City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Wamego, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wamego - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,205
Residents
$82,756
Median income
$187,700
Median home
$1,068
Median rent (state)

Wamego - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Wamego lands in the 64th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

64th
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wamego, KS

4,205 people live in Wamego, Kansas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Wamego brings in $82,756 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.6%. Wamego's housing stock carries a median value of $187,700, and the median resident age is 36.8 years. About 37.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 73.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 6 residential building permits were authorized in Wamego (Construction Slowdown), down 40% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 54.5°F with 34.7 inches of precipitation per year and 16.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: the state registers 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,068 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 30.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

4,205 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$82,756 /yr

Poverty 5.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Wamego compare to other US cities?

Wamego measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Wamego's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

64thIncome percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Wamego's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$187,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Wamego $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wamego, KS Wamego, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wamego, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wamego, KS median $82,756/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wamego, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wamego, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,205
Median Income
$82,756
Median Home Value
$187,700
Median Age
36.8
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Labor force participation
73.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
54.5°F
Annual Precipitation
34.7"
Annual Snowfall
16.9"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,800 residents4,850 residents4,900 residents4,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,841 residents 4,912 residents ▲ +1.5%
Wamego's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 13
2021 10
2022 7
2023 4
2024 6

Permit volume decreased 40% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.4%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
1.5%

Based on 2,402 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wamego sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,068/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
30.9 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Fairway
4,177 people
Osawatomie
4,244 people
Russell
4,258 people
Clay Center
4,148 people
Hugoton
4,065 people
Rose Hill
4,353 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wamego's 4,205 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Northwest Harwich, MA
4,205 people
Kelseyville, CA
4,204 people
Le Sueur, MN
4,204 people
Mattituck, NY
4,204 people
Mount Olive, NC
4,204 people
Kings Park, VA
4,206 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wamego's $82,756 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Walcott, IA
$82,756 median income
Vilonia, AR
$82,753 median income
Cortland, IL
$82,750 median income
Union, LA
$82,750 median income
Napanoch, NY
$82,750 median income
Brownsville, OR
$82,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wamego, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wamego, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.2% 15.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.8% White 80.2% Black or African American 3.4% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 15.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wamego compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wamego (this city) 4,205 $82,756
Fairway 4,177 $159,821
Osawatomie 4,244 $55,612
Russell 4,258 $51,347
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wamego, KS?

What is the population of Wamego, KS? +

The population of Wamego, KS stands at 4,205 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wamego, KS? +

The median household income in Wamego is $82,756 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wamego? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wamego; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Wamego, KS? +

Wamego's median home value sits at $187,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Wamego? +

Climate normals put Wamego's yearly average temperature at 54.5°F, 34.7 inches of precipitation, and 16.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.