Valley Falls Kansas 9-16-2014, 2014
Valley Falls’s story
151 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1875Valley Falls is settled
Valley FallsKS
A town of 1,055, settled in 1875. 22% more nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
Population
1,055
2025 Census estimate · −3.3% since 2020
Typical home
$267K
+10% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
47.4
years
Jobs based here
323
A commuter town
Is Valley Falls a good place to live?
Valley Falls’ best subject grade is an A for civic life; its weakest is a D for schools. 23% of the land in Valley Falls is conserved, above both Kansas’ towns (2.1%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Perry Lake Recreation Area, at 96 acres. Valley Falls has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Valley Falls stand out
Where Valley Falls beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Valley Falls5.1
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical KS town4.2
Civic lifeA
22% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Kansas town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
5.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,055 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Valley Falls grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Valley Falls is from typical.
SchoolsBehind 92% of Kansas districts on tests and graduationDOpen →Jobs & income$47K median household incomeCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.9 of 20; 20.8% of households have no carB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →HealthF W Huston Medical Center 10.3 miles awayBOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailC+Open →History6 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life5.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.4; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Valley Falls: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Valley Falls, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Valley Falls water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Valley Falls’ 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 hereJefferson County ClerkJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2024
ZIP code6608866088 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 Valley Falls.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
In Valley Falls, the median household income runs lower than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town
The top destinations are Topeka (17%), Winchester (6%) and Leavenworth (6%). Among residents in Valley Falls, 5.9% live below the poverty line. Valley Falls’ mean commuting time is 27 minutes, above both the Kansas town median (20 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs in Valley Falls grew by 52 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 323.
9%work in town
| Valley Falls | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 13% | 8.7% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Valley Falls9%
Topeka17%
Winchester6%
Leavenworth6%
Lawrence5%
24 mi
median commute distance
323
jobs based in Valley Falls
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC+
Protected land: 23.4% of Valley Falls
The trail network density for Valley Falls comes to 0.9 miles per square mile. There are 0.6 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve.
23.4%conserved
23.4%
conserved · 106 of 454 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Perry Lake Recreation Area | 0.6 mi | 96 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
The climate in Valley Falls brings four seasons and hot summers
The range runs from 18° on a January night to 89° on a July afternoon, with about 14 inches of snow a winter.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–41°
Spring43–66°
Summer65–87°
Fall44–67°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Valley Falls is healthier than three in five U.S. towns
The share of adults in Valley Falls who sleep under 7 hours: 34%. Among adults here, 11% worry about having enough food and 17% binge drink.
61%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Valley Falls | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Valley Falls | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.3% | 8.1% |
F W Huston Medical Center
10.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B
Homes in Valley Falls are worth about $267K, by Zillow’s estimate
55% of households live in a home they own in Valley Falls. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 10%. The typical rent here is $785 a month.
$267KZillow home value
| Valley Falls | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $785 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Valley Falls$267K
Kansas$246K
+10%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Valley Falls, with inland flooding at the top
Households in Valley Falls have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2019. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 48% come from inland flooding and 16% from tornadoes.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesWildfire
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Valley Falls
19pages on Valley Falls
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Valley Falls; the nearest are
Benedictine CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Atchison24.6 mi$36,350 tuitionWashburn UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Topeka24.7 mi$9,945 in-state tuitionHighland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Highland37.4 mi$4,080 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Valley Falls residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Valley Falls for work
Where Valley Falls’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
323jobs based in Valley Falls
9%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Valley Falls
6 notable people were born in Valley Falls.
F
Fred MarshAmerican baseball player · 1924–2006
G
George M. StaffordRecipient of the Purple Heart medal · 1915–1995R
R. Crosby KemperAmerican banker · 1892–1972R
Richard PetersAmerican football coach · 1920–1973C
Clarence T. "Curly" EdwinsonAmerican flying ace · 1912–1985Questions about Valley Falls
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Valley Falls, KS a good place to live?
22% more nonprofits per person than the typical Kansas town.
Is Valley Falls, KS expensive?
That is 3.8 years of the area's median household income ($69,888 across the Topeka, KS metro 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.
What is Valley Falls, KS known for?
6 notable people were born here, including Fred Marsh and Guy Maccoy.