The Town FilesWakefield, Kansas
City in Clay County · population 858 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,700
- Household income
- $68,594
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 44.6
Wakefield is a city of 858 people in Clay County, Kansas. The median home is worth $172,700, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for families than 94% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 89% of Kansas towns, quieter than 84% of Kansas towns.
How Wakefield 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 Wakefield is worth $172,700, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $68,594, which is more affordable than 32% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 79.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wakefield | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,700 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $819 | $815 |
| Median household income | $68,594 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 79.1% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Wakefield
| People | Wakefield | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 30.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wakefield
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 25, 1951 about 9.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 6, 2024.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| October 19, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4403: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 2,926 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,138 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Wakefield itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Wakefield
2 public schools with 220 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield Elem | K-8 | 145 | 12.1 |
| Wakefield High | 9-12 | 75 | 10.7 |
Towns near Wakefield
- Riley, KS11.7 mi · 938 people · home $163,100
- Clay Center, KS12.8 mi · 4,199 people · home $143,600
- Fort Riley, KS13.4 mi · 9,230 people · home —
- Junction City, KS15.8 mi · 22,932 people · home $171,500
- Chapman, KS16.7 mi · 1,377 people · home $195,600
- Grandview Plaza, KS17.5 mi · 1,697 people · home $62,100
- Ogden, KS18.5 mi · 1,661 people · home $156,800
- Manhattan, KS22.2 mi · 54,100 people · home $246,700
Wakefield questions
Is Wakefield, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wakefield scores better for retirees than 89% of Kansas towns and quieter than 84%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Wakefield?
The median owner-occupied home in Wakefield is valued at $172,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,594, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in Wakefield?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.0 inches of snow.
Does Wakefield get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 25, 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)