The Town FilesLyons, Kansas
City in Rice County · population 3,611 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,800
- Household income
- $62,569
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 38.6
Lyons is a city of 3,611 people in Rice County, Kansas. The median home is worth $104,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200).
How Lyons ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lyons is worth $104,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $62,569, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $760 a month. 72.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lyons | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,800 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $760 | $815 |
| Median household income | $62,569 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lyons
| People | Lyons | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 1.1% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lyons
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 29.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lyons since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 4, 1955 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 132 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 13, 2000.
Severe weather in Rice County since 1996
Rice County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rice County
Rice County had 3,769 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,565 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Lyons itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Lyons
4 public schools with 701 students, about 10.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyons High School | 9-12 | 213 | 10.7 |
| Lyons Middle School | 6-8 | 174 | 9.7 |
| Lyons Park Elementary | PK-2 | 164 | 8.6 |
| Lyons Central Elementary | 3-5 | 150 | 11.5 |
Towns near Lyons
- Hutchinson, KS25.3 mi · 40,006 people · home $125,000
- South Hutchinson, KS26.4 mi · 2,521 people · home $151,000
- Ellsworth, KS26.8 mi · 3,066 people · home $157,600
- McPherson, KS29.3 mi · 14,082 people · home $211,700
Lyons questions
Is Lyons, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lyons scores better for retirees than 47% of Kansas towns and quieter than 61%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Lyons?
The median owner-occupied home in Lyons is valued at $104,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,569, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $760 a month.
What is the weather like in Lyons?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.0 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does Lyons get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lyons since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 4, 1955. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)