Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Pratt Truss Bridge · National Register of Historic Places
Melvern’s story
156 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1870Melvern is settled
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Pratt Truss Bridge · Photo: SharonPapierdreams · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
340
2025 Census estimate · −4% since 2020
Typical home
$213K
+7.6% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
34.5
years
Jobs based here
51
A commuter town
Is Melvern a good place to live?
Melvern’s average trip to work is 41 minutes, where Kansas’ towns sit at 20 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 152 Kansas towns, just 3 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Melvern. Melvern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
340 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 Melvern: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Melvern, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOsage Co RWD 4No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFridayTrash dayTown 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 hereOsage County ClerkOsage County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6651066510 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 Melvern.
Work & commute
Melvern has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Melvern for work: only 1% work in town. 14% of Melvern residents live below the poverty line, against 9.1% in Kansas’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Melvern’s median household income is $56,000.
1%work in town
| Melvern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Melvern1%
Topeka17%
Lyndon10%
Osage City10%
Emporia6%
34 mi
median commute distance
51
jobs based in Melvern
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Melvern, expect four seasons and hot summers
Melvern has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Melvern is 90°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–44°
Spring44–67°
Summer66–88°
Fall46–69°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
High risk in Melvern, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingIce stormsTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
A typical Melvern home is worth about $213K
The typical Melvern home is worth about $213,000, up 7.6% in a year, 13% below the Kansas typical home. Among 150 Kansas towns, just 8 have a lower median rent than Melvern.
$213KZillow home value
| Melvern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $675 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Melvern$213K
Kansas$246K
+7.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
Fewer of Melvern’s adults sleep under 7 hours than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
29% of Melvern adults sleep under 7 hours. Melvern beats the Kansas average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 39% of Melvern adults have obesity.
| Melvern | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
5 better25 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Melvern | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.5% | 11.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 8.1% |
Coffey County Hospital
21.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Melvern
16pages on Melvern
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Melvern; the nearest are
Ottawa University-OttawaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Ottawa21.2 mi$35,880 tuitionEmporia State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Emporia30 mi$7,106 in-state tuitionFlint Hills Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Emporia32.3 mi$6,400 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Melvern residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Melvern for work
Where Melvern’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
51jobs based in Melvern
1%of working residents work in town
34 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Melvern
City in Osage County, Kansas
Melvern is a city in Osage County, Kansas, United States, along the Marais des Cygnes River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 356.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,014 ft
- ZIP code
- 66510
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Melvern
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Melvern, KS a good place to live?
Melvern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.