Town file
Emporia, Kansas
Emporia, Kansas (Lyon County, Kansas) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 725, "The Pastor's Dark Secrets" (13 August 2026). Emporia, Kansas, in Lyon County, is an eastern Kansas college town about an hour from Topeka.
- Town
- Emporia
- County
- Lyon County
- State
- Kansas
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 725
- Approximate location
- 38.402, -96.192
Episode 725 / 13 August 2026 / 183 min / full
The Pastor's Dark Secrets
"Going to Kansas this week. Emporia, Kansas. It's in Lion County." about 0:05:42
The case: Murder of Sandra Bird (July 1983); Murder of Martin Anderson (November 1983). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 24,022
- Median age
- 29
- Median household income
- $46,642
- Median home value
- $137,700
- Two-bedroom rent
- $570 a month
- Cost of living
- 74.6
- Religious
- 42.4%
- Property crime
- right at average
- Violent crime
- ▼ a little more than half the average, about half the average
History, in brief
- Emporia is located on an upland prairie, according to the town's website. about 0:05:49
- Emporia was founded in 1850. about 0:05:54
- The name Emporia came from ancient Carthage, a place known in history as a prosperous centre of commerce. about 0:06:09
- In 1864 the Union Pacific Railway came through and received land grants to build from Fort Riley to Emporia. about 0:06:50
- The railroad reached Emporia in 1869, becoming the town's first railroad. about 0:07:05
- On June 8th, 1974, an F4 tornado struck Emporia, killing six people, injuring 200 and causing $25 million in damage. about 0:07:25
- On March 6th, 1988, a 29-year-old armed gunman walked into the Cavalry Baptist church during services, killed one person and injured four others. about 0:08:05
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Emporia is a great place to live, grow up and work, with a diverse community, jobs and food, an agricultural influence but also an urban feel, and many community events."about 0:08:58
3 stars
"There are many things for people to do in this small town, such as bowling, roller skating and college sporting events."about 0:09:43
2 stars
"The weather is inconsistent: one day it will be sunny and in the high fifties, and the next day there is a blizzard."about 0:10:05
1 star
"The reviewer calls Emporia's government corrupt, says law enforcement profiles economically challenged citizens, and calls the Emporia and Lyon County judicial system the poster child for organised crime, the blue mafia."about 0:10:50
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Burlingame, Kansas31 miles
- Newton, Kansas67 miles
- Edgerton, Kansas71 miles
- Oskaloosa, Kansas73 miles
- Lenexa, Kansas84 miles
- Prairie Village, Kansas93 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.