Weaver Hotel · National Register of Historic Places
Waterville’s story
158 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1906.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1868Waterville is settled
WatervilleKS
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Bhall87 at en.wikipedia · CC BY 3.0
Population
644
2025 Census estimate · −2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$156K
+9% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
44.2
years
Jobs based here
196
A commuter town
Is Waterville a good place to live?
Its National Register listings include Weaver Hotel and Waterville Opera House. Waterville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Waterville stand out
Where Waterville beats most towns.
Small town
644 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Waterville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waterville, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of WatervilleEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of WatervilleNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Waterville’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 hereMarshall County ClerkMarshall County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP code6654866548 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 Waterville.
Housing
The typical home in Waterville: about $156K
Home values are up 9% over the year to September 2026. Nearly four in five households own their home in Waterville, above both Kansas’ towns (72%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$156KZillow home value
Typical home value
Waterville$156K
Kansas$246K
+9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Waterville has 0.7 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Just just over a tenth of Waterville’s working residents have a job in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 45, to 196. The town’s average commute is 18 minutes. For half of commuters, work is under 12 miles away.
11%work in town
| Waterville | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Waterville11%
Marysville24%
Manhattan8%
Blue Rapids City Township8%
Waterville Township6%
12 mi
median commute distance
196
jobs based in Waterville
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Waterville
A winter brings about 13 inches of snow, with January nights at 17° and July afternoons at 90°.
13″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–41°
Spring41–65°
Summer64–88°
Fall43–67°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Waterville faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Nearly half of Waterville’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 18%. Compared with 63% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is higher. Federal aid has come to Waterville households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2021.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Waterville is
In Waterville, 13% of adults have diabetes. 29% of adults get no exercise outside work here, where Kansas’ towns sit at 26% and U.S. towns at 25%.
| Waterville | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better25 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Waterville | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.1% | 3.2% |
Community Memorial Healthcare
12.9 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 321 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waterville
18pages on Waterville
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Waterville; the nearest are
Manhattan Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Manhattan34.8 mi$9,844 in-state tuitionKansas State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Manhattan35.9 mi$11,221 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Waterville residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Waterville for work
Where Waterville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
196jobs based in Waterville
11%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Waterville on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Waterville
3 notable people were born in Waterville.
About Waterville
City in Marshall County, Kansas
Waterville is a city in Marshall County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 658.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,178 ft
- ZIP code
- 66548
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Waterville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waterville, KS a good place to live?
Waterville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
What is Waterville, KS known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Sharon Schwartz and Glen H. Thomas.