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Kansas: homes, climate zones and who licenses the work

Kansas has 1.3 million housing units. 55.9% were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1976. 67.2% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners.

How old the homes are

Kansas housing units, by year built

Layers drawn to scale

Kansas housing units by year built 55.9% of Kansas housing units were built before 1980 and 44.1% in 1980 or later. 2020 or later: 1.4%; 2010–2019: 7.8%; 2000–2009: 11.5%; 1990–1999: 11.6%; 1980–1989: 11.7%; 1970–1979: 13.9%; 1960–1969: 9.7%; 1950–1959: 11.8%; 1940–1949: 5.1%; 1939 or earlier: 15.4%. Before 1980 55.9% 1980 or later 44.1% 2020 or later 1.4% 2010–2019 7.8% 2000–2009 11.5% 1990–1999 11.6% 1980–1989 11.7% 1970–1979 13.9% 1960–1969 9.7% 1950–1959 11.8% 1940–1949 5.1% 1939 or earlier 15.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035 and B25003; heating fuel below from B25040.

Age changes what applies to a house. In general, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Residential Lead Hazard Prevention Program administers in Kansas.

How homes are heated

How homes in Kansas are heated

Main heating fuel, share of 1.2 million occupied homes

  • Utility gas 63.1%
  • Electricity 26.9%
  • Propane or other tank gas 7.8%
  • Wood 1.2%
  • Other fuel 0.5%
  • No fuel used 0.3%
  • Fuel oil or kerosene 0.2%
  • Solar energy 0.1%
  • Coal or coke <0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25040 (occupied housing units).

Climate and building zones

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code assigns every county a climate zone from 1 to 8 and a moisture regime: A for moist, B for dry, C for marine. Zones 7 and 8 have no letter. Here is how Kansas's residents divide among them, by the county they live in.

IECC 2021 zoneShare of residentsCounties
4A97.9%87
5A2.1%18

ENERGY STAR rates windows, doors and skylights for four climate zones of its own. Kansas spans 2: North-Central (97.9% of residents), Northern (2.1% of residents).

By NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, counties here average 114 days a year with a low of 32°F or colder, weighted by where people live. The range runs from 95 days in the mildest county to 168 in the coldest.

Flood risk and flood insurance

0.5% of residential structures in Kansas carry a National Flood Insurance Program policy: 5,331 policies, in FEMA's count as of August 3, 2026.

In FEMA's National Risk Index, 2 of 105 counties rate high or very high for riverine flooding.

Fire ants and termites

No county in Kansas is inside the federal imported fire ant quarantine.

Who licenses the work in Kansas

Before anyone starts work, check the license with the agency below. Where the state does not license a trade, cities and counties may; ask the one where the house is.

Checked 2026-09-29. Licensing rules change; the agency's own page is the authority.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035, B25040 and B25003 data.census.gov
  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates basc.pnnl.gov
  3. U.S. Department of Energy Prototype Building Models (climate zones 1–8 and moisture regimes A, B, C) energycodes.gov
  4. ENERGY STAR Climate zones by county for windows, doors and skylights energystar.gov
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual and seasonal ncei.noaa.gov
  6. Federal Emergency Management Agency OpenFEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (as of 2026-08-03) fema.gov
  7. Federal Emergency Management Agency National Risk Index, county ratings fema.gov
  8. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Imported fire ant quarantine map aphis.usda.gov
  9. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR part 301, subpart P, Imported Fire Ant ecfr.gov
  10. Kansas Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Program ksrevisor.gov ksrevisor.gov
  11. ksbiz.kansas.gov ksbiz.kansas.gov ksbiz.kansas.gov
  12. ksrevisor.gov ksrevisor.gov ksrevisor.gov
  13. Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Residential Lead Hazard Prevention Program epa.gov epa.gov
  14. Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Residential Lead Hazard Prevention Program kdhe.ks.gov kdhe.ks.gov