Old gas station, 1993
Hill City’s story
148 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1993.
- 1878Hill City is settled
Hill CityKS
A town of 1,376, settled in 1878. 2.4 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
Photo: ADKMatthew · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,376
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$108K
+7.1% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
39.8
years
Jobs based here
610
Balanced
Is Hill City a good place to live?
The best of Hill City’s subject grades is an A for civic life; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Hill City’s average trip to work is 8 minutes, below both Kansas’ towns (20 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 6 of Kansas’ 373 towns score lower on incomes. Hill City's schools rank behind 86% of the state's. Hill City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Hill City stand out
Where Hill City beats most towns.
Small town
1,376 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Hill City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Hill City is from typical.
Jobs & income610 jobs based hereD−Open →SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskdrought tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8 of 20; 4.8% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →HealthLess healthy than 59% of U.S. towns; Graham County Hospital 0.3 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →HistoryC+Open →Civic life10.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
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 Hill City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hill City, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Hill CityEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Hill City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hill City’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 hereGraham County ClerkGraham County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6764267642 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 Hill City.
HousingCost of living grade B+
The typical home in Hill City is valued at about $108K
The typical Hill City home is worth about $108,000, up 7.1% in a year, 56% below the Kansas typical home. Hill City’s median rent is $735 a month, where Kansas’ towns sit at $975 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$108KZillow home value
| Hill City | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $735 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hill City$108K
Kansas$246K
+7.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Hill City
Hill City has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Hill City’s July high is 93°F.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–45°
Spring39–67°
Summer63–90°
Fall40–69°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
In Hill City, the median household income runs lower than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
The median household income in Hill City is $49,000. About one in 3 of Hill City’s working residents works in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Hill City.
36%work in town
| Hill City | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 36% | 15% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Hill City36%
Hill City Township6%
Hays5%
Norton4%
Oakley4%
31 mi
median commute distance
610
jobs based in Hill City
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Older than Kansas overall
23% of Hill City residents are 65 or older. 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Kansas.
39.8median age · KS 37.4
| Hill City | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 17% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 23% | 24% | 22% |
| Median age | 39.8 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
Hill CityKansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school31%
Some college22%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
53.7% women, 46.3% men
About 86 men for every 100 women. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Hill City | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.4% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.7% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.7% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.7% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.4% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.2% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.5% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.8% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.5% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.5% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.3% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
HealthC+
Hill City stands out in Kansas and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
Of the 151 Kansas towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Hill City. Hill City beats the Kansas average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Among 151 Kansas towns, just 8 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Hill City.
41%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Hill City | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 34% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
2 better21 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Hill City | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.3% | 77.6% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.9% | 84.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20% | 11.3% |
Graham County Hospital
0.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Hill City, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hill City
16pages on Hill City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hill City; the nearest are
Fort Hays State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hays43.5 mi$5,923 in-state tuitionColby Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Colby64.8 mi$4,140 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Hill City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kansas.
About Hill City
City in Graham County, Kansas
Hill City is a city in and the county seat of Graham County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,403.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,185 ft
- ZIP code
- 67642
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Hill City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hill City, KS a good place to live?
2.4 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
Is Hill City, KS expensive?
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 B+.