Riley County · Manhattan · population 54,700
Where Manhattan stands
At or near all-time high. home values up 4.3% in the last year. rents up 6.3% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
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 · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 20.2 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Manhattan. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Manhattan has held up across the cycle: home values at $291,280 with +5.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Manhattan'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 Manhattan
Manhattan is a city in Riley County, Kansas, with an estimated population of 54,700. The median home value in Manhattan is $291,280 as of 2026-04, up 4.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Manhattan average $1,201 per month, up 6.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Manhattan (Wikipedia)
Manhattan is a city in and the county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 54,100.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
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.
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.
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 Riley County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Riley County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Manhattan
Run the numbers for Manhattan
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
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
Find rentals & listings
Open current Manhattan listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Videos show flooding in Manhattan, Kansas, after ‘awfully fast’ rainfallKansas City Star · 1d ago
- KSHB 41 Weather Blog | Severe threats are done; heavy rain threats are notKSHB 41 Kansas City · 1d ago
- K-State RB Joe Jackson Could be Next Breakout Big 12 Star in 2026Sports Illustrated · 12h ago
- Manhattan crews continue storm cleanup after severe weatherWIBW · 1d ago
- P5191447A-1024×605.jpgthemercury.com · 10h ago
- HelloNation Examines Senior Living Staffing Models With Insights From Senior Living Expert Sarah Duggan of Manhattan, KansasYahoo Finance · 7h ago
Local chatter (Reddit)
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Manhattan area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
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.
Cities similar to Manhattan
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.