Missouri Pacific Railroad Company depot, 1900–1919
Wilsey’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 337 in 1920, 139 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1893 and 4 maps from 1889 on.
- 1884Wilsey is settled
WilseyKS
A town of 141, settled in 1884.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
Population
141
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$125K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
46.7
years
Jobs based here
5
A commuter town
Is Wilsey a good place to live?
Only 1 of the 152 Kansas towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Wilsey. Wilsey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
141 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 Wilsey: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wilsey, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Wilsey water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wilsey’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 hereMorris County ClerkMorris County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6687366873 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 Wilsey.
Housing
More of Wilsey’s households own their home than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
97% of Wilsey households own their home, against 72% in Kansas’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns. The typical Wilsey home is worth about $125,000, up 1.8% in a year, 49% below the Kansas typical home.
$125KZillow home value
Typical home value
Wilsey$125K
Kansas$246K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Most of Wilsey’s workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Wilsey for work: only 0% work in town. Wilsey’s average trip to work is 25 minutes, where Kansas’ towns sit at 20 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. 13% of residents live below the poverty line in Wilsey.
0%work in town
| Wilsey | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Wilsey0%
Council Grove15%
White City9%
Manhattan7%
Topeka7%
37 mi
median commute distance
5
jobs based in Wilsey
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Wilsey
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Wilsey has four seasons and hot summers
Wilsey has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Wilsey is 90°F.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–43°
Spring43–66°
Summer65–87°
Fall45–68°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wilsey is
Wilsey beats the Kansas average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 30% of Wilsey adults feel lonely.
| Wilsey | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Wilsey | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.7% | 11.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 6.4% |
St. Luke Hospital & Living Center
27.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 172 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wilsey City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wilsey
17pages on Wilsey
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wilsey; the nearest are
Flint Hills Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Emporia28.7 mi$6,400 in-state tuitionEmporia State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Emporia30.9 mi$7,106 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Wilsey residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Wilsey for work
Where Wilsey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5jobs based in Wilsey
0%of working residents work in town
37 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Wilsey
City in Morris County, Kansas
Wilsey is a city in Morris County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 139.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,506 ft
- ZIP code
- 66873
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Wilsey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wilsey, KS a good place to live?
Wilsey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.