The Town FilesOttawa, Kansas
City in Franklin County · population 12,625 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,500
- Household income
- $71,699
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 36.9
Ottawa is a city of 12,625 people in Franklin County, Kansas. The median home is worth $166,500, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Kansas towns, more vibrant than 87% of Kansas towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Kansas towns.
How Ottawa 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 Ottawa is worth $166,500, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $71,699, which is more affordable than 43% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $1,032 a month. 59.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ottawa | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,500 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $1,032 | $815 |
| Median household income | $71,699 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 59.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ottawa
| People | Ottawa | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ottawa
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 39.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.2 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 47 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 Ottawa since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 20, 1957 about 1.6 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 17 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 13, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 111 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 19, 1974.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 22 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 Franklin County
Franklin County had 10,085 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,350 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Ottawa itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Ottawa
5 public schools with 2,223 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Sr High | 9-12 | 710 | 14.2 |
| Ottawa Middle School | 6-8 | 485 | 14.3 |
| Lincoln Elem | PK-5 | 358 | 12.3 |
| Garfield Elem | PK-5 | 342 | 11.4 |
| Sunflower Elementary School | PK-5 | 328 | 11.3 |
Towns near Ottawa
- Baldwin City, KS13.0 mi · 4,826 people · home $249,500
- Osawatomie, KS18.4 mi · 4,255 people · home $155,100
- Garnett, KS21.6 mi · 3,242 people · home $149,100
- Paola, KS21.8 mi · 5,768 people · home $210,800
- Gardner, KS23.5 mi · 23,287 people · home $306,200
- Eudora, KS24.8 mi · 6,408 people · home $280,100
- Lawrence, KS25.0 mi · 94,934 people · home $292,700
- Spring Hill, KS26.2 mi · 7,952 people · home $357,800
Ottawa questions
Is Ottawa, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ottawa scores better for retirees than 20% of Kansas towns and quieter than 22%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Ottawa?
The median owner-occupied home in Ottawa is valued at $166,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,699, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,032 a month.
What is the weather like in Ottawa?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.9 inches of precipitation a year and 9.2 inches of snow.
Does Ottawa get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ottawa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 20, 1957. 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)