Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,041, settled in 1868. 2.8 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
Trash & recyclingThe best of Fredonia’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a D for schools. 36% of working residents work locally in Fredonia, where Kansas’ towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 8%. On incomes, just 21 of Kansas’ 373 towns do worse. Fredonia's crime rate is higher than 90% of U.S. towns, with 7 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Only 25 of Kansas’ 362 towns score higher on civic life. Fredonia has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them US Post Office-Fredonia and Dr. A. C. Flack House. Fredonia has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Fredonia beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elementary | 1–6 | 242 |
| Fredonia Early Learning Center | PK–K | 92 |
| Fredonia Jr./Sr. High School | 7–12 | 314 |
2,482 counted in 2010 and 2,151 in 2020; an estimated 2,041 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Fredonia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 923 in 1880, a peak of 3,954 in 1920, 2,151 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 3 maps from 1938 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fredonia, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Fredonia.
The typical Fredonia home is worth about $96,000, up 0.8% in a year, 61% below the Kansas typical home. Fredonia’s median rent is $729 a month, below both Kansas’ towns ($975 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 66% of Fredonia households own their home.
| Fredonia | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $729 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 72% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Fredonia school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Fredonia Jr./Sr. High School, with 314 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 1–6 | Grades 1–6 | 242 | B− |
| Fredonia Jr./Sr. High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 314 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation
The violent crime rate in Fredonia is 3.4 per 1,000 residents. Fredonia reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 90% report less.
| Fredonia | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.7 per 1,000 residents | 11 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Fredonia beats the Kansas average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Fredonia. Only 3 of the 151 Kansas towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Fredonia.
| Fredonia | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| What stands out | Fredonia | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 77.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Fredonia has chilly winters and warm summers. Fredonia’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Fredonia’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Fredonia fell to 1,315 in 2023, 590 fewer than in 2013. Among 152 Kansas towns, just 10 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Fredonia.
| Fredonia | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fredonia.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.2 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rotary Park | — | 4 |
| 2. South Mound Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Polk Street Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Fredonia; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Fredonia residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
9 notable people were born in Fredonia.
City in Wilson County, Kansas
Fredonia is a city in and the county seat of Wilson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,151. The city was founded in 1868, and saw considerable expansion in the early 20th century, with a fossil fuel boom.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
2.8 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
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.
9 notable people were born here, including George W. Malone and Charles Stokes.
