Nickerson KS, Elevator, 2003
Nickerson’s story
153 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2003.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1873Nickerson is settled
NickersonKS
Population
1,051
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$115K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
35.6
years
Jobs based here
66
A commuter town
Is Nickerson a good place to live?
Nickerson’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D for walkability. Only 18 of Kansas’ 373 towns score lower on hazard risk. The median household income is $49K, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 21 of Kansas’ 372 towns score lower on walkability. Anna Richardson-Brown House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Nickerson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Nickerson stand out
Where Nickerson beats most towns.
Typical home value
Nickerson$115K
Kansas$246K
Cost of livingA+
1.9 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 95% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
1historic places
HistoryB+
Settled in 1873
1 place on the National Register
A history going back 153 years.
Small town
1,051 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Nickerson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Nickerson is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.6 of 20; 8.9% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Jobs & income66 jobs based hereDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →HealthLess healthy than 67% of U.S. towns; Hutchinson Regional Medical Center 11.6 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC+Open →History1 place on the National RegisterB+Open →Civic life2.3 library visits per resident; 4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.6; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nickerson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nickerson, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Nickerson water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nickerson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereReno County ClerkReno County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code6756167561 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Nickerson.
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Nickerson are worth about $115K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Nickerson home is worth about $115,000, about the same as a year ago, 53% below the Kansas typical home. At $798 a month, Nickerson’s median rent is against $975 a month in Kansas’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns.
$115KZillow home value
| Nickerson | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $798 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Nickerson$115K
Kansas$246K
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Nickerson’s public schools trail 65% of Kansas districts
Its public schools are run by the Nickerson school district. Its two schools are below.
35%of KS districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickerson ElemLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 183 | A− |
| Nickerson HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 255 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Nickerson faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1989, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Nickerson.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
11
paid flood claims since 1989
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of Nickerson’s workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Nickerson for work: only 3% work in town. At $49,000, Nickerson’s median household income is below both the Kansas town median ($73,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Nickerson’s average trip to work is 26 minutes.
3%work in town
| Nickerson | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3% | 15% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Nickerson3%
Hutchinson38%
Wichita10%
Sterling5%
South Hutchinson5%
12 mi
median commute distance
66
jobs based in Nickerson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 5% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
Nickerson stands out in Kansas and nationally, with more of its adults who have obesity
45% of adults have obesity in Nickerson. Nickerson beats the Kansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 28% of adults feel lonely in Nickerson.
33%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Nickerson | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 37% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Nickerson | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 17.8% | 14% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.7% |
| More adults with obesity | 45.2% | 36.5% |
Hutchinson Regional Medical Center
11.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Nickerson has four seasons and hot summers
Nickerson has chilly winters and hot summers. The July high in Nickerson is 93°F.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–45°
Spring43–68°
Summer66–90°
Fall45–70°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nickerson
17pages on Nickerson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Nickerson
Sterling CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sterling8.2 mi$33,700 tuitionHutchinson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hutchinson10.7 mi$3,540 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Nickerson residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Nickerson for work
Where Nickerson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
66jobs based in Nickerson
3%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Nickerson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nickerson, KS expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.