The Town FilesEllinwood, Kansas
City in Barton County · population 2,011 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,300
- Household income
- $56,379
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 45.4
Ellinwood is a city of 2,011 people in Barton County, Kansas. The median home is worth $109,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for retirees than 82% of Kansas towns, hipper than 81% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 81% of Kansas towns.
How Ellinwood 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 Ellinwood is worth $109,300, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $56,379, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $683 a month. 74.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ellinwood | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,300 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $683 | $815 |
| Median household income | $56,379 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.4% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Ellinwood
| People | Ellinwood | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ellinwood
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 27.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellinwood since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 24, 1990 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 95 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 6, 2024.
Severe weather in Barton County since 1996
Barton County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4897: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4811: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 25, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Barton County
Barton County had 11,522 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,896 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Ellinwood itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Ellinwood
3 public schools with 460 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellinwood Elem | PK-6 | 229 | 14.3 |
| Ellinwood High | 9-12 | 153 | 15.3 |
| Ellinwood Middle School | 7-8 | 78 | 19.5 |
Towns near Ellinwood
- Great Bend, KS11.7 mi · 14,733 people · home $133,900
- Claflin, KS11.8 mi · 562 people · home $107,300
- Hoisington, KS15.3 mi · 2,699 people · home $95,000
- Lyons, KS20.6 mi · 3,611 people · home $104,800
- Sterling, KS22.9 mi · 2,248 people · home $133,000
- St. John, KS26.5 mi · 1,228 people · home $94,600
- Stafford, KS27.3 mi · 959 people · home $70,700
Ellinwood questions
Is Ellinwood, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ellinwood scores better for retirees than 82% of Kansas towns and quieter than 69%. 30.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Ellinwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Ellinwood is valued at $109,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,379, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $683 a month.
What is the weather like in Ellinwood?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.3 inches of precipitation a year and 14.0 inches of snow.
Does Ellinwood get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellinwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 24, 1990. 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)