The Town FilesNickerson, Kansas
City in Reno County · population 1,058 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,200
- Household income
- $49,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 35.6
Nickerson is a city of 1,058 people in Reno County, Kansas. The median home is worth $79,200, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks easier by car than 86% of Kansas towns, better for families than 76% of Kansas towns, more of a college town than 70% of Kansas towns.
How Nickerson 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 Nickerson is worth $79,200, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $49,167, which is more affordable than 81% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $798 a month. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nickerson | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,200 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $798 | $815 |
| Median household income | $49,167 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Nickerson
| People | Nickerson | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 0.7% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Nickerson
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 29.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nickerson since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 26, 1991 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 104 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Reno County since 1996
Reno County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4883: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4811: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 5, 2022 | Fire | FM-5425: Cottonwood Fire Complex |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Reno County
Reno County had 26,658 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,987 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Nickerson itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Nickerson
2 public schools with 481 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickerson High | 9-12 | 293 | 14.7 |
| Nickerson Elem | PK-6 | 188 | 10.4 |
Towns near Nickerson
- Sterling, KS7.7 mi · 2,248 people · home $133,000
- Hutchinson, KS11.4 mi · 40,006 people · home $125,000
- South Hutchinson, KS11.7 mi · 2,521 people · home $151,000
- Lyons, KS15.0 mi · 3,611 people · home $104,800
- Buhler, KS17.3 mi · 1,325 people · home $131,800
- Inman, KS18.1 mi · 1,341 people · home $149,000
- Haven, KS23.8 mi · 1,170 people · home $91,400
- Burrton, KS24.3 mi · 861 people · home $87,400
Nickerson questions
Is Nickerson, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nickerson scores better for retirees than 58% of Kansas towns and quieter than 58%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Nickerson?
The median owner-occupied home in Nickerson is valued at $79,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,167, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $798 a month.
What is the weather like in Nickerson?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.0 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Nickerson get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nickerson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 26, 1991. 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)