downs | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Downs13%
Osborne24%
Natoma8%
Beloit7%
Hays4%
23 mi
median commute distance
277
jobs based in Downs
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Downs than in most of Kansas or the rest of the country
Only 3 of the 151 Kansas towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Downs. A fifth of Downs adults have been diagnosed with depression. Against the Kansas average, Downs comes out ahead on 6 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 10. Two figures for adults locally: 13% binge drink, 27% feel lonely.
| Downs | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 34% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
6 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Downs | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.7% | 11.2% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.5% | 6.4% |
Osborne County Memorial Hospital
8.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Downs has set aside 0.9% of its land for conservation
Across 1 park or preserve: 0.1 miles of trail. Parks and preserves in Downs: one, of 8 acres.
0.9%conserved
| Downs | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.9% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
0.9%
conserved · 6 of 712 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Downs City Park | 0.1 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Downs
17pages on Downs
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Downs; the nearest are
Fort Hays Tech North CentralCommunity college · Public · Beloit23.3 mi$7,350 in-state tuitionFort Hays State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hays61 mi$5,923 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Downs residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
Landmarks
2 places in Downs on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Downs
City in Osborne County, Kansas
Downs is a city in Osborne County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 800.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,483 ft
- ZIP code
- 67437
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Downs
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Downs, KS a good place to live?
Downs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.