Fort Scott, KS Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Fort Scott, KS Summary

Cost of living in Fort Scott research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fort Scott is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Fort Scott is 78, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fort Scott is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Fort Scott ranks as the #2 cheapest in Kansas out of 64.

  • Fort Scott ranks as the #46 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fort Scott is $123,888.

  • The median income in Fort Scott is $60,799.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
78
Fort Scott's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Scott, KS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Scott has an overall cost of living index of 78, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kansas, Fort Scott has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Kansas's index of 87.

The standard of living in Fort Scott ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 64 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Fort Scott ranks as the #62 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Fort Scott, check out:

2 out of 64
In Kansas
46 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Scott Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fort Scott. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Fort Scott is 88.

  • The Groceries index in Fort Scott is 94.

  • The Health index in Fort Scott is 84.

  • The Housing index in Fort Scott is 48.

  • The Transportation index in Fort Scott is 86.

  • The Utilities index in Fort Scott is 105.

Living Expense Fort Scott Kansas National Average
Overall 78 87 100
Services 88 93 100
Groceries 94 98 100
Health 84 98 100
Housing 48 78 100
Transportation 86 88 100
Utilities 105 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:
Fort Scott Cost of Living Vs. KS

Fort Scott, KS Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Fort Scott is $123,888.

  • The Median Rent in Fort Scott is $796.

  • The Median Income in Fort Scott is $60,799.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fort Scott is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Scott is 0.16x.

Statistic Fort Scott Kansas United States
Median Home Value $123,888 $239,913 $303,400
Median Rent $796 $1,029 $1,348
Median Income $60,799 $72,639 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.0x 3.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.17x 0.21x
$123,888
Median Home Value
$796
Median Rent
$60,799
Median Income

Fort Scott, KS Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Scott Services Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Fort Scott Kansas
Shampoo $1.08 $1.28
Movie $6.46 $12.13
Bowling $10.0 $18
Haircut $15.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56

Detailed Fort Scott Groceries Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Fort Scott Kansas
Ground Beef $6.33 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.53 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $12.4 $12.09
Beer $9.69 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Fort Scott Health Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Fort Scott Kansas
Optometrist $83.0 $125.68
Doctor $105.0 $135.78
Dentist $90.33 $113.29

Detailed Fort Scott Transportation Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Fort Scott Kansas
Gasoline $3.12 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.34 $59.92

Detailed Fort Scott Utilities Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Fort Scott Kansas
All Electricity $202.28 $193.99
Phone $201.39 $192.25

Fort Scott SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Scott

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fort Scott. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Appleton, WI has a cost of living index of 94, 1.2x Fort Scott.

  • Pittsburg, KS has a cost of living index of 81, 1.0x Fort Scott.

  • Chanute, KS has a cost of living index of 79, 1.0x Fort Scott.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fort Scott
Appleton, WI 74,873 94 1.2x
Pittsburg, KS 20,606 81 1.0x
Chanute, KS 8,629 79 1.0x
Carl Junction, MO 8,257 95 1.2x
Nevada, MO 7,998 79 1.0x
Iola, KS 5,368 80 1.0x

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