Stradal House · National Register of Historic Places
WaKeeney’s story
147 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1893.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1879WaKeeney is settled
WaKeeneyKS
Stradal House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
1,746
2025 Census estimate · −2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$132K
−5.3% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
863
Balanced
Is WaKeeney a good place to live?
The best of WaKeeney’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for civic life; the weakest is a C− for schools. 42% of working residents work locally in WaKeeney, above both the Kansas town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Only 4 of Kansas’ 373 towns score higher on cost of living. WaKeeney has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Stradal House and Trego County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building. WaKeeney has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes WaKeeney stand out
Where WaKeeney beats most towns.
Typical home value
WaKeeney$132K
Kansas$246K
Cost of livingA+
1.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 99% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
WaKeeney10.8
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical KS town4.2
Civic lifeA
2.6 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Kansas town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Stradal HouseHistory
Settled in 1879
3 places on the National Register
A history going back 147 years.
How WaKeeney grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far WaKeeney is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →SchoolsBehind 80% of Kansas districts on tests and graduationC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 38% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 4.2% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →HealthTrego County Lemke Memorial Hospital 0.6 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & income$68K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC+Open →History3 places on the National Register; 2 notable people born hereB+Open →Civic life6.3 library visits per resident; 10.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
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 43.7; 31% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to WaKeeney: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in WaKeeney, and how to reach them.
PowerMidwest Energy12.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Wakeeney water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have WaKeeney’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 hereTrego County ClerkTrego County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP code6767267672 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 WaKeeney.
HousingCost of living grade A+
A typical WaKeeney home is worth about $132K
The typical WaKeeney home is worth about $132,000, down 5.3% in a year, 46% below the Kansas typical home. WaKeeney’s median rent is $756 a month, against $975 a month in Kansas’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. 80% of WaKeeney households own their home.
$132KZillow home value
| WaKeeney | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $756 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
WaKeeney$132K
Kansas$246K
−5.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Kansas overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 10% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (36% statewide). 23% of residents are 65 or older in WaKeeney. WaKeeney has lost 2.7% of its people since 2020, down to 1,746 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
43.7median age · KS 37.4
| WaKeeney | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 17% | 18% |
| Median age | 43.7 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 24% | 24% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 29% | 29% |
WaKeeneyKansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school28%
Some college22%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.1 points. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| WaKeeney | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.1% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.7% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.4% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.1% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.5% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.1% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.4% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.5% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.6% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.3% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.1% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,700, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In WaKeeney, expect four seasons and hot summers
WaKeeney has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. WaKeeney’s July high is 92°F.
20″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–44°
Spring39–66°
Summer63–90°
Fall42–69°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
About one in two working residents works right in WaKeeney
The average trip to work in WaKeeney is 13 minutes. Jobs based in WaKeeney fell to 863 in 2023, 204 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Hays (11%), Quinter (3%) and Hill City (3%).
42%work in town
| WaKeeney | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In WaKeeney42%
Hays11%
Quinter3%
Hill City3%
WaKeeney Township2%
20 mi
median commute distance
863
jobs based in WaKeeney
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in WaKeeney
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB
WaKeeney is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
WaKeeney beats the Kansas average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| WaKeeney | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
7 better22 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | WaKeeney | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.9% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 13% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.1% |
Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital
0.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,133 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eisenhower Park | — | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about WaKeeney
19pages on WaKeeney
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of WaKeeney; the nearest are
Fort Hays State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hays30.8 mi$5,923 in-state tuitionColby Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Colby67.3 mi$4,140 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 WaKeeney residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
Landmarks
3 places in WaKeeney on the National Register of Historic Places.
About WaKeeney
City in Trego County, Kansas, United States
WaKeeney is a city in and the county seat of Trego County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,799. The city was established in 1879 and named as a portmanteau of the surnames of its founders, Albert Warren and James Keeney.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1879
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,448 ft
- ZIP code
- 67672
- Area code
- 785
Questions about WaKeeney
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is WaKeeney, 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+.
What is WaKeeney, KS known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Mike Schreiner and Robert Olson.