The Town FilesWaKeeney, Kansas
City in Trego County · population 1,799 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,200
- Household income
- $68,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 43.7
WaKeeney is a city of 1,799 people in Trego County, Kansas. The median home is worth $125,200, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks quieter than 99% of Kansas towns, better transit than 74% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 72% of Kansas towns.
How WaKeeney 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 WaKeeney is worth $125,200, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $68,438, which is more affordable than 66% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | WaKeeney | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,200 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $756 | $815 |
| Median household income | $68,438 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in WaKeeney
| People | WaKeeney | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 12.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in WaKeeney
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 17.4°F. About 23.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.3 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of WaKeeney since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 27, 1951 about 0.5 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 101 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on November 16, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 107 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 19, 1978.
Severe weather in Trego County since 1996
Trego County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 28, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4774: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 25, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Trego County
Trego County had 1,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,322 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in WaKeeney itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in WaKeeney
2 public schools with 401 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trego Grade School | PK-8 | 280 | 14.0 |
| Trego Community High | 9-12 | 121 | 8.6 |
Towns near WaKeeney
- Ellis, KS18.5 mi · 1,958 people · home $155,500
- Quinter, KS19.2 mi · 929 people · home $122,000
- Hill City, KS24.0 mi · 1,403 people · home $92,800
WaKeeney questions
Is WaKeeney, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, WaKeeney scores better for retirees than 72% of Kansas towns and quieter than 99%. 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.7).
How much does a house cost in WaKeeney?
The median owner-occupied home in WaKeeney is valued at $125,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,438, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.
What is the weather like in WaKeeney?
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 17.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.9 inches of precipitation a year and 20.3 inches of snow.
Does WaKeeney get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of WaKeeney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 27, 1951. 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)