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Moving to Emporia, Kansas

Emporia pays new residents up to $5,000 through Live and Work Remote in Emporia. Here is what life costs in Lyon County, home of Emporia, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • $5,000Paid to move hereLive and Work Remote in Emporia
  • $150,600Typical home value1Lyon County
  • $817Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 32,266Population+0.3% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to Emporia

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in Kansas

Something to know about Emporia

Did you know?

Emporia held an All Veterans Day on November 11, 1953, led by local shoe repairman Alvin King, and an Emporia congressman then carried the idea to Congress, leading to the national Veterans Day.

Source: The American Legion, November 2010

A fact about Emporia

What it costs to live in Emporia

Lyon County next to Kansas and the US.1
MeasureLyon CountyKansasUnited States
Typical home value$150,600$217,200$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,345$1,689$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$817$1,060$1,413
Typical household income$59,912$74,275$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners57.9%67.2%65.2%
Households with broadband89.2%90.7%91.0%
Average commute, one way15 min20 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $828 a month2.

Jobs and work in Lyon County

  • 13,175Jobs at local employers2023, +4.4% vs 2022
  • 839Employer businesses2023
  • 1,951Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 89.2%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

68.7% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 14.8 minutes, and 26.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 59 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from Emporia

1 of Emporia's 2 programs requires a full-time remote job. These are current remote openings for people living in the US.

Loading current remote jobs.

Things to do in Emporia

Notable places in Lyon County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • Admire-Allen City Lake
  • Quaker Park
  • Sertoma Park
  • Soden Park
  • Jones Youth Recreation Park

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • David Traylor Zoo of Emporia
  • National Teachers Hall of Fame
  • Trusler Sports Complex
  • Emporia Downtown Historic District

Colleges and universities

  • Emporia State University

Thinking about Emporia? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

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Moving to Emporia: questions people ask

Does Emporia pay you to move there?

Yes. Live and Work Remote in Emporia: $5,000 cash; Live and Work Local in Emporia: $5,000 cash. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in Emporia?

In Lyon County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $150,600 and median gross rent is $817 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Kansas: $217,200 and $1,060. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $828 a month (our arithmetic).

Is Emporia a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Lyon County are below the US median, household income is below the US median, and the population grew 0.3% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from Emporia?

89.2% of households in Lyon County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). 1 of the 2 local programs requires a full-time remote job, and 1 has a track for local jobs.

What is there to do in Emporia?

Notable places in Lyon County include Admire-Allen City Lake, Quaker Park, David Traylor Zoo of Emporia, National Teachers Hall of Fame, Emporia State University. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other Kansas towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page