City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Melvern, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Melvern - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

304
Residents
$57,250
Median income
$90,000
Median home
$1,057
Median rent (state)

Melvern - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Melvern lands in the 31st percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

31st
percentile, household income
6th
percentile, home value
25th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Melvern, KS

304 people live in Melvern, Kansas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Melvern households earn a median of $57,250 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.8%. Typical homes in Melvern are valued around $90,000, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. About 23.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Melvern (No Permits), per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kansas at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,057 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 35.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

304 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$57,250 /yr

Poverty 10.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Melvern compare to other US cities?

Here's how Melvern stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 6% pricier than other cities
Median rent 25% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Melvern against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kansas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kansas-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent sits close to the middle of Kansas's city distribution

Among the 552 Kansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Melvern ranks #120 - the 71st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Melvern only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#305 of 527
42nd percentile in Kansas
Median Gross Rent
#120 of 552
71st percentile in Kansas
Median Home Value
#285 of 527
45th percentile in Kansas
Poverty Rate
#171 of 552
68th percentile in Kansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#204 of 552
62nd percentile in Kansas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kansas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

31stIncome percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Melvern's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$90,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Melvern $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Melvern, KS Melvern, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Melvern, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Melvern, KS median $57,250/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Melvern, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Melvern, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
304
Median Income
$57,250
Median Home Value
$90,000
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
10.8%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.2%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
335 residents340 residents345 residents350 residents355 residents 202020212022202320242025 353 residents 340 residents ▼ -3.7%
Melvern's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 1
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.0%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
8.1%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.7%
Other
0.8%

Based on 135 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Melvern sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,057/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
35.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Lowell
304 people
Greeley
303 people
Ingalls
305 people
Neosho Rapids
305 people
Scandia
305 people
Easton
307 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Melvern's 304 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hickox, GA
304 people
Quimby, IA
304 people
Alba, MI
304 people
Eastlake, MI
304 people
Froid, MT
304 people
Newfields, NH
304 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Melvern's $57,250 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ava, IL
$57,250 median income
Mulberry Grove, IL
$57,250 median income
Kirklin, IN
$57,250 median income
Adair, IA
$57,250 median income
Stony Point, MI
$57,250 median income
Hubbard, NE
$57,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Melvern, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Melvern, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.6% White 94.1% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.3% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Melvern compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Melvern (this city) 304 $57,250
Lowell 304 $88,214
Greeley 303 $38,750
Ingalls 305 $78,594
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Melvern, KS?

What is the population of Melvern, KS? +

304 people live in Melvern, KS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Melvern, KS? +

Median annual household income in Melvern runs $57,250, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Melvern? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Melvern; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Melvern, KS? +

A typical home in Melvern is worth $90,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.