The Town Files

Ellis County, Kansas

28,920 people. The median home is worth $216,300 (typical Kansas town: $128,200) and the median household earns $63,084.

Towns in Ellis County

Towns in Ellis County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Hays21,116$225,500$58,45930.2

People and housing

Ellis CountyTypical Kansas town
Median home value$216,300$128,200
Median rent$943$815
Median household income$63,084$63,857
Median age33.238.5
Bachelor's degree or higher38.9%24.0%
Below the poverty line18.3%10.6%

Jobs and pay

15,487 jobs in 2024, average pay $47,061 a year.

Largest industries in Ellis CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,230 jobs · $51,381Retail2,139 jobs · $33,623Hotels & restaurants1,621 jobs · $18,954Manufacturing837 jobs · $56,355Construction616 jobs · $57,832Wholesale trade516 jobs · $63,810
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Ellis County0%2%4%2000200420082012201620202023 1.9%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 1,032 storm events in Ellis County from 1996 to 2026, with 2 deaths.

Storm events in Ellis County by type since 1996Hail444Flood21Tornado36Blizzard12High Wind44Lightning7Heavy Rain59Heavy Snow41Flash Flood27Winter Storm24
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Ellis County has been included in 15 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
May 21, 2025Severe StormDR-4869: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires
May 25, 2022SnowstormDR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds
February 17, 2022Severe StormDR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds
March 29, 2020BiologicalDR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3481: Covid-19
October 20, 2016Severe StormDR-4287: Severe Storms And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).