Tauy Jones Hall is the oldest surviving building on the Ottawa University campus at 10th and Cedar Streets in Ottawa, Kansas and has a copper roofed cupola at its peak.

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10 on the National Register · #18 in KSHistoric places →

Know Ottawa

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Ottawa

City in Franklin County, Kansas

1865Established

12,625Population

9.8 sq miArea

902 ftElevation

Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 12,625. It is the home of Ottawa University.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Ottawa ranks

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#9Most-used libraries in KS #16Best libraries for kids in KS #34Highest graduation rate in KS All KS rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code66067

Area code785

Living in Ottawa

Housing in Ottawa

$220K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $220,000 in May 2026.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market30

Sale-to-list98.5%

Sold in May14

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Ottawa

C⁺

Safety Grade C+

Ottawa reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 57% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Ottawa 1.9

Kansas 4.8

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Ottawa 11.1

Kansas 19.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Ottawa

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Ottawa’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Olathe (6%), Overland Park (6%) and Lawrence (6%). Half commute less than 25 miles.

Olathe

Overland Park

Lawrence

Ottawa

31%Work in townlive and work in Ottawa 25 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 6,145Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Ottawa →

Health in Ottawa

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 47% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Kansas

1worse than KS

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 31 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▼ 11 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

14.8%More older adults who have lost all their teethKS 11.3% · worse

Care nearby

Anderson County HospitalGarnett · 22 mi · ER · rural critical access

Health Partnership ClinicOttawa · 1.3 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Ottawa · CMS · HRSAHealth in Ottawa →

Natural hazards in Ottawa

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes💨 Strong wind

4Does Ottawa flood?paid flood claims since 1986 9Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Ottawa MapOttawa vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Ottawa →

Climate in Ottawa

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Ottawa has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

43° / 23°Winter

66° / 44°Spring

88° / 66°Summer

68° / 46°Fall

How much snow does Ottawa get?About 9 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 20, with the last in spring around Apr 18.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.7° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Ottawa →

Schools in Ottawa

All Ottawa schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Ottawa’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 54% of Kansas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Ottawa’s schools compare in KS →

DistrictOttawaSchools7

Garfield Elem BElementary · Grades PK–5 · 368 students Sunflower Elementary School B+Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 333 students Lincoln Elem BElementary · Grades PK–5 · 298 students Sacred Heart Catholic SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 63 students Ottawa Middle School CMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 456 students Ottawa Sr High DHigh · Grades 6–12 · 681 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within KS. Ratings are from neighbors.