Is Hill City, KS a Good Place to Live?
Hill City is a small town of 1,593 in Kansas, with a median household income of $43,750 and a 8.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.
Strengths: Hill City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Hill City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Hill City 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: 85.8Hill City's overall cost of living index is 85.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Hill City costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Hill City, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $88,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $698 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $43,750 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Hill City is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Hill City is served primarily by Graham County. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Hill City, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Graham County | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 9.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Hill City sees average highs of 41.2°F in January and 91.0°F in July, with 24.2 inches of annual precipitation and 17.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Hill City, KS |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.2°F |
| Average High — July | 91.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Hill City, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,593 | — |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 8.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Hill City
Hill City, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: