The Town FilesAtwood, Kansas
City in Rawlins County · population 1,290 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,800
- Household income
- $72,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 43.6
Atwood is a city of 1,290 people in Rawlins County, Kansas. The median home is worth $119,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 83% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 77% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of Kansas towns.
How Atwood ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Atwood is worth $119,800, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $72,188, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $806 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Atwood | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,800 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $806 | $815 |
| Median household income | $72,188 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Atwood
| People | Atwood | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 9.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Atwood
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 22.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.7 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwood since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 27, 1958 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 20, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 128 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 29, 1957.
Severe weather in Rawlins County since 1996
Rawlins County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4943: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| December 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4897: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Rawlins County
Rawlins County had 1,008 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,112 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Atwood itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Atwood
2 public schools with 375 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rawlins County Elementary | PK-6 | 207 | 12.2 |
| Rawlins County Jr/Sr High School | 7-12 | 168 | 12.0 |
Towns near Atwood
- Trenton, NE25.3 mi · 516 people · home $69,200
- Oberlin, KS27.1 mi · 1,644 people · home $88,700
- Colby, KS29.4 mi · 5,570 people · home $163,000
Atwood questions
Is Atwood, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Atwood scores better for retirees than 66% of Kansas towns and quieter than 42%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Atwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Atwood is valued at $119,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,188, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $806 a month.
What is the weather like in Atwood?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.7 inches of snow.
Does Atwood get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 27, 1958. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)