The Town FilesWaverly, Kansas
City in Coffey County · population 574 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,400
- Household income
- $70,893
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 39.9
Waverly is a city of 574 people in Coffey County, Kansas. The median home is worth $102,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks quieter than 100% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 97% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 79% of Kansas towns.
How Waverly 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 Waverly is worth $102,400, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $70,893, which is more affordable than 92% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $921 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waverly | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,400 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $921 | $815 |
| Median household income | $70,893 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waverly
| People | Waverly | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 1.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Waverly
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 38.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.4 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 20, 1957 about 6.8 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 93 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 4, 1963.
Severe weather in Coffey County since 1996
Coffey County has been included in 19 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 Coffey County
Coffey County had 3,367 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,828 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Waverly itself the ACS puts it at 16.6%.
Public schools in Waverly
2 public schools with 240 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Elem | PK-5 | 146 | 16.2 |
| Waverly High | 6-12 | 94 | 9.4 |
Towns near Waverly
- Lebo, KS14.0 mi · 885 people · home $123,300
- Lyndon, KS15.5 mi · 1,037 people · home $114,400
- Burlington, KS15.9 mi · 2,634 people · home $149,300
- Pomona, KS17.0 mi · 884 people · home $145,800
- Vassar, KS17.5 mi · 584 people · home $176,300
- Osage City, KS20.2 mi · 2,861 people · home $155,800
- Garnett, KS21.1 mi · 3,242 people · home $149,100
- Ottawa, KS23.2 mi · 12,625 people · home $166,500
Waverly questions
Is Waverly, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waverly scores better for retirees than 79% of Kansas towns and quieter than 100%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Waverly?
The median owner-occupied home in Waverly is valued at $102,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,893, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $921 a month.
What is the weather like in Waverly?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.1 inches of precipitation a year and 11.4 inches of snow.
Does Waverly get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly 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)