Downtown Great Bend Kansas 5-5-2012 · Paul Sableman / CC BY 2.0Barton county courthouse kansas · Calvin Beale / Public domainGreat Bend Train Station Grain Elevator · Roger Pommerenke / Public domain
Great Bend is a small city of 14,725 in Kansas, with a median household income of $53,885
and a 4.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Great Bend stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Great Bend is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Great Bend city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.7
Great Bend's overall cost of living index is 87.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Great Bend costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Great Bend, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$116,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$739
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
59.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$53,885
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Great Bend's violent crime rate is 315.5 per 100,000 residents
— 17% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
315.5 /100k
Property Crime
1556.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Great Bend is served primarily by Great Bend.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Great Bend, KS
National Avg
School District
Great Bend
—
Elementary Schools
5
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
22.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
85.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Great Bend sees average highs of 42.5°F in January
and 91.3°F in July,
with 27.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 11.5 inches of snow per year.
Great Bend's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Great Bend roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $116,400 and median rent is $739/month.
Great Bend's violent crime rate is 315.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1556.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Great Bend are operated by Great Bend.
The district has 5 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.6:1. 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Great Bend, KS has a population of 14,725, a median household income of $53,885, and an unemployment rate of 4.8%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Great Bend averages 42.5°F in January and 91.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 27.3 inches
with about 11.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Great Bend, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 67530.
The population of Great Bend, Kansas is 14,725 with a median age of 36.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Great Bend: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $116,400, median household income $53,885, crime index 79 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Great Bend side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
