The Town FilesLakin, Kansas
City in Kearny County · population 2,205 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,000
- Household income
- $89,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 33.8
Lakin is a city of 2,205 people in Kearny County, Kansas. The median home is worth $170,000, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200).
How Lakin 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 Lakin is worth $170,000, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $89,514, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $1,134 a month. 78.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakin | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $1,134 | $815 |
| Median household income | $89,514 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.2% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lakin
| People | Lakin | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.4% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lakin
July highs average 94.3°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 18.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.4 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 81 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakin since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 20, 1951 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 6, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 106 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 22, 2010.
Severe weather in Kearny County since 1996
Kearny County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4824: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 Kearny County
Kearny County had 1,561 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,852 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Lakin itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Lakin
3 public schools with 633 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakin Elem | PK-4 | 249 | 19.2 |
| Lakin High | 9-12 | 198 | 14.1 |
| Lakin Middle | 5-8 | 186 | 15.5 |
Towns near Lakin
- Deerfield, KS7.4 mi · 711 people · home $142,500
- Holcomb, KS14.8 mi · 2,245 people · home $231,000
- Garden City, KS22.3 mi · 28,151 people · home $192,000
- Ulysses, KS25.6 mi · 5,788 people · home $97,400
- Syracuse, KS29.3 mi · 1,826 people · home $120,800
Lakin questions
Is Lakin, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakin scores better for retirees than 22% of Kansas towns and quieter than 58%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Lakin?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakin is valued at $170,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,514, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,134 a month.
What is the weather like in Lakin?
July highs average 94.3°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.8 inches of precipitation a year and 19.4 inches of snow.
Does Lakin get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 20, 1951. 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)