The Town FilesEllis, Kansas
City in Ellis County · population 1,958 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,500
- Household income
- $73,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 35.3
Ellis is a city of 1,958 people in Ellis County, Kansas. The median home is worth $155,500, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Kansas towns, more upscale than 72% of Kansas towns.
How Ellis 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 Ellis is worth $155,500, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $73,000, which is more affordable than 52% of Kansas towns. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ellis | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,500 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | — | $815 |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Ellis
| People | Ellis | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ellis
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 24.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellis since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 2002 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 28, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 118 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 28, 2003.
Severe weather in Ellis County since 1996
Ellis County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| May 25, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Ellis County
Ellis County had 15,487 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,061 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Ellis itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Ellis
2 public schools with 346 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Elem | PK-6 | 185 | 16.8 |
| Ellis Jr/Sr High | 7-12 | 161 | 10.7 |
Towns near Ellis
- Hays, KS13.1 mi · 21,116 people · home $225,500
- WaKeeney, KS18.5 mi · 1,799 people · home $125,200
- Victoria, KS22.7 mi · 1,129 people · home $174,200
- Plainville, KS24.8 mi · 1,746 people · home $82,500
Ellis questions
Is Ellis, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ellis scores better for retirees than 55% of Kansas towns and quieter than 56%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Ellis?
The median owner-occupied home in Ellis is valued at $155,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,000, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ellis?
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.4 inches of precipitation a year and 15.0 inches of snow.
Does Ellis get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 2002. 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)