Garden City, KS
Census place 2025325 · pop 27,819
Home to one of the world's largest free municipal swimming pools, the Big Pool, and the Lee Richardson Zoo.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
21.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
32.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
530 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
17.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2173 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.48% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
15.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$72,865 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
11.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
72/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$192,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
14 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Garden City: Air, Bad air, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Garden City, KS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Garden City scores 49/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is uninsured adults. Kansas overall ranks #20 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Garden City, KS?
- Garden City reports 530 violent crimes per 100k and 2173 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Garden City, KS expensive to live in?
- Garden City has a median home value of $192,000 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Garden City, KS?
- Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (21.9%) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Garden City, KS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.3%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home to one of the world's largest free municipal swimming pools, the Big Pool, and the Lee Richardson Zoo.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.