Fort Scott, Kansas Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Fort Scott is a small city located in Kansas, within Bourbon County. The total population is 7,555. It ranks as the 49th most populous out of 721 Census-designated places in Kansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fort Scott is 41.0 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 37.4 years. 10.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fort Scott is $52,159. This is 30% lower than the state median of $74,275. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.5%. This is 20% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.3%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 62% higher than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $100,500. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $217,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Fort Scott is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fort Scott has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Black or African American population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 13.6%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

23.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fort Scott, Kansas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Kansas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 721 Census-designated places in Kansas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.