Fort Scott gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $131K, 2.2 years of the county’s $59K median household income. It grades C− overall, 122nd of 150 graded towns in Kansas. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $52K, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it has 7 miles of trail. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 10 places on the National Register. 46% of working residents work locally in Fort Scott, above both Kansas’ towns (15%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 16 of Kansas’ 372 towns score higher on walkability. Its National Register listings include Fort Scott National Historic Site and Fort Scott National Cemetery.

StrongestA⁺History AOutdoors A⁻WalkabilityWeakestDJobs & income C⁻Hazard risk C⁻Safety CSchools

What makes Fort Scott stand out

Where Fort Scott beats most towns.

Fort Scott National Historic Site

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1843

A history going back 183 years.

WalkabilityA⁻

More walkable than 84% of U.S. towns

6.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Fort Scott National Historic Site · National Register of Historic Places

Fort Scott’s story

183 years in pictures

Fort Scott National Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1843, comes before those of 98% of the Kansas towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 262 in 1860, a peak of 11,946 in 1890, 7,552 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1873 and 6 maps from 1886 on.

10 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1843Fort Scott is settled

Explore the history →

How Fort Scott grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Fort Scott is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & income4,645 jobs based hereDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 2.9% of households have no carA⁻Open →Cost of livingA⁻Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁻Open →SafetyC⁻Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthLess healthy than 67% of U.S. towns; Nevada Regional Medical Center 18.8 miles awayCOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors4% conserved landAOpen →History19 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life2.2 library visits per resident; 8.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.0; 23% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Fort Scott: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Fort Scott, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Fort Scott water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fort Scott’s trash rules yet

SchoolsFort Scott Unified School District 234Which school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereBourbon County ClerkBourbon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015

ZIP code6670166701 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 Fort Scott.

Fort Scott fares better on crime within Kansas than nationally and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Kansas (mostly inland flooding).

OutdoorsA

Conserved land covers 4.5% of Fort Scott

Across 8 parks and preserves: 6.6 miles of trail. Gunn Park, at 128 acres with 4.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. The density of trails in Fort Scott is 1.2 miles per square mile.

#15for trails in KS

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.2 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4
Conserved land	4.5%	2%	4.3%

4.5%

conserved · 160 of 3,581 acres

6.6 mi

of trails · 1.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Gunn Park	4.8 mi	128
2. Ellis Park	0.8 mi	15
3. Fort Scott National Historic Site	0.3 mi	16

Full pageFort Scott’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map6.6 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk4.8 miles of trail · Gunn Park Conserved land4.5% conserved · 160 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Fort Scott?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC

Fort Scott’s schools rank behind 74% of Kansas districts

The largest public high school is Fort Scott Sr High, with 578 students. The public schools here belong to the Fort Scott school district. Of its 7 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason.

26%of KS districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Fort Scott Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	372	C
Fort Scott Sr HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	578	D

Full pageFort Scott’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsFort Scott Every school7 schools · Fort Scott Sr High Questions“Are Fort Scott’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation

HousingCost of living grade A⁻

Fort Scott earns an A− for cost of living

At 2.2 years of the county’s $59K median household income, the typical home (about $131K) costs less against local pay than in 82% of Kansas towns; that ratio is one input to that grade.

Fort Scott’s midpoint rent is $755 a month. Home values are up 9.8% over the year to September 2026. The share of households in Fort Scott who live in a home they own: 66%.

$131KZillow home value

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$755 a month	$977 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	66%	72%	73%

Typical home value

Fort Scott$131K

Kansas$246K

+9.8%

value change, 1 year

Full pageFort Scott’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 9.8% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.5 years of income Rents$755 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁻

Fort Scott stands out in Kansas and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of Kansas towns, with expected losses of about $269 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.

Fort Scott has had 39 paid flood insurance claims since 1985. FEMA puts 53% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 14% to hail. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.

81risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHailTornadoes

paid flood claims since 1985

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageFort Scott’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims39 paid flood claims · Since 1985 Past disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in Fort Scott Get ready2.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

SafetyC⁻

Fort Scott reports more crime per resident than 76% of U.S. towns

At 32.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 63% of Kansas’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 240 to 122 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The violent crime rate for Fort Scott comes to 4.1 per 1,000 residents. The property offense rate for Fort Scott comes to 12 per 1,000 residents.

24%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁻Safety Grade

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	4.1 per 1,000 residents	2.5	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	12 per 1,000 residents	10.9	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Fort Scott4.1

Kansas4.8

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Fort Scott12

Kansas19.2

U.S.15.5

24th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

37th

percentile among KS towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageFort Scott’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type4.1 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Questions“Is Fort Scott, KS safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthC

Compared with most of Kansas and the rest of the country, more of Fort Scott’s adults sleep under 7 hours

Against the 6,518 U.S. towns with household incomes like Fort Scott’s, it is healthier than 66%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.

Two figures for adults in Fort Scott: 31% get no exercise outside work, 17% smoke cigarettes. 13% of Fort Scott adults have diabetes.

33%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	35%	36%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	31%	26%	25%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	17%	15%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	38%	34%	35%

32 measures vs. Kansas

0 better19 too close to call13 worse

What stands out	Fort Scott	KS
More older adults who have lost all their teeth	21.9%	11.3%
More adults with COPD	8.9%	6.7%
More adults who have had a stroke	4%	3.2%

Nevada Regional Medical Center

18.8 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

21st

percentile among KS towns

Full pageFort Scott’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby18.8 miles to an ER · Nevada Regional Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than KS on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Fort Scott has four seasons and hot summers

July afternoons average 89.7°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 77% of Kansas places with climate records; January nights average 23.6°.

For Fort Scott, the July high is 90°F. About 8 inches of snow falls in a winter.

8″snow a winter

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
July high	90°F	91°F	85°F
January low	24°F	21°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter26–45°

Spring46–67°

Summer67–88°

Fall47–69°

Oct 28

typical first frost

Apr 5

typical last frost

+0.6°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageFort Scott’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 24°Rain & snow8″ of snow a winter · 43 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Fort Scott draws in 3,093 commuters

The top destinations are Pittsburg (5%), Wichita (3%) and Arkansas City (3%). Fort Scott’s mean commuting time stands at 17 minutes. The median commute is under 15 miles.

46%work in town

	Fort Scott	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	17 minutes	20 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$52,000	$73,000	$80,000
Work from home	11%	8.7%	11%

Where working residents work

In Fort Scott46%

Pittsburg5%

Wichita3%

Arkansas City3%

Nevada2%

15 mi

median commute distance

4,645

jobs based in Fort Scott

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns

Full pageFort Scott’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here4,645 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work46% work in Fort Scott Commute times17 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 15 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Fort Scott

20pages on Fort Scott

The big questions

SchoolsCBehind 74% of KS districts · 7 schools SafetyC⁻4.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than KS on 0 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingA⁻$131K typical home · up 9.8% in a year Work & commuteD$52K median household income · 4,645 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁻FEMA risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA7 mi of trails · 4% conserved land PlacesAttractions2 nearby · Fort Scott National Historic Site under 1 mi LibraryB⁺2.2 library visits per resident CollegesFort Scott Community College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1843 · 10 on the National Register Famous people19 born in Fort Scott Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 71 residents Climate90° summer highs · 8″ of snow

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Fort Scott WeatherHandbookZIP code 66701 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Fort Scott

Fort Scott Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort ScottIn town$3,390 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Fort Scott residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

7 miles of trails in Fort Scott

4.5% of the town is conserved land, across 8 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Fort Scott

ConservedTrails

Gunn Park4.8 mi of trails · 128 acres

Directions

Ellis Park0.8 mi of trails · 15 acres

Fort Scott National Historic Site0.3 mi of trails · 16 acres

Directions

Landmarks

10 places in Fort Scott on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Fort Scott National Historic SiteBuilt 1978 · National Historic Landmark

Union Block

Moody Building

Fort Scott Public Carnegie LibraryBuilt 1902

Famous people from Fort Scott

19 notable people were born in Fort Scott.

See all 19 →

Gordon ParksAmerican photographer, musician, writer and film director · 1912–2006

Hugh Samuel JohnsonAmerican administrator · 1882–1942

Clark CliffordAmerican secretary of defense · 1906–1998

Richard ChristyAmerican drummer · born 1974

Mark HartAmerican musician · born 1953

Charles Hatfield(1875-1958) American cloud seeder · 1875–1958

About Fort Scott

City and County seat in Kansas, United States

Official town website ↗

Fort Scott is a city in and the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,552. It is named for Gen. Winfield Scott. The city is located 88 miles (142 km) south of Kansas City on the Marmaton River. It is the home of the Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Fort Scott National Cemetery.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 5.6 sq mi
Elevation: 846 ft
ZIP code: 66701
Area code: 620

Questions about Fort Scott

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Fort Scott, KS a good place to live?

Fort Scott grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #122 of 150 in Kansas. It grades C for health, C− for safety and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Fort Scott, KS expensive?

Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.

What is Fort Scott, KS known for?

19 notable people were born here, including Gordon Parks and Hugh Samuel Johnson.

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