The typical owner-occupied home in Wathena is worth about $161,800, 26% below the Kansas median of $217,200 and 51% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,646 a year in property taxes, about 1.02% of their home's value, lower than the Kansas rate of 1.29%. The median household earns $87,222 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.9 times for Kansas). 84% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Wathena at a glance
| Wathena | Kansas | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,800 | $217,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,646 | $2,798 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.02% | 1.29% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $87,222 | $74,275 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 84% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 58% | 57% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,360 | $1,689 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 15.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $428 | $1,060 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 26.3% | 27.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1975 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,554 | 2,947,197 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Wathena
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Wathena home of $161,800 with 20% down costs about $1,076 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,345, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $46,101 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 15% of the median Wathena household income of $87,222; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $306,000.
The median rent here is $428 a month, so owning the median home costs about $648 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $32,360 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $129,440 |
| Principal and interest | $871 |
| Property taxes (1.02% a year) | $138 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $67 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,076 |
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| Down payment | $5,663 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $158,869 |
| Principal and interest | $1,069 |
| Property taxes (1.02% a year) | $138 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $67 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $72 |
| Total per month | $1,345 |
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Questions about home buying in Wathena
What is the median home value in Wathena?
About $161,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Wathena?
Homeowners pay a median $1,646 a year, which is about 1.02% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Wathena?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,076 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $46,101 a year.
More about Wathena
- Mortgage Refinance in Wathena
- Debt Relief in Wathena
- Home Equity Loans in Wathena
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data