The Town FilesOskaloosa, Kansas
City in Jefferson County · population 1,110 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $183,100
- Household income
- $83,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 38.9
Oskaloosa is a city of 1,110 people in Jefferson County, Kansas. The median home is worth $183,100, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks quieter than 88% of Kansas towns, more upscale than 82% of Kansas towns.
How Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa is worth $183,100, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $83,750, which is more affordable than 47% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $846 a month. 74.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oskaloosa | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,100 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $846 | $815 |
| Median household income | $83,750 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oskaloosa
| People | Oskaloosa | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Oskaloosa
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 17.9°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.4 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oskaloosa since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 8, 1966 about 7.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 29, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 126 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 9, 1992.
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 Oskaloosa itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Oskaloosa
2 public schools with 536 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oskaloosa Elem | PK-6 | 278 | 12.1 |
| Oskaloosa JR-SR High School | 7-12 | 258 | 12.3 |
Towns near Oskaloosa
- McLouth, KS5.8 mi · 859 people · home $202,500
- Ozawkie, KS8.2 mi · 638 people · home $214,300
- Perry, KS10.6 mi · 852 people · home $174,000
- Valley Falls, KS11.6 mi · 1,092 people · home $122,700
- Lecompton, KS12.9 mi · 588 people · home $203,800
- Meriden, KS13.7 mi · 744 people · home $176,400
- Nortonville, KS13.8 mi · 601 people · home $102,000
- Tonganoxie, KS14.7 mi · 5,573 people · home $261,700
Oskaloosa questions
Is Oskaloosa, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oskaloosa scores better for retirees than 33% of Kansas towns and quieter than 88%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Oskaloosa?
The median owner-occupied home in Oskaloosa is valued at $183,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,750, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $846 a month.
What is the weather like in Oskaloosa?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 17.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 16.4 inches of snow.
Does Oskaloosa get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oskaloosa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 8, 1966. 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)