City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Garden City, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Garden City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

27,781
Residents
$72,511
Median income
$186,200
Median home
$1,041
Median rent (state)

Garden City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Garden City lands in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 21st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
21st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Garden City, KS

27,781 people live in Garden City, Kansas - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Garden City brings in $72,511 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.5%. Home values in Garden City run a median of $186,200, and the median resident age is 32.7 years. 18.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 35 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 46% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2592.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kansas at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,041 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 63.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

27,781 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$72,511 /yr

Poverty 7.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Garden City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Garden City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 21% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kansas alone, Garden City ranks #88 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Garden City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

53rdIncome percentile
21stSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 21st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Garden City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Garden City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Garden City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Garden City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$186,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Garden City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Garden City, KS Garden City, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Garden City, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Garden City, KS median $72,511/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Garden City, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Garden City, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
27,781
Median Income
$72,511
Median Home Value
$186,200
Median Age
32.7
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Labor force participation
66.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2592.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
511.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2080.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
18
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
27,200 residents27,400 residents27,600 residents27,800 residents28,000 residents28,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 28,037 residents 27,402 residents ▼ -2.3%
Garden City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
35
housing units authorized
Single-Family
35
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 65
2020 74
2021 57
2022 137
2023 52
2024 35

Permit volume decreased 46% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.5%
Carpool
14.9%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
2.2%

Based on 13,734 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Garden City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,041/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
63.7 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Dodge City
27,652 people
Derby
25,801 people
Emporia
24,098 people
Gardner
24,020 people
Prairie
22,937 people
Junction City
22,431 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Garden City's 27,781 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Madison, MS
27,775 people
Monsey, NY
27,787 people
McHenry, IL
27,774 people
Reisterstown, MD
27,764 people
Shirley, NY
27,807 people
South Laurel, MD
27,736 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Garden City's $72,511 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bulpitt, IL
$72,500 median income
Columbus, IL
$72,500 median income
Grant Park, IL
$72,500 median income
Hartsburg, IL
$72,500 median income
Mansfield, IL
$72,500 median income
Maroa, IL
$72,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Garden City, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Garden City, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.6% 16.6% 21.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 54.6% White 50.6% Black or African American 5.9% Asian 4.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 16.6% Two or more races 21.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Garden City compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Garden City (this city) 27,781 $72,511
Dodge City 27,652 $67,958
Derby 25,801 $82,089
Emporia 24,098 $52,787
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Garden City, KS?

What is the population of Garden City, KS? +

27,781 people live in Garden City, KS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Garden City, KS? +

Median annual household income in Garden City runs $72,511, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Garden City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Garden City; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

Is Garden City, KS safe? +

Garden City has a total crime rate of 2592.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Garden City, KS? +

Garden City's median home value sits at $186,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.