Hutchinson, KS — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

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Reno County · Hutchinson · population 39,561

AffordabilityInvestors
Hutchinson, KS
Image: Wikipedia · Hutchinson, Kansas
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71
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hutchinson stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.7% in the last year. averaging 7.3% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $149,978
1-year +6.7%
5-yr CAGR +7.3%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$150k$82k$107k$131k$156k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
74/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$786/mo$543$688$833202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent142136100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.9
Lean buy

At a 15.9 price-to-rent ratio, Hutchinson is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
81 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
76 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
41 · w16%
Rent YoY
63 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
63 · w10%
Long thesis

Hutchinson has averaged 7.3% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+6.7% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Hutchinson's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Hutchinson

Hutchinson is a city in Reno County, Kansas, with an estimated population of 39,561. The median home value in Hutchinson is $149,978 as of 2026-04, up 6.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hutchinson average $786 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.7%). The composite momentum score is 71 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Trend still working: prices up 6.7% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
Affordable AND rising: median home $149,978 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
Healthy 5-year run: +7.3% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Hutchinson (Wikipedia)

Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, and located along the Arkansas River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 40,006. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City". Each year, Hutchinson hosts the Kansas State Fair, and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Men's Basketball Tournament. It is the home of the Hutchinson Community College, the Cosmosphere aerospace museum, and Strataca underground salt museum.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Reno County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Reno County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Hutchinson

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
41° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
89° / 66°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
230
~63% of year
Annual precip
30″ rain
15″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Hutchinson listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Hutchinson area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$69,700
Kansas state median
Top industries (state-level)
Aerospace (Wichita)AgricultureHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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