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Living in
Ottawa.
About
Life in Ottawa
Ottawa is a community of 12,632 people in Kansas. The median household income is $71,699, median rent runs about $1,032 per month, and median home values are around $165,700. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Ottawa at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Foreign-Born
2.1%
Broadband Internet
90.1%
of households
Population Growth
+0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.1% foreign-born, most often from Sudan
Who lives in Ottawa: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ottawa, the largest foreign-born group is from Sudan (45.4%), and 1.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.8%
of residents
65 and Older
14.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.6%
of households
Married Couples
46.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for KS
Rent, home values, and income in Ottawa
In Ottawa, home values are 23% below the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,010
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $240,052 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for KS
Unemployment in Ottawa
Unemployment in Franklin County, which includes Ottawa, is close to the KS average.
Unemployment rate
Ottawa: Franklin County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Franklin County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Ottawa Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.2 min avg
How Ottawa residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ottawa, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 56 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 43% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ottawa runs 43% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
188.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,136.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ottawa Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
43.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Franklin County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Franklin County, which includes Ottawa, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Hail | $80,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $200,000 |
| 2018 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Franklin County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Douglas County, KS (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 21 miles from Ottawa) is typically good — 263 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
263
per year
Moderate Days
19
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Douglas County, KS (21 mi away)
Climate87°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ottawa has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.7"
Annual Snowfall
9.2"
Hot Days/Year
47
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
111
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
102
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 18°F | 1.22" |
| Feb | 46°F | 22°F | 1.57" |
| Mar | 56°F | 32°F | 2.29" |
| Apr | 66°F | 42°F | 3.79" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 5.82" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 5.55" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 3.75" |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 4.63" |
| Sep | 80°F | 56°F | 4.05" |
| Oct | 69°F | 44°F | 3.08" |
| Nov | 55°F | 32°F | 2.39" |
| Dec | 43°F | 22°F | 1.71" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ottawa
Ottawa has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Adventhealth Ottawa
Acute Care Hospitals
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ottawa
Ottawa's student/teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ottawa
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 870 students · in-state tuition $36,650 · 33% graduate · median earnings $59,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ottawa
Ottawa has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
38 mi awayHarry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
46 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
60 mi awayTallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Preserve
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ottawa
Ottawa Library
105 S Hickory St, Ottawa
Cities Near Ottawa
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ottawa?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ottawa FAQ
Is Ottawa, Kansas affordable?⌄
Ottawa's median rent is $1,032/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $71,699/year. Median home value is $166,500.
Is Ottawa, Kansas safe?⌄
Ottawa's violent crime rate was 188 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1137 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ottawa, Kansas?⌄
Franklin County, which includes Ottawa, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ottawa, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Ottawa is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,032/month and median household income is $71,699/year. The median home value is $166,500. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ottawa, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Ottawa is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from