West Branch TownshipKS
A town of 1,011. Public schools that outperform most of Kansas.
Is West Branch Township a good place to live?
The best of West Branch Township’s subject grades is an A for schools; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. 24% of residents are 65 or older in West Branch Township, above both the Kansas town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). West Branch Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes West Branch Township stand out
Where West Branch Township beats most towns.
1,011 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
How West Branch Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far West Branch Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to West Branch Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Branch Township, and how to reach them.
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 West Branch Township.
West Branch Township’s public schools outperform 88% of Kansas districts
Its public schools are run by the Goessel school district. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goessel ElemLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 118 | A |
| Goessel HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 154 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation
Most of West Branch Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave West Branch Township for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, West Branch Township has lost 27 jobs, to 185 in 2023. West Branch Township’s median household income is $61,000, against $73,000 in Kansas’ towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
| West Branch Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 15% | 8% |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 8.7% | 11% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
West Branch Township faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In West Branch Township, expect four seasons and hot summers
West Branch Township has chilly winters and warm summers. West Branch Township’s July high is 91°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Older than Kansas overall
The median age in West Branch Township is 43.6 years. 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Kansas. 21% of residents are under 18 in West Branch Township.
| West Branch Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 24% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 29% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.2 points. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| West Branch Township | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.9% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.9% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.2% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.2% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.3% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.3% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.5% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.3% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 19% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.6% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.1% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.4% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
On CDC estimates, West Branch Township is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns
West Branch Township beats the Kansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 30% of West Branch Township adults feel lonely.
| West Branch Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 22% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | West Branch Township | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7.3% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 3.6% | 3.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Westbranch Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about West Branch Township
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of West Branch Township
About 6 of every 100 West Branch Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kansas.
96% of working residents leave West Branch Township for work
Where West Branch Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About West Branch Township
Township in Kansas, United States
West Branch Township is a township in Marion County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 1,001, including the city of Goessel.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,539 ft
Questions about West Branch Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Branch Township, KS a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Kansas.
Is West Branch Township, 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 B+.