The Town FilesWhitewater, Kansas
City in Butler County · population 661 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,500
- Household income
- $65,208
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 47.4
Whitewater is a city of 661 people in Butler County, Kansas. The median home is worth $124,500, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for families than 96% of Kansas towns, quieter than 87% of Kansas towns, better for cycling than 79% of Kansas towns.
How Whitewater 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 Whitewater is worth $124,500, close to the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $65,208, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $908 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whitewater | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,500 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $908 | $815 |
| Median household income | $65,208 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Whitewater
| People | Whitewater | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.7% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Whitewater
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.1 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewater since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 2, 1970 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 78 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 14, 1998.
Severe weather in Butler County since 1996
Butler County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4943: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4891: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 28, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4774: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Butler County
Butler County had 19,881 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,462 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Whitewater itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Whitewater
2 public schools with 300 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederic Remington High | 9-12 | 162 | 11.6 |
| Remington Middle School | 5-8 | 138 | 13.8 |
Towns near Whitewater
- Newton, KS12.0 mi · 18,602 people · home $156,400
- Benton, KS12.3 mi · 943 people · home $196,400
- Kechi, KS13.4 mi · 2,217 people · home $288,300
- North Newton, KS13.5 mi · 1,814 people · home $217,800
- Bel Aire, KS14.1 mi · 8,262 people · home $238,100
- Peabody, KS14.3 mi · 937 people · home $77,800
- Towanda, KS14.5 mi · 1,447 people · home $121,500
- Park City, KS14.5 mi · 8,333 people · home $177,100
Whitewater questions
Is Whitewater, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitewater scores better for retirees than 32% of Kansas towns and quieter than 87%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Whitewater?
The median owner-occupied home in Whitewater is valued at $124,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,208, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $908 a month.
What is the weather like in Whitewater?
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 9.1 inches of snow.
Does Whitewater get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 2, 1970. 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)