First Territorial Capitol of Kansas, Fort Riley Military Reserve
Riley’s story
138 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper.
- 1888Riley is settled
Population
956
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$223K
+4% in a year
Household income
$94K
median
Median age
37.3
years
Jobs based here
261
A commuter town
Is Riley a good place to live?
29% of residents are under 18 in Riley, above both Kansas’ towns (24%) and U.S. towns (22%). Riley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
956 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Riley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Riley, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Riley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTrash dayTown site
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 hereRiley County ClerkRiley County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code6653166531 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 Riley.
Work & commute
About half of Riley’s working residents commute to Manhattan
Most working residents leave Riley for work: only 7% work in town. At 27 minutes, Riley’s average trip to work is where Kansas’ towns sit at 20 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. 4.9% of Riley residents live below the poverty line.
7%work in town
| Riley | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.1% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Riley7%
Manhattan47%
Topeka5%
Clay Center3%
Leonardville2%
16 mi
median commute distance
261
jobs based in Riley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Riley, expect four seasons and hot summers
Riley has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Riley is 90°F.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–42°
Spring42–66°
Summer65–88°
Fall44–67°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Kansas overall
30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Kansas.
37.3median age · KS 37.4
| Riley | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 years | 38.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 18% | 17% | 18% |
RileyKansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school31%
Some college18%
Associate’s17%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.7 points. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Riley | KS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.6% | 12.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 11.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.3% | 10.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.4% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.1% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.7% | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.7% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.2% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.2% | 8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.1% | 25.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.1% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 17.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.9% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.4% | 13.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Health
Fewer of Riley’s adults have obesity than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
28% of adults have obesity in Riley. Riley beats the Kansas average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of adults have high blood pressure in Riley.
| Riley | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 37% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
12 better20 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Riley | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.5% | 13% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.7% | 9.9% |
Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan
14 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Riley’s typical home value is about $223K
The typical Riley home is worth about $223,000, up 4% in a year, 9% below the Kansas typical home.
$223KZillow home value
| Riley | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,203 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Riley$223K
Kansas$246K
+4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Riley faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 322 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riley City West Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Riley City East Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 8 attractions →Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Riley. Close and well known come first.
34 mi MuseumDwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home15 mi Zoo & aquariumSunset Zoo
17 mi MuseumFlint Hills Discovery Center
17 mi MuseumU.S. Cavalry MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Dwight 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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Riley
17pages on Riley
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Riley
Manhattan Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Manhattan13.3 mi$9,844 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Riley residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Riley for work
Where Riley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
261jobs based in Riley
7%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Riley
City in Riley County, Kansas
Riley is a city in Riley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 938.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,289 ft
- ZIP code
- 66531
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Riley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Riley, KS a good place to live?
Riley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.