Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,442, settled in 1871.
Belle Plaine’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a D for walkability. Belle Plaine's public schools trail 84% of Kansas towns on state tests and graduation. Only 4 of the 87 Kansas towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Belle Plaine. Only 11 of Kansas’ 373 towns score lower on the outdoors. Belle Plaine has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Belle Plaine beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Belle Plaine is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 348 in 1880, 1,467 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 3 maps from 1890 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Belle Plaine, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Belle Plaine.
Most working residents leave Belle Plaine for work: only 2% work in town. Belle Plaine’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, against 20 minutes in Kansas’ towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Belle Plaine.
| Belle Plaine | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Belle Plaine home is worth about $191,000, up 5.8% in a year, 22% below the Kansas typical home. 56% of households own their home in Belle Plaine, where Kansas’ towns sit at 72% and U.S. towns at 73%. Belle Plaine’s median rent is $711 a month.
| Belle Plaine | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $711 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Belle Plaine has chilly winters and hot summers. The July high in Belle Plaine is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Belle Plaine tracks Kansas closely on all 32 CDC measures. 38% of Belle Plaine adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Belle Plaine | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 16% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Belle Plaine.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Belle Plaine's reported crime rate is well below Kansas's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2024.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Belle Plaine; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Belle Plaine residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kansas.
1,681 counted in 2010 and 1,467 in 2020; an estimated 1,442 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
City in Sumner County, Kansas
Belle Plaine is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,467.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.