City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Gardner, KS

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

24,020
Residents
$92,579
Median income
$276,000
Median home
$1,358
Median rent (state)

Gardner - the verdict

Gardner ranks in the 73rd percentile for household income and the 63rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

73rd
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
63rd
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: Gardner, KS

24,020 people live in Gardner, Kansas - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Gardner brings in $92,579 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Typical homes in Gardner are valued around $276,000, and the median resident age is 31.3 years. 32.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 75.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 139 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 10% from five years earlier. Gardner reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1016.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,358 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Gardner report an average commute of 20.1 minutes, with 77.7% driving alone and 13.5% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

24,020 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$92,579 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Gardner compare to other US cities?

Where Gardner sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities
Safety 63% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Kansas, Gardner ranks #34 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Gardner against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kansas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kansas-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Gardner's strongest outlier among Kansas cities

Among the 527 Kansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Gardner ranks #20 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gardner only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#39 of 527
93rd percentile in Kansas
Median Gross Rent
#3 of 552
92nd percentile in Kansas
Median Home Value
#20 of 527
96th percentile in Kansas
Poverty Rate
#309 of 552
43rd percentile in Kansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#91 of 552
83rd percentile in Kansas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kansas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

73rdIncome percentile
63rdSafety percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income · 63rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Gardner's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Gardner'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 60 Avg. percentile National median
Gardner'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 Gardner's home value compares nationally

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

$276,000 39th percentile more affordable than 39% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Gardner $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 - Gardner, KS Gardner, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gardner, 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 Gardner, KS median $92,579/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%
Gardner, 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 Gardner, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 75.0%

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

Population
24,020
Median Income
$92,579
Median Home Value
$276,000
Median Age
31.3
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
75.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1016.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
138.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
878.4
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
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
23,000 residents24,000 residents25,000 residents26,000 residents27,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,429 residents 26,154 residents ▲ +11.6%
Gardner's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
139
housing units authorized
Single-Family
139
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 155
2020 258
2021 134
2022 507
2023 184
2024 139

Permit volume decreased 10% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.1 minutes
Drive Alone
77.7%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.5%
Work from Home
13.5%
Other
0.9%

Based on 12,525 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 Gardner sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,358/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Emporia
24,098 people
Prairie
22,937 people
Junction City
22,431 people
Derby
25,801 people
Hays
21,078 people
Pittsburg
20,606 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gardner's 24,020 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

White Bear Lake, MN
24,026 people
Brambleton, VA
23,999 people
North Potomac, MD
23,994 people
Coral Terrace, FL
24,051 people
South Elgin, IL
23,984 people
Elmwood Park, IL
23,982 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gardner's $92,579 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wilmington Island, GA
$92,578 median income
Lake Wynonah, PA
$92,572 median income
Arnold, CA
$92,589 median income
Roberts, MT
$92,589 median income
Cleveland, UT
$92,589 median income
New Castle, DE
$92,565 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gardner, 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 Gardner, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.8% 7.1% 7.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.6% White 79.8% Black or African American 7.1% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.8% Two or more races 7.7% 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 Gardner 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
Gardner (this city) 24,020 $92,579
Emporia 24,098 $52,787
Prairie 22,937 $107,664
Junction City 22,431 $60,317
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gardner, KS?

What is the population of Gardner, KS? +

Gardner, KS counts 24,020 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Gardner, KS? +

In Gardner, the typical household earns $92,579 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gardner? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gardner; 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 Gardner, KS safe? +

Gardner has a total crime rate of 1016.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Gardner, KS? +

A typical home in Gardner is worth $276,000, 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

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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.