The Town FilesPretty Prairie, Kansas
City in Reno County · population 660 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $100,000
- Household income
- $65,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 42.3
Pretty Prairie is a city of 660 people in Reno County, Kansas. The median home is worth $100,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks quieter than 97% of Kansas towns, better for families than 90% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 80% of Kansas towns.
How Pretty Prairie 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 Pretty Prairie is worth $100,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $65,500, which is more affordable than 86% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 74.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pretty Prairie | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $750 | $815 |
| Median household income | $65,500 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.7% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Pretty Prairie
| People | Pretty Prairie | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Pretty Prairie
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 30.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pretty Prairie since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on March 13, 1990 about 0.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 19, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 24, 1962.
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 Pretty Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Pretty Prairie
3 public schools with 301 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretty Prairie Elem | PK-4 | 120 | 15.0 |
| Pretty Prairie Middle | 5-8 | 99 | 16.5 |
| Pretty Prairie High | 9-12 | 82 | 11.7 |
Towns near Pretty Prairie
- Kingman, KS10.5 mi · 3,105 people · home $73,800
- Haven, KS15.5 mi · 1,170 people · home $91,400
- Cheney, KS16.6 mi · 2,181 people · home $167,900
- South Hutchinson, KS17.3 mi · 2,521 people · home $151,000
- Garden Plain, KS20.5 mi · 948 people · home $258,300
- Hutchinson, KS20.6 mi · 40,006 people · home $125,000
- Mount Hope, KS21.0 mi · 806 people · home $152,200
- Andale, KS21.6 mi · 941 people · home $253,400
Pretty Prairie questions
Is Pretty Prairie, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pretty Prairie scores better for retirees than 67% of Kansas towns and quieter than 97%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Pretty Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Pretty Prairie is valued at $100,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,500, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Pretty Prairie?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.3 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does Pretty Prairie get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pretty Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on March 13, 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)