The Town FilesNortonville, Kansas
City in Jefferson County · population 601 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,000
- Household income
- $58,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 35.6
Nortonville is a city of 601 people in Jefferson County, Kansas. The median home is worth $102,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200).
How Nortonville 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 Nortonville is worth $102,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $58,571, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $970 a month. 72.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nortonville | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $970 | $815 |
| Median household income | $58,571 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Nortonville
| People | Nortonville | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 13.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 38.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Nortonville
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 57 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nortonville since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 26, 1984 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 29, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 19, 2011.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | EM-3412: Tornadoes And Flooding |
| July 20, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4230: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 3,862 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,468 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Nortonville itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Nortonville
1 public school with 330 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County North Elem/Middle | PK-8 | 330 | 15.7 |
Towns near Nortonville
- Valley Falls, KS8.8 mi · 1,092 people · home $122,700
- Oskaloosa, KS13.8 mi · 1,110 people · home $183,100
- Ozawkie, KS14.4 mi · 638 people · home $214,300
- Atchison, KS14.5 mi · 10,885 people · home $129,700
- McLouth, KS16.5 mi · 859 people · home $202,500
- Meriden, KS20.1 mi · 744 people · home $176,400
- Horton, KS20.3 mi · 1,523 people · home $79,600
- Holton, KS21.8 mi · 3,401 people · home $142,800
Nortonville questions
Is Nortonville, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nortonville scores better for retirees than 60% of Kansas towns and quieter than 53%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Nortonville?
The median owner-occupied home in Nortonville is valued at $102,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,571, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $970 a month.
What is the weather like in Nortonville?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.6 inches of precipitation a year and 16.3 inches of snow.
Does Nortonville get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nortonville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 26, 1984. 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)