Welcome to Emporia: Kansas Hospitality with a Heart
At the crossroads of buffalo grass and big blue stem, where the deer and the antelope once played, lies a city not many outside of eastern Kansas have ever heard of — Emporia. This little-known outpost on I-35 is perhaps best-known for some of the smaller wonders of life — like gravel-grinding bike races and disc golf — but positioned between the Cottonwood and Neosho rivers, Emporia sits smack in the middle of one of America’s greatest natural wonders — the prairie.
Before the railroad ever laid down tracks across these grasslands, Emporia was a pioneer in prohibition — a teetotaling town that was all-aboard for the temperance train. But it’s the Flint Hills surrounding the city that have outlived the outlawing of liquor and gambling and survived even the neck-breaking expansion westward, which traded ancient carbon sinks for farms and homesteads. In fact, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is closer to Emporia than any of its metropolitan neighbors — Kansas City is nearly two hours away, Wichita is an hour-and-a-half, and Topeka is almost an hour’s drive.
But this smallish city in the hills also built itself as a city on the hill. Emporia was among the first places in the Sunflower State to establish an institution of higher learning in Kansas. Emporia State University was founded in 1863 — the same year as Kansas State University opened in Manhattan, but three years before the University of Kansas admitted its first class on its Lawrence campus. In fairness, ESU didn’t officially open its doors until 1865, when 18 aspiring teachers took their seats in the district schoolhouse. Now, more than 4,500 students proudly call themselves Hornets. Adding to the city’s intellectual capital was William Allen White, a homegrown, progressive legend who would eventually be known as the Sage of Emporia for founding the renowned Emporia Gazette, among other achievements.
A college town of 24,000, Emporia combines the close-knit charms of small-town life with the energy and creativity universities inspire. What the city lacks in large museum collections and Michelin stars, it easily makes up for in Midwestern niceties — great mom-and-pops, family-friendly concerts and a quaint downtown scene with many historic buildings.
Emporia’s stable population size is something many newcomers may find appealing if they’ve tired of the rapid expansion of boomtowns in other regions. One thing everyone can admire, though, is Emporia’s affordable cost of living. Housing prices are so low in the city that renters and buyers may feel they’ve traveled back in time. But keep that wayback machine in park, because Emporia’s job market is driving straight ahead. The workforce in this eastern Kansas city remains robust and diversified, despite the recent closure of the Tyson Foods plant, with jobs in education, healthcare, manufacturing, food processing and distribution.
If you are looking for a friendly, approachable city in the Midwest that will never outgrow you, Emporia may be the place for you. Learn more about living in Emporia below, where our moving guide will walk you through the pros and cons, from the housing market to careers, dining, education and fun things to do.
Living Well for Less: Emporia’s Affordable Lifestyle
One of the selling points of Emporia that truly sells itself is its affordability. The price of real estate in this small Kansas city hasn’t even kept pace with the state average, much less the national one. The median home value in Emporia is just $127,500 and rent averaged only $793/month between 2019 and 2023. By contrast, the median Kansan home costs $203,400, while the U.S. median is $303,400. Home values are comparable in Topeka, but rent is far higher in the capital city. Lawrence homes are among the most expensive in the state, with an average cost of $269,500.
But before you pack your bags, you’ll want to consider income levels, too. You’ll likely earn less in Emporia than you would in more expensive cities, including those in Kansas. The median household income in this prairie town is only $52,787 — more than 30% below the national median— which can make it harder to afford even a modestly priced home. This may be one reason why only half of Emporia residents are homeowners, compared to 65% nationwide.
Working in Emporia: Resilient, Ready and Rebuilding
Although the closure of the Tyson Foods plant in Emporia was — to be sure — an undesirable loss, the consequences of the shuttering seem to have been largely contained. Reports indicate most workers have found employment with other local companies, perhaps filling lingering vacancies from the early days of the pandemic. The city government also helped place workers in new positions.
But what is the larger business scene like in Emporia? Well, education and healthcare are two of the biggest employment sectors in this college town. Emporia State University, Emporia Public Schools (U.S.D. #253) and Newman Regional Health are the three biggest public sector employees in town, followed by the county and city governments.
Food and agricultural processing are also major markets in Emporia. Global giants like Hostess, Bunge, Cargill and Hill’s Pet Nutrition all have operations in the area, as do smaller outfits like Fanestil Meats, a local shop running 80-plus years strong. Is a potluck even happening if there’s not a Fanestil Party Time Ham on the table? Not one we want to attend.
But you’re not relegated to working in these industries if you’re contemplating a move to Emporia. Manufacturing, business/management services and the retail trade industry all employ significant numbers of residents. And with easy access to all the state’s biggest cities — and a recently vacated production facility (ahem, Tyson Foods) — Emporia could be a great place to start a business of your own.
A City That Learns Together: Education and Academic Life
Emporia made a name for itself in academia almost as soon as it was founded. The Kansas State Normal School — now known as Emporia State University — was established in 1863 and graduated its first class of 18 students in 1867. Initially a teacher’s college, the institution has grown to an enrollment of 4,500+ students, despite facing many struggles over the years, from droughts to wars to the Great Depression. At one time, it held the distinction of being the largest college of its kind in the entire U.S. The teaching college is now one of eight schools within the university, and students can pursue degrees in a variety of fields, such as an MS in IT or a BFA in Theatre. ESU is also one of the most important employers in the city.
But what about schooling for the younger set? Well, with an enrollment of 4,300, Emporia Public Schools serve students three years old and up, providing robust learning opportunities in STEM, the humanities and the arts — students can even take glassblowing here. Six elementary schools feed into a single junior high school and then high school, and nearly a thousand staff and faculty manage the operations. Private, religious schools like Emporia Christian School and Sacred Heart Catholic School also serve the area.
Get Out and Explore Emporia
One of the benefits of living in a smaller city is that you can really get to know the place. You’ll never think a neighborhood is too far to drive to or that parking and traffic will be a nightmare. Emporia is a place to dig in deep, and we’ve got a list of spots to mark an X by on your town’s treasure map.
Nature and Outdoor
With some of the largest and most beautiful expanses of remnant prairie in the country, the Flint Hills are a rare landscape that is now also your backyard. Riders and runners will adore the Flint Hills Nature Trail — a converted railway path that stretches nearly 120 miles across the region.
If you want a fully immersive experience, take the Flint Hills Scenic Byway to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. From a distance, this “sea of grass” may look like a monoculture, but more than 500 species of plants grow across this undulous landscape, including numerous wildflowers, which bloom throughout the warmer months. Animals small and large occupy this special terrain, from bats to beavers to bison. Take those NPS warnings seriously — never pet the “fluffy cows,” who get gore-ingly grumpy about their personal space.
There’s plenty of outdoor fun to be had within the city limits, of course. Within Soden Park, the David Traylor Zoo is always free to attend, so you can take in all the tarantulas, tortoises and ring-tailed lemurs your eyes desire. The zoo recently lost one of its most beloved residents, a 25-year-old cotton-top Tamarin, aptly named Hot Lips. XXs and OOs to you, HL, on your next big adventure in the great forest in the sky. Other favorite greenspaces in the city include Hammond Park and Peter Pan Park — land originally donated by hometown hero William Allen White — which has a great splash pad, a lake and several historic structures that were built as WPA projects back in the day. When the summer temps heat up, the Jones Aquatic Center will whisk you away to cooler climes on its lazy river.
The Disc Golf Capital of the World and Other Unique Local Vibes
Peter Pan Park (see above) is more than just one of the best picnicking spots in the city — it’s a disc golf destination. Emporia has curiously made a name for itself in this sport with a cult following, and the Frisbee linksmen in your family have numerous courses to test their skills. The 18 holes at Peter Pan Park just happen to be one of the official courses for the Dynamic Discs Open, which rewards athletes for throwing down the best drives — no expensive clubs or embarrassing tams required. Champion’s Landing and Jones Park also have excellent courses for DPGA hopefuls.
Emporia has also cornered the market on another fringe sport — gravel riding. Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of UNBOUND Gravel, a bike race that challenges cyclists to grueling distances on the stony, “tire-shredding” paths through the Flint Hills. 4,000 riders from all over the globe tackle these trails each year, testing the strength of their quads and their character along courses from 25 to 350 miles. More miles, more smiles.
On Google Maps, Emporia sure can look like the middle of nowhere, but Emporians know better — this city is Halfway to Everywhere, as the annual music festival optimistically asserts. Each fall, Emporians gather for a weekend of live music, art and merriment downtown, soaking up the sounds of big-name talents and rising stars. Like a citywide maker fair and flea market, all the woodwork really comes out of the woodwork at the Great American Market. Crawl your way through six city blocks of trash-or-treasures, where you’ll always find some choice handmade gems from artisan vendors, and some great local eats, too. Crowd-lovers should also check out the Lyon County Fair — if for nothing else than the kid’s pedal tractor pull — as well as the celebrations for Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos and Freedom Fest, held each year to honor American soldiers on Veteran’s Day.
From Comfort Food to Gourmet Finds
If you’re thinking of moving to Emporia from a larger metro, you may be experiencing … culinary anxiety. Where will you eat in Tinytown? Is everything made of wheat in Kansas? Do they even have hummus here? The answers are: 1. We made a list — read on! 2. No — it’s the ag scene that’s not for the gluten-averse 3. Yes! They even have good boba.
We won’t lie — Emporia excels at comfort classics. This is the Midwest, after all, and if you aren’t down for a great burger, a cold beer and some kinda casserole, we’re not sure we want to know you. In Emporia, these offerings might have been lovingly updated to suit contemporary palates, swapping in plant-based beef or locally brewed suds, like the ones at Radius Brewing. This one-and-only craft brewery in the city makes a mean farmhouse ale, a rich porter and a hefeweizen with delicate banana notes. Do-B’s, on the other hand, is what you always wanted fast food to be — worth the indulgence. We are talking chicken cordon bleu po-boys, Maui Waui cheesesteaks and corndog nuggets. If this place can’t cure your hangover, nothing will.
Union Street Social could hold its own with any city’s cool kids. This revolutionized “supper club” has reinvented classics and all-originals on its menu, from kimchi-brined fried chicken topped with hot honey to an OTT grilled cheese made with local cheddar and goat cheese, bacon and arugula and spiked with apricot jam. This is also the joint to satisfy your Mediterranean fix with the hummus shawarma.
And what small city worth its salt doesn’t have a killer candy store? Sweet Granada — named after the historic Granada Theatre, rather than the three Steves who own and operate the place with their family — has been cooking up the chocolatiest confections since 2004. We’re looking at handmade fudge, cheesecake truffles, pecan clusters and the namesake “Granada Goo” — just a few of our top diet-busters in this shop.
Thinking About Moving? Here’s Your Next Step
If you’ve decided to relocate to Emporia, Mayflower’s professional movers can help make your move stress-free. We have nearly 100 years of experience in the industry, so there isn’t much we haven’t seen. Whether you’re moving to a smaller apartment across town, or a sprawling spread in the suburbs, Mayflower will be with you Every Step of the Way®.
Get a moving quote now for Emporia.
Consider Moving Full Service to Emporia
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Get Moving Tips and Resources from the Pros
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Still not 100% on board with moving to Emporia? Wish you knew more about other popular places to move in the U.S.? Mayflower’s city guides and state guides break it down, so you can see which spots suit your family best.
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