Gallagher House · National Register of Historic Places
Big Creek Township’s story
Big Creek Township in pictures
The archive holds 3 maps from 1896 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Big Creek TownshipKS
A town of 2,622.
6 bordering townsMap →
Gallagher House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
2,622
2025 Census estimate · +1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$221K
Census ACS
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
44.7
years
Jobs based here
1,280
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#21 of 150 in KS
Is Big Creek Township a good place to live?
Big Creek Township is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, 21st of 150 graded towns in Kansas, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its schools outperform 84% of the state's. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $90K. A typical home there costs about $221K, 3.5 years of the Hays area’s $63K median household income. Only 25 of Kansas’ 362 towns score lower on civic life. Big Creek Township’s July high is 93°F, against 91°F in Kansas’ towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Big Creek Township has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Gallagher House and Papes Barn.
StrongestA−Schools
A growing town
Big Creek Township has grown 12% since 2010
1,883 counted in 2010 and 2,077 in 2020; an estimated 2,622 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Big Creek Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Big Creek Township is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →HealthHays Medical Center 8.4 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 2.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landCOpen →History2 places on the National RegisterC+Open →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Big Creek Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Big Creek Township, and how to reach them.
PowerMidwest Energy12.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTrego Co RWD 2No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Big Creek Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereEllis County ClerkEllis County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2022
ZIP code6760167601 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Big Creek Township.
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Kansas overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 48% of residents (36% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (23% statewide). 19% of residents are under 18 in Big Creek Township. 34% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Kansas.
44.7median age · KS 37.4
| Big Creek Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 19% | 24% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 29% | 29% |
Big Creek TownshipKansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school26%
Some college32%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.7 points. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Big Creek Township | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.4% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.8% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.6% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.2% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.4% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.9% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.3% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.1% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 31.7% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.9% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.6% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Big Creek Township is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Big Creek Township beats the Kansas average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of Big Creek Township adults binge drink.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Big Creek Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
4 better27 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Big Creek Township | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.8% | 3.2% |
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 79.7% | 84.1% |
Hays Medical Center
8.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
61st
percentile among KS towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Big Creek Township
Big Creek Township has chilly winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 93°, January nights drop to 19° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.
16″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–45°
Spring40–67°
Summer64–90°
Fall42–69°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
More than half of Big Creek Township’s working residents commute to Hays
Big Creek Township has about as many jobs (1,280) as working residents, but only 92 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Big Creek Township for work: only 8% work in town. Jobs based in Big Creek Township fell to 1,280 in 2023, 305 fewer than in 2013. Big Creek Township’s average trip to work is 19 minutes.
8%work in town
| Big Creek Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.7% | 15% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Big Creek Township8%
Hays57%
Ellis4%
Great Bend2%
Wichita2%
5 mi
median commute distance
1,280
jobs based in Big Creek Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 51% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC
Big Creek Township has set aside 0.2% of its land for conservation
26 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex, at 174 acres.
#85for trails in KS
| Big Creek Township | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.2% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.2%
conserved · 232 of 139,179 acres
26 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trails | 1.5 mi | 23 |
| 2. Vineyard Park Nature Area | 1.4 mi | 54 |
| 3. Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex | 0.1 mi | 174 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Big Creek Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Big Creek Township.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
6
paid flood claims since 1993
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Big Creek Township
18pages on Big Creek Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Big Creek Township
About 11 of every 100 Big Creek Township residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
Landmarks
2 places in Big Creek Township on the National Register of Historic Places.
Big Creek Township’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Big Creek Township.
Buckeye TownshipOgallah TownshipFreedom TownshipHerzog TownshipHaysHampton-Fairview TownshipBig Creek Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | KS rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Creek Township | #21 | A− | B− | — | A− | B+ |
| Buckeye Township | — | — | C+ | — | A− | B |
| Ogallah Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Freedom Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Herzog Township | — | — | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Hays | #57 | B+ | C | — | A− | B+ |
| Hampton-Fairview Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Buckeye Township and Herzog Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Big Creek Township, Buckeye Township, Herzog Township and Hays report no FBI crime data of their own. Ogallah Township, Freedom Township and Hampton-Fairview Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Big Creek Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Big Creek Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Big Creek Township, KS a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Big Creek Township grades A− overall, better than 82% of U.S. towns and #21 of 150 in Kansas. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools.
Is Big Creek Township, KS expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.