The Town FilesYates Center, Kansas
City in Woodson County · population 1,352 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $65,000
- Household income
- $42,730
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 50.3
Yates Center is a city of 1,352 people in Woodson County, Kansas. The median home is worth $65,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks hipper than 100% of Kansas towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Kansas towns, easier by car than 99% of Kansas towns.
How Yates Center 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 Yates Center is worth $65,000, below the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $42,730, which is more affordable than 86% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $615 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Yates Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $65,000 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $615 | $815 |
| Median household income | $42,730 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Yates Center
| People | Yates Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.3 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.3% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Yates Center
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 20.6°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yates Center since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 2, 1956 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 29, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 30, 2005.
Severe weather in Woodson County since 1996
Woodson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| March 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5556: Yates Center Fire |
| July 15, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4800: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 26, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4747: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Woodson County
Woodson County had 690 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,174 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Yates Center itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Yates Center
2 public schools with 443 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yates Center Elem | PK-6 | 270 | 15.0 |
| Yates Center High | 7-12 | 173 | 14.4 |
Towns near Yates Center
- Humboldt, KS17.8 mi · 1,847 people · home $90,900
- Iola, KS19.8 mi · 5,396 people · home $78,300
- Chanute, KS20.9 mi · 8,722 people · home $78,000
- Burlington, KS22.5 mi · 2,634 people · home $149,300
- Fredonia, KS23.4 mi · 2,151 people · home $76,000
- Madison, KS27.8 mi · 689 people · home $51,600
- Eureka, KS29.3 mi · 2,332 people · home $79,200
Yates Center questions
Is Yates Center, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Yates Center scores better for retirees than 87% of Kansas towns and quieter than 77%. 29.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.3).
How much does a house cost in Yates Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Yates Center is valued at $65,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,730, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $615 a month.
What is the weather like in Yates Center?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 20.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 9.0 inches of snow.
Does Yates Center get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yates Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 2, 1956. 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)