The Town FilesOlpe, Kansas
City in Lyon County · population 519 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,300
- Household income
- $89,479
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 35.2
Olpe is a city of 519 people in Lyon County, Kansas. The median home is worth $163,300, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for families than 81% of Kansas towns, quieter than 79% of Kansas towns, more upscale than 78% of Kansas towns.
How Olpe 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 Olpe is worth $163,300, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $89,479, which is more affordable than 66% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $732 a month. 74.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olpe | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,300 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $732 | $815 |
| Median household income | $89,479 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Olpe
| People | Olpe | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.8% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Olpe
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olpe since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 7, 1990 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 110 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on March 28, 2012.
Severe weather in Lyon County since 1996
Lyon County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Lyon County
Lyon County had 15,357 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,458 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Olpe itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Olpe
2 public schools with 345 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olpe Elementary | PK-6 | 189 | 15.8 |
| Olpe Jr./Sr. High School | 7-12 | 156 | 12.0 |
Towns near Olpe
- Madison, KS9.2 mi · 689 people · home $51,600
- Emporia, KS9.6 mi · 24,139 people · home $132,700
- Americus, KS17.5 mi · 776 people · home $124,100
- Lebo, KS19.5 mi · 885 people · home $123,300
- Cottonwood Falls, KS21.7 mi · 851 people · home $85,100
- Burlington, KS23.3 mi · 2,634 people · home $149,300
Olpe questions
Is Olpe, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olpe scores better for retirees than 69% of Kansas towns and quieter than 79%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).
How much does a house cost in Olpe?
The median owner-occupied home in Olpe is valued at $163,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,479, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $732 a month.
What is the weather like in Olpe?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does Olpe get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olpe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 7, 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)