Manhattan, KS
Census place 2044250 · pop 54,239
Home to Kansas State University and nicknamed 'The Little Apple' as a play on New York's 'Big Apple.'
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
23.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.53% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$60,172 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
9.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$246,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,252/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
53.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
27.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
38/100 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.
Not measured for Manhattan: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. 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 Manhattan, KS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Manhattan scores 57/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is homeownership. 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.
- Is Manhattan, KS expensive to live in?
- Manhattan has a median home value of $246,700 and typical rent around $1,252/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Manhattan, KS?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (43.5%) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Manhattan, KS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (38/100) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home to Kansas State University and nicknamed 'The Little Apple' as a play on New York's 'Big Apple.'
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.