Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Manhattan grades B overall, ranked 73rd of 150 in Kansas. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 88% of U.S. towns. It is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns. What holds it back is price: the typical home is worth about $294K, 4.5 years of the Manhattan metro’s $65K median household income. 58% of working residents work locally in Manhattan, against 15% in Kansas’ towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Goodnow House and Anderson Hall. On the outdoors, just 16 of Kansas’ 373 towns do better.
Where Manhattan beats most towns.
Goodnow House
Its 41 National Register listings are more than in 95% of Kansas towns with a listing.
Census counts: 1,173 in 1870, 54,100 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1857 and 5 maps from 1947 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Manhattan is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Manhattan, 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 Manhattan.
Manhattan is shaped by its college students, has more trail for its size than nearly any town in Kansas and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
At 2.1 miles of trail per square mile, it ranks #3 of 104 Kansas towns.
The trail density in Manhattan is 2.1 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Frank Anneberg Park, 90 acres with 1.3 miles of trail. 43 miles of trail in 32 parks and preserves.
| Manhattan | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 2.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.5% | 2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Warner Memorial Park | 2.6 mi | 86 |
| 2. Southeast Park | 1.7 mi | 33 |
| 3. Bluemont Hill Park | 1.5 mi | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Manhattan-Ogden school district. Three of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan B Anthony Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 775 | B+ |
| Manhattan High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,087 | B |
| Amanda Arnold ElemTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 399 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation
Against the 8,957 U.S. towns with household incomes like Manhattan’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.
23% of adults have high blood pressure in Manhattan. Among 150 Kansas towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults who have obesity than Manhattan. 7.1% of adults have diabetes in Manhattan.
| Manhattan | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 35% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 77% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.1% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | Manhattan | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.1% | 11.4% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.6% | 7.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Manhattan has chilly winters and warm summers. Manhattan’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
44% of Manhattan households own their home. Typical home values rose 4.5% in the year to September 2026. 52% of Manhattan renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
| Manhattan | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 44% | 72% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 52% | 44% | 48% |
| Median rent | $1,003 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Jobs based here fell from 33,579 in 2013 to 26,378.
Jobs based in Manhattan fell to 26,378 in 2023, 7,201 fewer than in 2013. Only 2 of the 151 Kansas towns we compare have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Manhattan. The top destinations are Topeka (6%), Junction City (3%) and Wichita (3%).
| Manhattan | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 13% | 8.7% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
225 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 10 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 225 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Manhattan.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Manhattan. Close and well known come first.
38 mi MuseumDwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Homein town Zoo & aquariumSunset Zoo
in town MuseumFlint Hills Discovery Center
13 mi MuseumU.S. Cavalry MuseumDwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home: Unknown, Public domain · Flint Hills Discovery Center: Kgwo1972, CC BY-SA 3.0 · U.S. Cavalry Museum: US Army, Public domain
3 within 15 miles of the center of Manhattan
College town 32 of every 100 Manhattan residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
4.5% of the town is conserved land, across 32 parks and preserves.
41 places in Manhattan on the National Register of Historic Places.
34 notable people were born in Manhattan.
City in Kansas, United States
Manhattan is a city in and the county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 54,100. The city was founded by settlers from the New England Emigrant Aid Company as a Free-State town in the 1850s, during the Bleeding Kansas era. Nicknamed "the Little Apple" as a play on New York City's moniker of the "Big Apple", the city is a college town with a significant student population, because it is home to Kansas State University (KSU).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Manhattan.
| Town | KS rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | #73 | B | C− | — | B+ | A− |
| Manhattan Township | — | — | C+ | — | B+ | B+ |
| Ogden Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | A− |
| Blue Township | #94 | C+ | C− | — | B− | B+ |
| Wildcat Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ogden | — | — | C+ | — | B+ | A− |
| Madison Township | — | — | C | — | B | — |
Manhattan Township, Ogden Township and Ogden have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Manhattan, Manhattan Township, Ogden Township, Blue Township, Ogden and Madison Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Wildcat Township and Madison Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Manhattan with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Manhattan grades B overall, better than 58% of U.S. towns and #73 of 150 in Kansas. It grades A− for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
34 notable people were born here, including Charles Bachman and Cassandra Peterson.
