Is Highland, KS a Good Place to Live?
Highland is a small town of 1,106 in Kansas, with a median household income of $65,000 and a 4.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.
Strengths: Highland stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Highland is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Highland 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: 87.8Highland's overall cost of living index is 87.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highland costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Highland, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $117,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $563 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $65,000 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHighland's violent crime rate is 263.2 per 100,000 residents — 31% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Highland is served primarily by Doniphan West Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Highland, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Doniphan West Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Highland sees average highs of 36.0°F in January and 86.7°F in July, with 37.0 inches of annual precipitation and 21.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Highland, KS |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 36.0°F |
| Average High — July | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Highland, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,106 | — |
| Median Age | 20.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 62.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 27.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 7.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Highland
Highland, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: