The Town FilesWathena, Kansas
City in Doniphan County · population 1,246 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,800
- Household income
- $87,222
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 46.2
Wathena is a city of 1,246 people in Doniphan County, Kansas. The median home is worth $161,800, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better transit than 90% of Kansas towns, quieter than 75% of Kansas towns.
How Wathena 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 Wathena is worth $161,800, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $87,222, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $428 a month. 83.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wathena | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,800 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $428 | $815 |
| Median household income | $87,222 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 83.6% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wathena
| People | Wathena | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.2 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wathena
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wathena since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 26, 1984 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 11, 2000.
Severe weather in Doniphan County since 1996
Doniphan County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4824: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Doniphan County
Doniphan County had 2,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,466 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Wathena itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Wathena
2 public schools with 320 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside High School | 9-12 | 168 | 12.9 |
| Riverside Middle School | 6-8 | 152 | 16.9 |
Towns near Wathena
- Elwood, KS1.9 mi · 1,125 people · home $88,000
- St. Joseph, MO5.7 mi · 72,473 people · home $154,200
- Country Club, MO8.1 mi · 2,487 people · home $205,000
- Troy, KS9.0 mi · 964 people · home $108,100
- Agency, MO12.0 mi · 671 people · home $251,800
- Savannah, MO13.4 mi · 5,069 people · home $161,500
- Atchison, KS17.7 mi · 10,885 people · home $129,700
- Highland, KS19.2 mi · 903 people · home $114,400
Wathena questions
Is Wathena, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wathena scores better for retirees than 6% of Kansas towns and quieter than 75%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.2).
How much does a house cost in Wathena?
The median owner-occupied home in Wathena is valued at $161,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,222, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $428 a month.
What is the weather like in Wathena?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.0 inches of snow.
Does Wathena get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wathena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 26, 1984. 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)