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Smith Center, Kansas
Smith Center is a city of 1,680 people in Smith County, Kansas, founded in 1871.
Why visit Smith Center
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails and 2 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include First National Bank Building and Wagner Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Smith Center
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Smith Center
Smith Center is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,571.
From the Wikipedia article Smith Center, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
First National Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Smith Center, Kansas, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship2
History
Smith Center was founded in 1871. The first post office in Smith Center was established in January 1873. Like Smith County, Smith Center was named for Maj. J. Nelson Smith of the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, a pre-war native of Elwood, Kansas, who died leading his regiment on October 21, 1864 at the Battle of the Little Blue River.
From the History section of Smith Center, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Healthcare1
Map of Smith Center
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 16°F | 0.6 in | 4.4 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 19°F | 0.7 in | 5.9 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 38°F | 2.1 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 76°F | 50°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 61°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 66°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 63°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 54°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 41°F | 1.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 28°F | 1.2 in | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 19°F | 0.8 in | 3.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Smith Ctr Hcn (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Smith County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (Severe Storm)
- 2022-02-17: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2013-04-26: Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Brewster Field (HDE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 55 miles away.
- Kensington 13 mi west, about 21 min by car
- Downs 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Osborne 23 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Franklin 24 mi north, about 39 min by car
- Red Cloud 26 mi northeast, about 41 min by car
- Cawker City 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Phillipsburg 29 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Mankato 31 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Beloit 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Plainville 46 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- First National Bank - Smith Center, KS (1), Kristi Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Smith Center, KS, Jared Winkler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First National Bank - Smith Center, KS, Kristi Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Martyn House - Smith Center, KS, Kristi Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grimes House, Smith Center, KS, Kristi Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
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