The Town FilesWamego, Kansas
City in Pottawatomie County · population 4,841 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $198,300
- Household income
- $78,809
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 36.7
Wamego is a city of 4,841 people in Pottawatomie County, Kansas. The median home is worth $198,300, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Kansas towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Kansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Kansas towns.
How Wamego 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 Wamego is worth $198,300, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $78,809, which is more affordable than 32% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $849 a month. 72.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wamego | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,300 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $849 | $815 |
| Median household income | $78,809 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.7% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wamego
| People | Wamego | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.2% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wamego
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.9 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wamego since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 19, 1960 about 3.7 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 121 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 13, 2024.
Severe weather in Pottawatomie County since 1996
Pottawatomie County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 15, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4800: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County had 10,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,426 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Wamego itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Wamego
4 public schools with 1,633 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wamego High | 9-12 | 514 | 12.5 |
| Central Elem | PK-2 | 394 | 13.1 |
| Wamego Middle School | 6-8 | 370 | 11.9 |
| West Elem | 3-5 | 355 | 14.2 |
Towns near Wamego
- St. Marys, KS13.2 mi · 2,759 people · home $206,900
- Manhattan, KS15.9 mi · 54,100 people · home $246,700
- Fort Riley, KS27.8 mi · 9,230 people · home —
Wamego questions
Is Wamego, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wamego scores better for retirees than 32% of Kansas towns and quieter than 16%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Wamego?
The median owner-occupied home in Wamego is valued at $198,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,809, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $849 a month.
What is the weather like in Wamego?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.9 inches of snow.
Does Wamego get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wamego since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 19, 1960. 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)