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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Wathena, KS Housing Affordability Index

Wathena, Kansas has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 172.2 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 314th most affordable of 542 scored Kansas cities, compared with 120.0 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $161,800 home with 20% down, the Kansas average 30-year fixed rate of 7.31% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $888, or 12% of the city’s $87,222 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Wathena is updated every night from live Kansas mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Wathena MBR-HAI 172.2 Highly Affordable
Rank in Kansas 314 of 542 1 = most affordable
Kansas 120.0 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.31% Kansas lenders
Median home value $161,800 U.S. Census Bureau

Wathena is 52.1 points above the Kansas score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Kansas index

View Wathena Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Wathena

$888/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.31%
$38,100
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$87,222
Median Household Income
Kansas: $74,275
1.9x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Kansas: 2.9x
$1,040/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,622/yr
Median Property Tax
1.00% of median value
17.3%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
22.8%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Wathena, Kansas. The rate is the Kansas average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Wathena Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Wathena, Kansas score: 172.2 (Highly Affordable), ranked 314 of 542 Kansas cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/kansas/wathena”