Manhattan, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Manhattan, KS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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D
Income Well below average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,186 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1915.9 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.25% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 23.2 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 15,835 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Manhattan grew by 7.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 39,186 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Manhattan is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 53.5% of residents. That is 30.7 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 20,977 53.5% +30.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,373 16.3% -4.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,089 10.4% -8.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,266 8.3% -8.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Kansas, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 46.9% of the people living in Manhattan and men 53.1%.
- Women 46.9% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 53.1% Kansas 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Manhattan
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Manhattan has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,676 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.31% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Manhattan is about 26% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $313,895 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $965 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 41.0% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Manhattan is about 27.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $965 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Manhattan spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 102 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.3 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.5 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 102 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,165 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 13.4% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,814 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,986 | 662 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Manhattan is 12 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Manhattan has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.12 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Manhattan has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Manhattan | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.8% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.2% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Manhattan, Kansas.
How big is Manhattan, Kansas by population?
About 39,186 people live in Manhattan, Kansas, in 15,835 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 23.2, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 14 years.
Is Manhattan, Kansas urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Manhattan, Kansas has 1,916 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 22 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Manhattan, Kansas?
The median home costs 5.7 times the median household income ($313,895 against $54,676), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $965 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Manhattan, Kansas?
Unemployment in Manhattan, Kansas is only 3.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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