Emporia is a city in Kansas, United States. It is the main city of Lyon County. In 2020, about 24,139 people lived there. Emporia is located between the cities of Topeka and Wichita. It sits where several major highways meet, including U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 35.

Emporia is home to Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. The city also hosts two big yearly sports events: Unbound Gravel, a bicycle race, and the Dynamic Discs Open, a disc golf tournament.

Emporia's Past

Sixth Avenue in Emporia around 1912

Aerial view of Emporia in 1944

Emporia was founded in 1857. Its name comes from an ancient city called Carthage, which was a busy trading center. The city is built on high prairie land.

In the 1860s, railroads started to reach Emporia. The first railroad arrived in 1869, and another in 1870. This made Emporia a very important railroad hub after the American Civil War. In 1888, a man named John Byers Anderson gave his personal library to the College of Emporia. Later, Andrew Carnegie donated money to build a library in Anderson's honor.

Emporia is special because it was the first place in the United States to celebrate Veterans Day. This happened in 1953. A local shoemaker, Alvin J. King, suggested the idea. A U.S. Representative named Edward Rees then helped pass a law to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed this law in 1954.

In 1974, a strong tornado hit Emporia. It was an F4 tornado, which is very powerful. Six people died, and 200 were hurt. The storm also caused about $25 million in damage.

Where Emporia Is Located

Emporia is in the middle-eastern part of Kansas. It is about 108 miles (174 km) southwest of Kansas City. It is also 58 miles (93 km) southwest of Topeka and 87 miles (140 km) northeast of Wichita. The city is on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills.

The city covers about 11.94 square miles (30.92 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Neosho River flows north of the city. The Cottonwood River flows along the southern edge. These two rivers meet near Emporia's eastern border.

Emporia's Climate

Emporia has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Emporia was 116°F (47°C) in July 1934 and August 1936. The coldest temperature was -24°F (-31°C) in January 1947.

Climate data for Emporia Municipal Airport, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–1954, 1979–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	76 (24)	84 (29)	93 (34)	95 (35)	100 (38)	112 (44)	116 (47)	116 (47)	108 (42)	96 (36)	86 (30)	77 (25)	116 (47)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	63.6 (17.6)	68.6 (20.3)	78.0 (25.6)	85.0 (29.4)	89.3 (31.8)	94.2 (34.6)	99.3 (37.4)	99.4 (37.4)	94.1 (34.5)	86.5 (30.3)	74.6 (23.7)	65.4 (18.6)	100.9 (38.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	41.3 (5.2)	46.5 (8.1)	57.4 (14.1)	67.3 (19.6)	75.9 (24.4)	85.0 (29.4)	90.0 (32.2)	89.2 (31.8)	80.8 (27.1)	69.2 (20.7)	55.9 (13.3)	44.3 (6.8)	66.9 (19.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)	31.0 (−0.6)	35.4 (1.9)	45.6 (7.6)	55.5 (13.1)	65.1 (18.4)	74.2 (23.4)	79.0 (26.1)	77.5 (25.3)	69.0 (20.6)	57.2 (14.0)	44.6 (7.0)	34.3 (1.3)	55.7 (13.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	20.7 (−6.3)	24.2 (−4.3)	33.7 (0.9)	43.6 (6.4)	54.2 (12.3)	63.5 (17.5)	68.0 (20.0)	65.8 (18.8)	57.2 (14.0)	45.2 (7.3)	33.3 (0.7)	24.2 (−4.3)	44.5 (6.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	2.3 (−16.5)	7.2 (−13.8)	15.3 (−9.3)	28.0 (−2.2)	40.6 (4.8)	52.8 (11.6)	59.1 (15.1)	56.9 (13.8)	43.0 (6.1)	30.0 (−1.1)	17.4 (−8.1)	8.3 (−13.2)	−1.1 (−18.4)
Record low °F (°C)	−24 (−31)	−23 (−31)	−7 (−22)	8 (−13)	25 (−4)	41 (5)	46 (8)	44 (7)	29 (−2)	15 (−9)	−1 (−18)	−22 (−30)	−24 (−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.78 (20)	1.31 (33)	2.12 (54)	3.84 (98)	5.01 (127)	4.53 (115)	3.90 (99)	3.86 (98)	3.25 (83)	3.06 (78)	1.85 (47)	1.30 (33)	34.81 (885)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	4.8	6.0	8.5	10.1	13.1	10.7	9.3	9.4	8.7	8.7	5.9	5.3	100.5
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service

People of Emporia

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	843	—
1870	2,168	157.2%
1880	4,631	113.6%
1890	7,551	63.1%
1900	8,223	8.9%
1910	9,058	10.2%
1920	11,273	24.5%
1930	14,067	24.8%
1940	13,188	−6.2%
1950	15,669	18.8%
1960	18,190	16.1%
1970	23,327	28.2%
1980	25,287	8.4%
1990	25,512	0.9%
2000	26,760	4.9%
2010	24,916	−6.9%
2020	24,139	−3.1%
2023 (est.)	24,105	−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 2010-2020

Emporia is the main city of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes all of Lyon and Chase counties.

2020 Population Details

In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 24,139 people living in Emporia. There were 9,876 households. About 68% of the people were white, and about 28% were Hispanic or Latino.

About 22% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age in Emporia was 32.3 years. The average household income was about $43,481.

Emporia's Economy

Emporia has several large employers. These include Emporia State University and local government offices. There are also private companies like Hostess Brands, which has a bakery. Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation, started in Emporia in 1953, makes car products. The Braum dairy store chain, which is famous for ice cream, began in Emporia in 1952. Simmons Pet Food also has a large factory in Emporia that makes wet dog food.

For many years, a Tyson Foods meat-packing plant was the city's biggest employer. In 2008, Tyson laid off many workers. The company announced in December 2024 that the plant would close permanently in February 2025. This was part of their plan to move operations closer to where cattle are raised in western Kansas.

Learning in Emporia

Colleges and Universities

Emporia is home to two important colleges: Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. In the past, from 1882 to 1974, there was also a private school called the College of Emporia. Because it had two colleges for a long time, Emporia was sometimes called the "Athens of Kansas."

Schools for Kids

The public schools in Emporia are part of the Emporia USD 253 district. This district has one high school (Emporia High School), one middle school, and six elementary schools. There is also an early childhood center.

Emporia also has two private schools: Emporia Christian School (for preschool to 8th grade) and Sacred Heart Catholic School (for preschool to 5th grade).

Public Library

The Emporia Public Library opened in 1869. It is the oldest library in Kansas that is still open today.

Getting Around Emporia

Plumb Administration Building & Albert Taylor Hall at Emporia State University (2012)

Lyon County courthouse (2009)

Air Travel

The city has its own airport, the Emporia Municipal Airport.

Bus Service

Bus service in Emporia is provided by LCAT, which stands for Lyon County Area Transportation. They offer bus routes within the city and Lyon County. This service is supported by Lyon County and the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Highways

Several major highways serve Emporia, making it easy to travel to and from the city. These include I-35, I-335, US-50, and K-99.

Train Travel

The main train line of BNSF Railway (formerly Santa Fe) runs through Emporia. There is also a train yard in the city. Passenger train service to Emporia ended in 1997. The old train station was destroyed by fire in 1999. Since 2014, there have been efforts to bring back train service and build a new station.

Media in Emporia

The main newspaper in Emporia is Emporia Gazette. It is published six days a week. The Gazette also publishes a Spanish newspaper called La Voz. Students at Emporia State University publish their own newspaper, the Emporia State University Bulletin.

Emporia is also a center for radio and television in east-central Kansas. There is one AM radio station and ten FM radio stations. Emporia is part of the Topeka television market. One TV station, which is a translator for the Fox channel in Topeka, broadcasts from Emporia.

Emporia's Culture

William Allen White House (2009)

Waiting for the Unbound Gravel bike race to start at sunrise in Emporia

Places to See

Emporia has 14 buildings and places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Old Emporia Public Library, the Granada Theater, and the William Allen White House.

There is also an old one-room schoolhouse on the Emporia State University campus. You can take tours of it through the ESU Teachers College and The National Teachers Hall of Fame.

A Kansas Historical Marker about Emporia and William Allen White is located at the Emporia service area of the Kansas Turnpike.

Events to Enjoy

Unbound Gravel: This is a famous gravel bicycle race that goes through the Flint Hills. It starts and ends in Emporia. There are different race lengths, from 25 to 350 miles. It happens every year on the first weekend after Memorial Day.
Dynamic Discs Open: This is one of the biggest disc golf tournaments.
The Taste: At this event, you can try products from wineries, breweries, and distilleries from all over Kansas.
Great American Market: This is a large market held downtown on the second Saturday of September. You can find antiques, collectibles, art, crafts, and food.

Famous People from Emporia

Many notable people have connections to Emporia. These include actor R. Lee Ermey, famous journalist William Allen White, college basketball coach Dean Smith, and circus performer/tattoo artist Maud Wagner.

More to Explore

June 1974 Great Plains tornado outbreak
Great Flood of 1951

Emporia, Kansas facts for kids

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