City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Valley Center, KS

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

8,937
Residents
$73,480
Median income
$214,300
Median home
$1,099
Median rent (state)

Valley Center - the verdict

Nationally, Valley Center sits in the 54th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

54th
percentile, household income
47th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Valley Center, KS

Valley Center is a small town in Kansas, home to 8,937 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Valley Center brings in $73,480 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.8%. Valley Center's housing stock carries a median value of $214,300, and the median resident age is 33.5 years. 36.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 126 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 350% from five years earlier.

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,099 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $217 across Kansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

8,937 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$73,480 /yr

Poverty 1.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Valley Center compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 47% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Valley Center 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 Valley Center's strongest outlier among Kansas cities

Among the 527 Kansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Valley Center ranks #48 - the 91st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Valley Center only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#121 of 527
77th percentile in Kansas
Median Gross Rent
#48 of 552
84th percentile in Kansas
Median Home Value
#48 of 527
91st percentile in Kansas
Poverty Rate
#454 of 552
17th percentile in Kansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#63 of 552
89th 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.

54thIncome percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Valley Center's home value compares nationally

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

$214,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 53% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Valley Center $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 - Valley Center, KS Valley Center, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, KS median $73,480/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%
Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.1%

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

Population
8,937
Median Income
$73,480
Median Home Value
$214,300
Median Age
33.5
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Labor force participation
60.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.0%

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,200 residents7,400 residents7,600 residents7,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,361 residents 7,685 residents ▲ +4.4%
Valley Center's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
126
housing units authorized
Single-Family
22
detached homes
Multifamily
104
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
14.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 28
2020 41
2021 0
2022 16
2023 20
2024 126

Permit volume increased 350% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.8%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.7%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
0.9%

Based on 3,636 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 Valley Center sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,099/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Coffeyville
8,752 people
Spring Hill
8,691 people
Bel Aire
8,654 people
Chanute
8,629 people
Augusta
9,252 people
Fort Riley
8,595 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Center's 8,937 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pulaski, VA
8,937 people
Rio del Mar, CA
8,938 people
Haledon, NJ
8,936 people
Meadowbrook, AL
8,939 people
Harahan, LA
8,939 people
Cloverdale, CA
8,933 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Center's $73,480 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Parkersburg, IA
$73,482 median income
Detroit Beach, MI
$73,478 median income
Seneca, PA
$73,478 median income
Reece City, AL
$73,472 median income
Bee Branch, AR
$73,472 median income
Manchester, PA
$73,472 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.3% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.3% White 89.3% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 8.9% 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 Valley Center 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
Valley Center (this city) 8,937 $73,480
Coffeyville 8,752 $41,901
Spring Hill 8,691 $108,007
Bel Aire 8,654 $93,182
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Valley Center, KS?

What is the population of Valley Center, KS? +

Valley Center, KS has a population of 8,937 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Valley Center, KS? +

In Valley Center, the typical household earns $73,480 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Valley Center? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Valley Center; 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.

What is the median home value in Valley Center, KS? +

A typical home in Valley Center is worth $214,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.